Senior Data Engineer

Cs Draper Labs - Cambridge, MA

Full-time - Senior

Cambridge, MA

1,001-5,000 employees

About the position

The Senior Data Engineer at Draper Labs will be responsible for developing innovative solutions to complex system-level problems across various domains, including military defense, space systems, and biotechnology. This role involves architecting and building processes to enable Data-as-a-Service within the Digital Engineering Ecosystem, ensuring data quality, protection, and availability. The position requires collaboration with cross-functional teams to convert customer requirements into functional software solutions, with a focus on data modeling, database technologies, and data pipeline development.

Responsibilities

• Independently execute task assignments.
• Design algorithms using modern theory and proven techniques, adhering to software best practices.
• Analyze designs to demonstrate performance and functionality.
• Develop and execute software tests to check compliance with requirements.
• Prepare technical data, procedures, reports, drawings, manuals, and other required documentation.
• Communicate with customers and stakeholders to establish requirements and describe the design and deliverables.
• Drive solutions to complex problems, actively participate in requirements development, propose ways forward, and adapt appropriately to changes in requirements.
• Contribute to system architecture decisions and lead the architecture of sub-systems.
• Provide insight and suggest adaptations or modifications to processes and/or applications based on quantitative data or results.
• Identify project technical risks and develop and execute mitigation strategies.
• Actively mentor less experienced staff and provide thoughtful, constructive feedback.
• Lead a small team of software developers on projects.

Requirements

• 5-10 years experience in Software Engineering or related field.
• Applicable experience in data engineering principles and tools such as databases, data modeling, SQL, ETL, data pipelines, data warehouses/lakes.
• Proficiency in configuration management, continuous integration, containerization, and infrastructure & service management.
• Proficiency in 2+ programming languages such as Python, Kotlin, Java, MATLAB, C/C++.
• Significant experience with API definition, design, and maintenance for web-based user interfaces and automated processes.
• Strong understanding of best practices in coding, data manipulation, storage, and optimization.
• Ability to develop and enforce internal standards for data administration and data system documentation.

Nice-to-haves

• M.S. degree or higher in Computer Science, Data Science, Systems Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Aerospace, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• Experience with relational, graph, and NoSQL databases with ability to identify tradeoffs between these database options.
• Experience with Agile Development best practices.
• Experience utilizing data analytics and data visualization dashboards.
• Familiarity with Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or Natural Language Processing.
• Familiarity with digital twin and digital thread architecture and development.
• Familiarity with applying data engineering principles to physical hardware systems and/or Industry 4.0.

Benefits

• Workplace flexibility
• Employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga
• Health and finance workshops
• Off-site social events
• Discounts to local museums and cultural activities