Director Analyst - Edge Data Engineering

Director Analyst - Edge Data Engineering

Gartner is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Director Analyst to join our dynamic team. This individual will be a subject matter expert in the rapidly evolving field of Edge Data, providing insightful research and strategic advisory services to Gartner clients.

As a Director Analyst specializing in Edge Data, you will be responsible for conducting in-depth research and analysis on trends, technologies, and market dynamics related to data management at the edge. You will leverage Gartner's extensive resources and interact directly with clients to understand their challenges, provide actionable recommendations, and help them make informed decisions regarding edge data strategies.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct comprehensive research and analysis on the edge data management market, including databases, data storage, and emerging data architectures at the edge, cloud and AI environment.
• Identify and analyze the key drivers necessitating the adoption of data management in distributed enterprises and their impact on real-time decision-making.
• Author high-quality, thought-provoking research reports, presentations, and other deliverables on key topics such as data management trends, use cases, challenges, and vendor landscapes. This may include contributing to publications such as the Hype Cycle for Edge Computing and planning guides like the Planning Guide for Cloud, Data Center and Edge Infrastructure.
• Provide expert advisory services to Gartner clients through inquiries, meetings, and presentations, addressing their specific questions and providing strategic guidance on their edge data initiatives.
• Develop a deep understanding of the similarities and differences between cloud-based and edge-based data management solutions (e.g., Amazon RDS/Redshift vs. Azure SQL Edge/Turso/Cloudflare) and the factors driving their adoption.
• Strong foundation in data architecture and cloud-native data platforms, with working knowledge of modern data engineering toolchains (streaming, ETL/ELT, CI/CD, and observability) across edge-to-cloud deployments.
• Assess and advise on deploying and operating AI workloads across distributed sites, including orchestration, remote updates, and monitoring for reliability and performance.
• Assess and advise on the long-term suitability, scalability, and security of proposed hybrid data architectures, including integration and orchestration patterns across on-prem and cloud platforms.
• Experience evaluating cloud data platforms (e.g., Snowflake and Databricks) for edge-to-cloud analytics, governance, and real-time data pipelines, including open table formats (Iceberg/Delta).
• Investigate the challenges organizations face in managing distributed data architectures in edge environments, including governance and security concerns, and provide guidance on addressing these challenges.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and their potential impact on data management and related areas, such as AI Infrastructure.
• Analyze the competitive landscape of vendors providing edge data management solutions.
• Contribute to the development of forecasts and market sizing for the edge data market segments.
• Collaborate effectively with other Gartner analysts across different research areas (e.g., edge compute, edge infrastructure, cloud computing, data management, security) to deliver integrated and comprehensive insights to clients.
• Present research findings and insights at Gartner conferences and client events.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Significant experience in the data management domain, with a strong focus on edge computing and edge data management.
• Deep understanding of database technologies, data storage solutions, and data integration strategies, with specific knowledge of their application in environments for Banking and Finance use-cases.
• Understanding and implementation of PCI DSS standards across banking and retail environments.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research and analysis, synthesize complex information, and develop insightful and actionable recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex topics clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong client engagement and advisory skills, with a proven track record of building rapport and providing valuable guidance to clients.
• Familiarity with the various use cases driving edge data adoption across different industries.
• Knowledge of cloud computing p