Job Description:Lead the Data Teams Powering Modern Customer ExperiencesYou know great data engineering is about more than pipelines and platforms. It's about helping people make smarter decisions, creating reliable data foundations, and enabling meaningful customer experiences at scale.
As a
Data Engineering Lead, you'll guide talented engineering teams, shape technical strategy, partner with clients, and influence how modern data platforms are built and operated. You'll balance leadership with hands-on technical involvement, helping teams solve complex challenges while delivering measurable business outcomes.
This is a true
player-coach opportunity where you'll lead people, drive delivery excellence, and help define the future of data engineering, cloud platforms, AI-enabled solutions, and customer data ecosystems.
What You'll DoLead and Grow High-Performing TeamsYou'll support the development of Data Engineers by providing coaching, mentorship, career guidance, and opportunities for growth. You'll help create an environment where team members can learn, contribute, and thrive.
Drive Technical DeliveryYou'll oversee complex data engineering initiatives, partnering with Solution Architects and stakeholders to deliver scalable, high-quality data solutions. You'll help guide technical decisions, manage delivery risks, and ensure successful outcomes across multiple engagements.
Shape Engineering ExcellenceYou'll establish and promote best practices across data engineering, including CI/CD, testing, code reviews, observability, data quality, documentation, and governance. You'll help create repeatable approaches that enable teams to deliver consistently and effectively.
Partner with Clients and StakeholdersYou'll collaborate with client leaders, business stakeholders, architects, and delivery teams to translate business goals into actionable engineering solutions. You'll communicate complex technical concepts in a way that supports informed decision-making and successful project outcomes.
Innovate with AI and Emerging TechnologiesYou'll help evaluate and adopt modern technologies, including AI-assisted engineering tools, cloud-native analytics platforms, warehouse-native AI solutions, and next-generation data architecture patterns.
What You'll BringRequired Qualifications- 7+ years of experience in data engineering, including cloud-based data platforms, ELT/ETL processes, and production data pipelines.
- Strong experience with platforms such as Snowflake, Databricks, Google BigQuery, Microsoft Fabric, Azure Synapse, or Amazon Redshift.
- Advanced SQL and Python skills.
- Experience with orchestration and transformation tools such as dbt, Apache Airflow, Azure Data Factory, Dagster, Prefect, or similar technologies.
- Experience designing data models and customer-centric data solutions.
- Understanding of data quality, lineage, observability, and governance best practices.
- Experience with Git, CI/CD, and modern engineering workflows.
- 2+ years leading, mentoring, or managing data engineering teams.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate with technical and non-technical audiences.
Preferred QualificationsExperience with any combination of the following is welcomed:
- Snowflake, Databricks, dbt, Adobe Real-Time CDP, Salesforce Data Cloud, or related certifications.
- Adobe Experience Platform (AEP), Real-Time CDP, Customer Journey Analytics, Salesforce Data Cloud, Braze, or other customer data platforms.
- AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, or Infrastructure as Code technologies such as Terraform.
- AI/ML technologies, warehouse-native AI capabilities, feature engineering, vector databases, or LLM-ready data architectures.
- Data privacy, governance, consent management, and secure data exchange practices.
- Pre-sales, solution design, technical estimation, or consulting experience.
Why You'll Love This OpportunityMake an Impact Beyond the CodeYour work will influence how organizations use data to better understand and engage their customers. The decisions you help make will drive business outcomes across analytics, customer data platforms, AI solutions, and customer experience technologies.
Grow as a LeaderYou'll have the opportunity to mentor engineers, shape engineering culture, build delivery standards, and contribute to the long-term growth of both the team and the broader practice.
Work with Modern TechnologyFrom cloud data warehouses and customer data platforms to AI-assisted engineering and emerging data technologies, you'll have exposure to innovative tools and platforms that are shaping the future of the industry.
We Encourage You to Apply
The annual salary range for this position is $94,000 - $135K. Placement within the salary range is based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and other factors permitted by law.
Benefits available with this position include:
• Medical, vision, and dental insurance,
• Life insurance,
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance,
• 401k,
• Flexible paid time off,
• At least 15 paid holidays per year,
• Paid sick and safe leave, and
• Paid parental leave.
Dentsu also complies with applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, in accordance with its plans and policies. For further details regarding Dentsu benefits, please visit www.dentsubenefitsplus.com.
To begin the application process, please click on the "Apply" button at the top of this job posting. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and qualified candidates will be contacted for next steps.
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Location:Chicago - N. State
Brand:Merkle
Time Type:Full time
Contract Type:Permanent
