Job Description for Technical Lead (SQL & ETL)

Position Summary

The Technical Lead is a hands-on technical leader responsible for designing, building, and optimizing SQL Server and Azure-based data solutions while providing architectural guidance and technical leadership across distributed engineering teams.

This role blends deep technical execution with design leadership, requiring the ability to move fluidly between writing code, guiding engineers, and shaping scalable data architectures. While the role includes leadership responsibilities, it is not a traditional people-manager position and is best suited for candidates who want to remain technically engaged.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and design guidance across multiple engineering pods
• Design, develop, optimize, and maintain SQL Server databases, schemas, stored procedures, and ETL processes
• Build, troubleshoot, and maintain SSIS packages and Azure Data Factory pipelines
• Support refactoring and re-architecture of existing data platforms
• Step into hands-on development when needed to unblock teams or deliver critical solutions
• Drive reuse, standardization, and reduction of duplicated effort across projects
• Partner with Engineering leadership to align work with architectural standards and roadmap
• Participate in Agile sprint planning, capacity discussions, and delivery execution
• Support testing, deployment, UAT coordination, and post-release activities
• Track and manage work, issues, and enhancements in Azure DevOps (ADO)
• Produce and review technical documentation, solution designs, and architecture artifacts

Qualifications

Required

• 5-10 years of experience in SQL Server and ETL development
• Strong hands-on expertise with:
  
  • T-SQL
  • SSIS
  • Azure Data Factory
  • SSRS
• Experience with Azure DevOps (ADO) and Git
• Proven ability to balance hands-on development with technical leadership
• Experience working in Agile / Scrum / Kanban environments

Preferred

• Azure SQL or Azure Postgres
• Microsoft Fabric or Lakehouse architectures
• Experience supporting data platforms in regulated or high-availability environments
• Mortgage or financial services technology experience

Intake Notes

Why This Role Exists

• Original Senior DB role pivoted due to organizational growth and shifting needs.
• Team expanded from 6 pods to 9 pods, increasing demand for technical leadership and design oversight.
• Offshore resources cover some execution; onshore role is needed for hands-on technical leadership, architecture, and guidance.
• Role is intentionally designed to mirror Valentine's position and reduce pressure on existing leads (Valentine, Radhika).

What This Role Is (and Is Not)

• Technical leadership role with direct impact on architecture, design, and delivery
• Hands-on contributor when needed
• Leads by influence and technical authority
• ❌ Not a traditional people manager
• ❌ Not removed from day-to-day engineering work

Team & Scope

• Manages ~8 engineers initially
• Team is mixed onshore/offshore
• Focus is technical direction, not people-ops
• Limited performance reviews; primary responsibility is:
  
  • Code/design guidance
  • Architecture decisions
  • Unblocking delivery

Pod Ownership

• Pod assignment intentionally flexible
• Likely to start with medium-sized pods
• Potential future ownership of Enterprise pod
• Regardless of pod, responsibilities span design and architecture across pods

Hands-On vs Leadership Expectation

• Target split: ~50% hands-on / 50% technical leadership
• This will fluctuate sprint-to-sprint
• Candidate must:
  
  • Be comfortable coding when needed
  • Step in during critical situations
  • Avoid "that's not my role" mindset

Interview Process

• Recruiter Screen (Matthew)
• Technical Interview - Valentine
• Team / Fit Interview - Moira + Radhika
• Final / Executive Interview - Bill

Candidate-Facing Role Summary

Technical Lead - SQL & ETL

We're looking for a senior-level data engineer who enjoys leading by doing.

This role sits at the intersection of hands-on engineering and technical leadership. You'll guide teams, shape architecture, and design scalable data solutions - while still being comfortable getting into the code when the work demands it.

You'll work closely with pod-based engineering teams, helping set technical direction, optimize data platforms, and ensure high-quality delivery across SQL Server and Azure-based data pipelines. While you'll guide developers and influence outcomes, this is not a traditional people-manager role - it's a role for someone who wants to stay technically sharp and impactful.

If you enjoy roles where some weeks you're deep in code and other weeks you're unblocking teams, shaping design, and advising on architecture - this role was built for you.

Screening Questions (Designed to Test the 50/50 Expectation)

Use these exactly as written - they force candidates to show, not tell.

Hands-On Reality Check

• Tell me about the last time you personally wrote SQL or ETL code in production. What problem were you solving?
  Listen for recency and depth - not abstract leadership talk.
• In your last role, what percentage of your time was truly hands-on vs guiding others? How did that change sprint-to-sprint?
• If a critical pipeline breaks and the team is blocked, what do you do first - and what do you personally own in that moment?

Leadership Without Avoidance

• Have you ever stepped into hands-on work even though it wasn't "expected" of your title? What drove that decision?
• How do you balance setting technical direction while still staying close enough to the code to make good decisions?

Architecture & Design

• Describe a design decision you influenced across multiple teams or systems. How involved were you in the implementation?
• How do you approach refactoring or re-architecting legacy SQL/ETL systems without disrupting delivery?

Fit & Mindset

• What frustrates you more: being too hands-on, or not being hands-on enough? Why?
  Strong candidates answer this honestly.

Benefits
Selene Finance LP is committed to the total wellbeing of its employees and therefore offers one of the best benefits packages available in the industry today, which includes:

• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Medical, Dental &Vision
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Savings Account
• Paid Holidays
• Company paid Life Insurance
• Matching 401(k) Plan

The job requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. This job description is not an inclusive list of all duties and responsibilities of this position. Incumbents will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. Selene reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs.