Our Flavor — Why Whataburger

Whataburger isn’t just a fast-food burger chain it is where bold leadership starts — and where potential doesn’t just grow, it heats up. Whether you're leading the line or working behind the scenes, this is the place where opportunities stack up, and every day gives you a chance to Make a Difference.

Since 1950, we’ve invested in people who lead with integrity, Serve with Heart, and bring their best flavor to the team. We believe in working together, speaking up, having a little fun, and Winning as One — because great burgers (and great teams) start with the right ingredients. If you're ready — to learn, grow, impact, and Move Forward Boldly — we’ve got your back and your path cooked to perfection.

Your Recipe for Impact — What You’ll Do

As a Sr. Data Architect, you will shape and scale the data foundation that fuels smarter decisions, powerful analytics, and next‑generation AI capabilities across Whataburger. Your work directly supports our purpose and values. Make a Difference by designing enterprise data architectures that turn complex data into trusted insights that power business outcomes. Serve with Heart by championing data quality, governance, and clarity—ensuring teams can rely on data to do their best work. Win as One by partnering closely with engineering, analytics, and business leaders to align data strategy with real operational needs. Move Forward Boldly by modernizing platforms, enabling AI and advanced analytics, and leading data innovation at scale.

Day-to-Day Ingredients — Responsibilities

As a Sr. Data Architect, you will:

• Define and evolve enterprise data architecture standards and best practices

• Design scalable data models and analytics structures across domains

• Architect data integration patterns (ETL/ELT, APIs, streaming, orchestration)

• Establish and support data governance, lineage, cataloging, and quality frameworks

• Design and maintain Master Data Management (MDM) architectures

• Enable AI and advanced analytics through strong data foundations

• Provide architectural leadership and guidance to data and engineering teams

• Partner cross‑functionally to align data solutions with business strategy

• Evaluate, modernize, and optimize enterprise data platforms and technologies

The Sauce — Pay & Perks

As a Sr. Data Architect, you will receive:

• Competitive Weekly Pay

• Bonus Program that scales up to 2.5X payout potential based on company results

• 5 weeks PTO

• Flex Weeks

• Paid Corporate Holidays

• Paid Parental Leave*

• 401(k) match $1/$1 up to 4%

• Competitive Medical, Dental and Vision Benefits*

• Short-term and Long-term Disability Benefits*

• Opportunities for Career Development and Growth

• Whataburger Family Foundation - Scholarship Program (dependents eligible) and Hardship Grant Assistance

• Discounted Meals for You and a Guest

• Wireless Service Discounts

• Computer & Software Discounts

• Fitness / Gym Discounts

• Awards and recognition for all you do

• Retirement Celebration Program

What You Bring to the Table — Required Experience

As a Sr. Data Architect, you must have: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience

• 7+ years in data architecture, senior data engineering, or related roles

• Hands‑on experience with data integration patterns and tools

• Demonstrated experience building enterprise‑scale data solutions

• Proven ability to lead through influence and collaborate across team

• Excellent communication and technical documentation skills

Extra Toppings — Desired Experience

As a Sr. Data Architect, we prefer you to have: 

• Experience with Informatica IDMC and MDM solutions

• Strong background in data governance tools (catalog, lineage, quality)

• Experience designing a semantic or analytics abstraction layer

• Deep expertise in data modeling

• Strong experience with modern cloud data platforms

• Familiarity with BI and analytics platforms (Power BI, Tableau, MicroStrategy)

• Hands‑on DevOps experience for data (CI/CD, infrastructure‑as‑code)

• Exposure to Gen‑AI, AI engineering frameworks, or AI coding assistants

• Relevant certifications (Snowflake, Azure Data Engineer, Informatica, CDMP, Data Governance)

Where & How You’ll Work

This role is based at the San Antonio Home Office, working on‑site Monday through Thursday with remote flexibility on Fridays. In this role, you’ll have strong collaboration with leadership, across cross-functional teams, and with external partners to align capabilities with restaurant realities. The work environment is fast‑paced and requires sound judgment, strategic thinking, and strong collaboration skills. Full‑time availability is required, with occasional extended hours based on business needs, along with occasional travel to properties, project sites, and external meetings. Candidates must reside within commuting distance of the San Antonio Home Office.

Whataburger is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, disability, veteran status, age, or other condition or status protected by law. Whataburger participates in the federal E-Verify Program. For more information go to www.dhs.gov/E-Verify. E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

*Eligibility rules may apply