Data Engineer, Principal

Summary:

The Principal Data Engineer provides enterprise-wide technical leadership and long-term direction for data engineering strategy. This role defines architectural patterns, drives modernization at scale, and ensures the organization's data platforms are secure, performant, and built for growth. The Principal is a trusted advisor to leadership, influencing cloud strategy, investment priorities, and engineering innovation.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Establish data engineering strategy, standards, and architectural direction across the enterprise Lead modernization of data platforms, cloud ecosystems, and integration architectures Drive adoption of scalable, cost-effective, and secure data engineering practices Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend investments to improve data capabilities Lead cross-functional initiatives involving high complexity, enterprise scale, or multi-team impact

Skills & Competencies:

Master-level expertise in distributed systems, cloud platforms, and modern data architectures Exceptional strategic thinking, architectural leadership, and technical decision-making Ability to guide enterprise initiatives and influence executives and senior technical leaders Deep experience with platform scalability, security, governance, and automation Outstanding communication skills with ability to simplify complex concepts

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Data Management, or related field preferred 10+ years of experience in data engineering or a similar role Expert SQL and deep knowledge of warehousing and distributed systems Expert proficiency in Python or JVM languages (e.g., Java, Scala, Kotlin) for data manipulation and automation Extensive hands-on experience with cloud data platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, or GCP) Mastery of ETL/ELT processes, data modeling, and data architecture Proven track record driving enterprise technical strategy Experience with Agile methodologies and version control