Staff Data Engineer

FanDuel

$159K — $208K *
Information Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 8+ years in data engineering or related field, focusing on scalable data systems for ML and analytics.
  • Expertise in modern data tools: Spark, Airflow, Kafka, Databricks, and cloud services (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • Deep understanding of data modeling, distributed systems, and ETL/ELT pipelines.
  • Proficiency in SQL and at least one programming language (Python, Scala, or Java).
  • Experience owning complex technical systems from design to production.

Responsibilities

  • Design and implement scalable, secure batch and streaming data pipelines.
  • Define standards for data modeling and pipeline orchestration using modern technologies.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create end-to-end data solutions.
  • Establish engineering best practices around code quality and deployment.
  • Lead technical design and code reviews to raise engineering standards.
  • Identify architectural bottlenecks and propose performance improvements.
  • Act as a technical liaison between engineering, product, and analytics teams.

Benefits

  • Array of health plans including mental health support and fitness benefits.
  • Generous paid time off (PTO) and sick leave policies.
  • 401(k) plan with up to a 5% match and commuter benefits.
  • Pet insurance and performance-based annual bonus opportunities.
Full Job Description
THE POSITIONOur roster has an opening with your name on it

We are seeking a Staff Data Engineer to lead the technical design and implementation of our most critical data infrastructure and products. In this senior-level individual contributor role, you'll be responsible for designing scalable systems, setting data architecture standards, and solving complex technical challenges that power analytics, data science, and business function use cases across the company.

You will work closely with engineers, product managers, and business stakeholders to architect data solutions that are performant, reliable, and built with a long-term, customer-centric mindset. If you're excited by this challenge and want to work within a dynamic company, then we'd love to hear from you.

In addition to the specific responsibilities outlined above, employees may be required to perform other such duties as assigned by the Company. This ensures operational flexibility and allows the Company to meet evolving business needs.

THE GAME PLAN
Everyone on our team has a part to play

Architect High-Impact Data Systems
  • Design and implement scalable, maintainable, and secure batch & streaming data pipelines and architectures that support enterprise-wide data needs
  • Define standards for data modeling, data product design, and pipeline orchestration using modern tools and cloud-native technologies
  • Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to translate business and analytical requirements into end-to-end data solutions
  • Drive Engineering Best Practices
  • Establish and enforce engineering best practices around code quality, testing, documentation, and deployment
  • Contribute to the evolution of the data platform, ensuring systems are modular, interoperable, and resilient
  • Lead technical design and code reviews, mentoring peers and raising the bar for engineering excellence

Lead Strategic Initiatives
  • Partner with data platform teams, analytics, and data science to deliver reusable data assets and shared infrastructure
  • Identify and resolve architectural bottlenecks in the current data platform and propose improvements that reduce complexity and boost performance
  • Drive initiatives that improve data quality, lineage, observability, and system reliability

Influence and Collaborate Across Teams
  • Act as a technical liaison between engineering, product, and analytics teams, ensuring alignment on architecture and data strategy
  • Provide technical leadership and guidance to other data engineers and contribute to the team's overall growth and maturity
  • Help evaluate and onboard new technologies, frameworks, and practices to keep our stack modern and efficient


THE STATS
What we're looking for in our next teammate
  • 8+ years of experience in data engineering or a related field, with a focus on building scalable data systems and platforms that support ML, Analytics and AI use cases.
  • Strong expertise in modern data tools and frameworks such as Spark, Airflow, Kafka, Databricks, and cloud-native services (AWS, GCP, or Azure)
  • Deep understanding of data modeling, distributed systems, ETL/ELT pipelines, and streaming architectures
  • Proficiency in SQL and at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Scala, or Java)
  • Demonstrated experience owning complex technical systems end-to-end, from design through production
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience designing data platforms that support analytics, machine learning, and operational workload
  • Familiarity with data governance, privacy, and compliance frameworks
  • Background in customer-centric or product-driven environments (e.g., digital, eCommerce, SaaS)
  • Experience with infrastructure-as-code and data platform observability (e.g., Terraform)


PLAYER BENEFITS
We treat our team right

We offer amazing benefits above and beyond the basics. We have an array of health plans to choose from (some as low as $0 per paycheck) that include programs for fertility and family planning, mental health support, and fitness benefits. We offer generous paid time off (PTO & sick leave), annual bonus and long-term incentive opportunities (based on performance), 401k with up to a 5% match, commuter benefits, pet insurance, and more - check out all our benefits here: FanDuel Total Rewards. *Benefits differ across location, role, and level.

The applicable salary range for this position is $159,000 - $208,950 USD, which is dependent on a variety of factors including relevant experience, location, business needs and market demand. This role may offer the following benefits: medical, vision, and dental insurance; life insurance; disability insurance; a 401(k) matching program; among other employee benefits. This role may also be eligible for short-term or long-term incentive compensation, including, but not limited to, cash bonuses and stock program participation. This role includes paid personal time off and 14 paid company holidays. FanDuel offers paid sick time in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws.

#LI-Hybrid

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