Explore Senior Data Engineer Jobs

Senior Data Engineers design and operate the systems that help organizations turn raw information into dependable, useful data. They build scalable data platforms, develop resilient pipelines, and enable analytics, machine learning, and business decision-making. Explore vetted Senior Data Engineer opportunities on Ladders, where featured professional roles pay $100,000 or more.

What Senior Data Engineers Do

In a senior data engineering role, you may own data architecture, create batch and streaming pipelines, improve data quality, and make datasets easier for teams to discover and use. You may also guide technical standards, review code, mentor colleagues, and partner with data scientists, analysts, product teams, and business leaders.

Skills and Technologies Employers Seek

Employers commonly look for deep SQL and programming experience, often with Python, Java, or Scala. Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, as well as distributed processing tools, orchestration systems, data warehouses, and lakehouse technologies, can be valuable. Strong data modeling, testing, security, and system design skills help senior engineers build trustworthy platforms at scale.

Senior Data Engineer Salary and Career Outlook

Compensation varies by location, industry, company size, scope, and experience. Senior-level roles often pay six-figure salaries, particularly when they involve platform ownership, cloud architecture, or leadership responsibilities. Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more, making it easier to explore opportunities aligned with your experience and compensation goals.

Find the Right Senior Data Engineering Role

Compare roles by technology stack, business domain, team structure, and level of ownership. Tailor your resume to show measurable outcomes—such as faster pipeline performance, improved data reliability, lower infrastructure costs, or broader access to trusted data. Browse Senior Data Engineer jobs on Ladders to find a position where you can make a meaningful impact.

Remote
caret down
Compensation
caret down
Position Level
caret down
Time Posted
caret down
Industries
caret down
More
1
caret down

$120K - $145K *

Empower clinical trial design by architecting robust data infrastructures that streamline insights extraction from diverse clinical documents, enhancing decision-making through advanced data pipelines...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$145K - $165K *

Drive your career by owning the end-to-end data platform, designing and maintaining scalable pipelines and infrastructure. Collaborate with analytics teams to ensure data quality and governance while...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$120K - $145K *

Lead the design and optimization of scalable ETL/ELT pipelines while enhancing data integration and quality. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive architectural decisions and automate workf...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Transform healthcare data by designing and implementing scalable knowledge graph solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure robust technical implementations and optimize graph querie...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$175K - $225K *

Transform data engineering practices by architecting scalable platforms, driving reliability, and mentoring teams. Lead cross-functional initiatives to enhance data governance and leverage AI tools fo...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$145K - $175K *

Join a dynamic team as a Senior Data Architect, leading innovative data modeling and integration initiatives. Collaborate with AI Engineers to design scalable datasets and optimize data governance acr...

CanadaRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$135K - $160K *

Join a team that's redefining data architecture by leading innovative modeling and integration initiatives. Collaborate with AI Engineers to create scalable datasets and optimize performance in a mult...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$135K - $160K *

Lead the design and deployment of advanced machine learning systems, focusing on feature engineering and real-time inference. Collaborate on scalable solutions to enhance data processing and ensure hi...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$113K - $188K *

Lead the charge in building robust data platforms that transform complex datasets into actionable insights. This senior role demands expertise in software and data engineering, with a focus on quality...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

$91K - $163K *

Lead the design and development of scalable cloud-based data engineering solutions, enhancing healthcare quality reporting and operational excellence while collaborating with cross-functional teams to...

Eden Prairie, MNRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$110K - $130K *

Contribute to innovative data solutions by designing and maintaining an enterprise data warehouse, building robust ETL pipelines, and delivering impactful analytics that drive key business decisions...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$142K - $186K *

Pioneer a data-driven culture by designing scalable ELT pipelines and analytics models. Collaborate across teams to ensure product data integrity and empower stakeholders with self-service insights, d...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $150K *

Join a dynamic team to design and build a robust data platform that enhances product performance and supports AI initiatives, ensuring data integrity and accessibility for internal and customer-facing...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $150K *

Elevate your career by driving data engineering excellence in Palantir Foundry, transforming legacy systems into robust pipelines and applications while collaborating with cross-functional teams to de...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Optimize our Google Cloud data infrastructure, ensuring reliable, secure data access for teams to drive health equity. Lead initiatives in CI/CD, limit exposure to sensitive data, and empower data pro...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$102K - $170K *

Elevate your career by leading innovative data engineering solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define scalable architectures and drive AI initiatives, ensuring alignment with enterpr...

New Brunswick, NJRemote

2 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$102K - $170K *

Unlock innovative data solutions by leading integration strategies and architectural decisions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver scalable, secure data and AI solutions while driving...

New Brunswick, NJRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$130K - $140K *

Contribute to the development of a modern platform by building features, connecting systems, and improving data usability. Engage with stakeholders and troubleshoot to deliver reliable software as par...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Staffing

$150K - $180K *

Join a team that's redefining automation in PCB component placement. Lead the charge in developing and maintaining cutting-edge AI solutions, leveraging machine learning and optimization technologies...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 month ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$113K - $191K *

Innovate by designing and operating scalable data infrastructure for petabytes of data, enabling customer-facing features and analytics across global industries, while enhancing systems for reliabilit...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Transform freight movement data into insights by developing and maintaining robust data pipelines using Python, SQL, and AWS services. Collaborate across teams to drive innovations in analytics and ma...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Transportation

$130K - $160K *

Elevate your career by building and deploying ML and GenAI components for asset onboarding and diagnostics, enhancing automation and intelligent solutions in a dynamic, collaborative environment...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$162K - $258K *

Drive the design and implementation of cutting-edge GenAI solutions, leading the development of LLM capabilities and ML pipelines to enhance insurance workflows and deliver impactful outcomes for cust...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$126K - $140K *

Shape the future of customer success by owning technical onboarding, guiding clients through implementation, optimizing deployments, and ensuring adherence to best practices for optimal use of the pla...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$136K - $204K *

Lead the charge in designing robust Azure architectures across large-scale programs. Influence and guide technical strategies to connect client objectives with impactful, scalable solutions while fost...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a Senior Data Engineer do?question toggle

    A Senior Data Engineer designs, builds, and maintains data platforms and pipelines. The role often includes setting technical standards, improving data quality and reliability, mentoring engineers, and collaborating with analytics, machine learning, and business teams.

  • What skills are needed for Senior Data Engineer jobs?question toggle

    Common requirements include advanced SQL, programming in languages such as Python, Java, or Scala, data modeling, distributed data processing, cloud infrastructure, and pipeline orchestration. Employers may also value experience with data warehouses, streaming systems, security, and technical leadership.

  • How much do Senior Data Engineers earn?question toggle

    Pay depends on location, industry, employer, experience, and role scope. Many senior positions offer six-figure compensation. Ladders features vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more.

  • What qualifications are typically required for a Senior Data Engineer role?question toggle

    Employers often seek several years of hands-on data engineering experience and a track record of delivering production data systems. A degree in computer science or a related field may be preferred, though equivalent practical experience is often considered.

  • How can I find a Senior Data Engineer job on Ladders?question toggle

    Browse Senior Data Engineer listings on Ladders and compare opportunities by employer, location, technology stack, and responsibilities. Highlight relevant systems work and measurable results in your resume when applying.