Data Platform Engineer

First Orion

$100K — $120K *
Enterprise Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
  • 5+ years of experience in data engineering, platform engineering, cloud infrastructure, DevOps, or a related discipline
  • 3+ years of hands-on experience with Databricks and Apache Spark in production environments
  • Strong Terraform experience, including modules and CI/CD
  • Knowledge of Unity Catalog governance models and securable objects
  • Strong AWS experience, particularly with IAM and S3
  • Proficiency in Python and SQL alongside knowledge of PySpark and Delta Lake

Responsibilities

  • Implement, operate, and improve the Databricks platform on AWS
  • Build and maintain Terraform modules for infrastructure and integrations
  • Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines for deployments across environments
  • Configure and support compute policies and workflows
  • Implement Unity Catalog governance and permissions
  • Build foundational data pipelines and internal applications
  • Monitor platform health and troubleshoot incidents

Benefits

  • Open PTO and company-paid holidays
  • Flex Fridays and flexible work arrangements
  • Onsite state-of-the-art fitness center
  • Generous health and dental/vision options
  • Retirement plans and tuition reimbursement
  • Learning and development programs with career path frameworks
  • Company options and bonus potential
Full Job Description

This is an opportunity for a Data Platform Engineer within First Orion’s Data Engineering organization. This hands-on role is responsible for implementing, automating, operating, and improving our enterprise data platform, with a primary focus on Databricks running on AWS. The engineer will translate platform architecture and governance standards into reliable infrastructure, deployments, access controls, pipelines, and internal data solutions.

You will work closely with the Data Platform Architect, who sets platform direction, architecture, and company process alignment. The Data Platform Engineer provides implementation expertise, builds according to those designs, and owns the operational quality of the platform. We are looking for a collaborative, self-motivated engineer with strong technical judgment and a commitment to secure, reliable, and maintainable solutions.

What you’ll be doing:
  • Implement, operate, and continuously improve the Databricks platform on AWS
  • Build and maintain Terraform modules for Databricks, AWS infrastructure, Unity Catalog, permissions, and supporting integrations
  • Develop and maintain Databricks Asset Bundles and CI/CD pipelines for repeatable deployments across environments
  • Configure and support workspaces, compute policies, SQL warehouses, workflows, jobs, service principals, and platform permissions
  • Implement Unity Catalog governance, including catalogs, schemas, storage credentials, external locations, ownership, and group-based access
  • Build and support foundational data pipelines using Python, SQL, Apache Spark, Delta Lake, and Databricks workflows
  • Develop lightweight internal applications and governed user-input solutions using approved platform services
  • Monitor platform health, reliability, performance, security, and cost; troubleshoot incidents and complete root-cause analysis
  • Create reusable patterns, automation, runbooks, and self-service capabilities for engineering teams
  • Partner with the Data Platform Architect to validate designs, identify risks, and support production-readiness reviews

What you’ll need:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
  • 5+ years of experience in data engineering, platform engineering, cloud infrastructure, DevOps, or a related discipline
  • 3+ years of hands-on experience with Databricks and Apache Spark in production environments
  • Strong Terraform experience, including modules, state management, provider configuration, and CI/CD
  • Strong knowledge of Unity Catalog, including securable objects, ownership, privilege inheritance, and governance models
  • Strong AWS experience, particularly IAM, S3, networking, encryption, monitoring, and secure service integration
  • Experience with Databricks Asset Bundles, Git-based development, automated testing, and deployment pipelines
  • Strong Python and SQL skills with working knowledge of PySpark, Delta Lake, and distributed data processing
  • Experience with identity and access management, service principals, groups, least privilege, and SSO/SCIM
  • Experience with platform observability, troubleshooting, incident response, performance tuning, and cost optimization
  • Ability to translate architecture and governance requirements into maintainable code, automation, and operating procedures
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills across architecture, engineering, security, and business teams

Bonus Points:
  • Experience migrating Hive Metastore or DBFS-based workloads to Unity Catalog
  • Experience with Databricks Apps, Streamlit, REST APIs, or lightweight Python applications
  • Databricks or AWS certifications
  • Experience with FinOps, Delta Sharing, AI/ML platforms, or high-scale telecom data systems

Company Benefits:

Balancing the work-life flow is key to health and happiness! That is why we offer one of the most competitive packages in our industry with open PTO, company paid holidays, Flex Fridays and flexible work arrangements. We strongly value the health and wellness of our teammates and through our state-of-the-art fitness center we’re helping our teammates reach their wellness goals while at work.  Add on generous health and dental/vision options, retirement plans, learning and development programs, career path frameworks, tuition reimbursement, company options and bonus potential you have many ways to take advantage of a comprehensive benefits package that means the most to you!

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at First Orion

  • Key Accounts Director
    $110K — $130K *
    North Little Rock, AR 72118 (Pulaski County)
    Business Services
    In-Person
  • Data Platform Engineer
    $100K — $120K *
    North Little Rock, AR 72118 (Pulaski County)
    Enterprise Technology
    In-Person

More Enterprise Technology Jobs

Find similar Data Platform Engineer jobs: