Forward Deployed Data Engineer - Houston

Indicium AI

$180K — $230K *
Finance & Insurance
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Extensive hands-on experience in data engineering, particularly in Python and advanced SQL for production data applications.
  • Deep expertise in Databricks environments, including Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, and PySpark.
  • Proficiency in modeling data with dbt and managing infrastructure using Terraform for Infrastructure as Code.
  • Experience migrating legacy systems (e.g., Teradata, Netezza) to modern cloud solutions, demonstrating results in real-world examples.
  • Strong communication skills for interfacing confidently with both technical and executive teams in a consulting environment.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the primary technical authority on client engagements, scoping architectures and mapping data domains.
  • Write and optimize production data code in PySpark and Databricks SQL, modernizing legacy logic into Medallion Architectures.
  • Design secure data infrastructure that effectively integrates LLM workflows into enterprise pipelines.
  • Develop modular Terraform scripts to provision cloud environments and manage governance.
  • Lead nearshore engineering squads, conducting code reviews and ensuring adherence to high engineering standards.
  • Act as a technical safety net, resolving issues promptly to maintain client project timelines.

Benefits

  • Flexible working environment with opportunities for remote work.
  • Collaboration with elite partners in the tech industry such as Databricks and Anthropic.
  • Exposure to high-stakes, enterprise-level projects in prominent sectors like Financial Services and Healthcare.
  • Professional growth opportunities in a fast-paced, startup-like atmosphere without rigid structures.
Full Job Description
The Opportunity

As a Forward Deployed Data Engineer (FDE) on our US Launch Team, you will act as the principal technical anchor embedded directly within high-stakes enterprise client accounts (focusing heavily on Financial Services and Healthcare). You won't just be writing specs or advising from afar-you will be on the front lines in client environments, bridging the gap between C-suite data strategy and hands-on production code.

Working at the tip of the spear alongside our elite partners at Databricks and Anthropic, you will lead architecture design, modernize brittle legacy ecosystems into cloud-native Lakehouses, build agentic AI data harnesses, and guide integrated "SWAT" pods to ship working software in weeks rather than months.
Key Responsibilities
  • Embedded Technical Leadership: Serve as the primary technical authority on client engagements. Partner directly with client VP/CTO stakeholders to scope architectures, map data domains, and turn complex requirements into execution-ready engineering plans.
  • Hands-On Lakehouse Modernization: Roll up your sleeves to write and optimize production PySpark, Databricks SQL, and Delta Live Tables (DLT)-actively refactoring complex legacy logic (Informatica, PL/SQL, legacy stored procedures) into Medallion Architectures.
  • Agentic AI & Data Infrastructure: Architect deterministic, secure data "harnesses" that integrate LLM workflows (Anthropic/Claude) into traditional enterprise data pipelines safely and cost-effectively.
  • DataOps & IaC Ownership: Write modular Terraform scripts to provision cloud environments (AWS/GCP), manage governance and lineage via Unity Catalog, and enforce CI/CD rigor across projects.
  • Pod & Delivery Guidance: Partner with our LATAM-based nearshore engineering squads (600+ experts) as the US technical lead-conducting code reviews, debugging performance bottlenecks, and maintaining high engineering standards.
  • Technical Unblocking & Escalation: Act as the ultimate technical safety net. If a pipeline breaks or a deployment stalls at 2:00 AM, you have the hands-on depth to jump into the code, fix the issue, and keep client delivery on track.
Qualifications & Requirements

Technical Mastery & Execution
  • Extensive Hands-On Data Engineering: Deep proficiency in Python and advanced SQL with a proven track record of shipping production data software.
  • Deep Databricks Platform Expertise: Hands-on experience building, scaling, and tuning Databricks Lakehouse environments (Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, PySpark, DLT, Workflows).
  • Modern Stack & IaC Discipline: Expert-level experience with dbt (Core or Enterprise) for data modeling, Terraform for Infrastructure as Code, and Git/Airflow for orchestration and CI/CD.
  • Legacy Migration Experience: Demonstrated background migrating enterprise client workloads from legacy platforms (Teradata, Netezza, Informatica, Oracle) to modern cloud infrastructure.

Client Presence & Startup Grit
  • The "Player-Coach" Mindset: Equal comfort pitching target architectures to a client CTO and debugging a failing PySpark job or dbt macro alongside junior engineers.
  • Executive Communication: Ability to translate messy business requirements into clean architectural patterns and speak authoritatively across both technical and business functions.
  • Scrappy Nation-Builder: High autonomy and resilience-thriving in a fast-paced, Series A growth environment without relying on rigid corporate playbooks or large support structures.

Nice-to-Haves
  • Prior experience in forward-deployed, technical consulting, or ProServe roles at top-tier agencies or hyper-growth vendors.
  • Pragmatic experience building or deploying LLM/GenAI orchestration frameworks (LangChain, LlamaIndex, Anthropic API) into production pipelines.
  • Official certifications in Databricks, AWS, GCP, or dbt.

The anticipated base salary range for this role is $180,000 - $230,000. In addition to base pay, this position may be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. An individual's final salary offer will be determined based on a variety of factors, including geographic location, experience, specialized skills, and qualifications. This compensation range is subject to updates or modifications at the company's discretion

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