Full Job Description
Principal Data Platform Engineer
We are looking for an innovative and hands-on principal data platform engineer to join our team and lead the design, build, and scaling of secure, governed platforms on Azure, Databricks, and Snowflake. You'll architect cloud-native solutions, enable AI-driven analytics, and drive best practices in data governance, privacy, and operations. If you thrive in fast-moving environments and enjoy mentoring others, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact.
Responsibilities
Build and enhance Databricks-based data pipelines, prototypes, and production-ready solutions across structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data
Lead architecture and development of a cloud-native data and artificial intelligence platform on Azure Databricks Lakehouse and Snowflake
Design and implement API-first data platform capabilities for secure, governed data sharing across teams and partners
Architect and maintain experimentation platforms for evidence-based decisions and composable frameworks for exploration and insights
Implement and optimize Unity Catalog, Delta Lake, Delta Live Tables, Databricks SQL, Photon, MLflow, Workflows, and Lakeview dashboards
Operationalize RBAC, access controls, and governance standards, and automate infrastructure provisioning using Terraform
Develop and deploy RAG/LLM sandboxes, implement vector search, and design document ingestion and hybrid search patterns using Azure AI Search
Lead data governance and stewardship practices using Collibra, including cataloging, lineage, metadata management, and quality frameworks
Conduct PHI/PII scanning, implement data masking and anonymization, and enforce RBAC/ABAC access patterns
Build operational dashboards for audit, data sensitivity, performance monitoring, and FinOps
Develop lightweight data portals for self-service cataloging, search, and discovery
Partner with internal engineers through code reviews, workshops, and hands-on knowledge sharing
Requirements
12+ years in platform engineering, data engineering, or cloud data development roles
3+ years of hands-on Databricks experience in a senior, lead, or principal capacity
Deep practical expertise with Unity Catalog, Delta Lake, Delta Live Tables, Databricks SQL, Photon, MLflow, Workflows, and Vector Search
Experience building pipelines for structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data, including document parsing and natural language processing
Strong SQL and Python skills, with experience in Azure Databricks, ADLS, ADF, Azure ML, Event Hubs, and Azure OpenAI
Experience designing API-driven data platforms and working with Delta, Apache Iceberg, and UniForm
Experience with Collibra or equivalent governance platforms
Familiarity with Terraform, Docker, or Kubernetes for reusable deployment standards
Databricks Associate or Professional certification(s) required
Strong engineering mindset: prototype fast, productionize well, create repeatable patterns others can follow
Nice to have
Experience with dbt Cloud, medallion architecture, Fivetran, or Snowpark
Familiarity with Databricks Genie, MCP/server-based integrations, or self-service AI/BI enablement
Experience with Salesforce integration patterns
Prior experience in nonprofit, foundation, healthcare, or mission-driven organizations
Working knowledge of Snowflake (Iceberg, Horizon Catalog, Cortex AI) in a modern lakehouse environment