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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Senior Machine Learning Engineer (Traditional ML & Financial Data) - Remote - USA
$125K - $150K *
Elevate your career by leveraging your expertise in traditional machine learning to design and optimize solutions for diverse clients. Collaborate with teams to deliver impactful products and drive in...
1 week ago
Senior Machine Learning Engineer (Traditional ML & Financial Data) - Remote - USA
$125K - $150K *
Develop and optimize machine learning models for production use, collaborating with clients to enhance data-driven solutions. Leverage expertise in traditional algorithms and statistical modeling to d...
1 week ago
$135K - $155K *
Lead and mentor a team of data engineers to design, develop, and maintain scalable data pipelines and warehouses, collaborating with stakeholders to deliver key metrics and establish data strategy acr...
2 days ago
$110K - $130K *
Join a team that's redefining data engineering by building scalable AI solutions. Collaborate with experts to transform complex data into impactful, production-ready models while embracing innovation...
6 days ago
Senior Software Engineer - Rapid Development Team
$180K - $200K *
Champion the design and development of AI-driven security solutions, enhancing autonomous investigation capabilities while collaborating with cross-functional teams to address customer needs and impro...
1 week ago
Senior Software Engineer, Core Infrastructure Services - DGX Cloud
$168K - $322K *
Build and operate core infrastructure services for global AI platforms, developing secure cloud-native solutions and orchestrating automation to enhance reliability and scalability in a collaborative...
Reposted yesterday
Senior Machine Learning Engineer
$206K - $269K *
Innovate and solve complex challenges by leveraging machine learning and AI. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance product capabilities and drive continuous improvement in a dynamic envir...
2 days ago
Senior Machine Learning Engineer
$150K - $180K *
Design and optimize evaluation systems for AI agents, enhancing performance and quality through innovative metrics and benchmarks. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure agents meet user ne...
6 days ago
Senior Machine Learning Engineer
$206K - $269K *
Transform the future of machine learning solutions, driving revenue and user engagement. Lead cross-functional teams to develop and deploy advanced forecasting algorithms, enhancing business decision...
3 weeks ago
$132K - $157K *
Join a team that's dedicated to ensuring compliance and transparency in financial reporting. As a Senior Data Analyst, you'll collaborate across departments to organize data, draw insights, and suppor...
1 week ago
Senior Database Platform Engineer
$130K - $155K *
Empower business innovation by architecting and automating robust database platforms. Collaborate across teams to enhance data provisioning, security, and performance, ensuring scalable solutions that...
3 weeks ago
Junior Data Engineer (ETL/Data Quality)
$66K - $106K *
Join a dynamic team to support ETL pipeline implementation and data quality validation for a federal data migration program. Collaborate with experts to enhance database operations and ensure seamless...
3 days ago
$140K - $185K *
Elevate your career by managing a dynamic data engineering team, shaping scalable data pipelines, and driving innovative data solutions to enhance enterprise data strategies and execution efficiency a...
Reposted 4 days ago
$171K - $190K *
Unlock potential by leading the design and implementation of scalable data platforms. Drive innovation in cloud data architecture and pipeline automation, collaborating across teams to deliver impactf...
2 weeks ago
$95K - $114K *
Join a dynamic team to design and optimize data systems for AI/ML applications, enhancing Navy IT operations. Collaborate with engineers to ensure reliable data processing and support mission-critical...
2 weeks ago
Senior Data Scientist, Revenue & Risk Analytics
$125K - $145K *
Elevate revenue and risk strategies by leveraging data insights to drive impactful business decisions. Collaborate across teams to optimize processes, influence product development, and enhance client...
5 days ago
Senior Engineering Manager - Core Engineering, Trusted Data Platform
$209K - $273K *
Advance your career by leading a high-performing engineering team, driving strategic execution and operational excellence while ensuring a reliable data platform aligns with enterprise goals and custo...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
Senior Machine Learning Engineer (Traditional ML & Financial Data) - Remote - USA
$125K - $150K *
Unlock the potential of data as a Senior Machine Learning Engineer, collaborating with clients to enhance their teams or build innovative solutions. Drive impactful projects using traditional ML techn...
1 week ago
Senior Systems Software Engineer - Accelerated Spark Applications
$184K - $287K *
Join a team that's redefining data processing by designing and operating a hosted Spark service on Kubernetes, enhancing GPU acceleration for enterprise applications, and driving production excellence...
5 days ago
Lead Data Engineer with Terraform
$130K - $155K *
Transform your career by leading the development of scalable data solutions on Google Cloud Platform. Leverage your Terraform expertise to create robust data pipelines while mentoring team members and...
3 weeks ago
Senior Software Engineer II, Ads Data Solutions Engineering
$196K - $207K *
Design scalable data solutions, enhance off-platform integrations, and lead cross-team collaborations. Drive architecture modernization and AI-first initiatives while mentoring engineers and optimizin...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$99K - $167K *
Develop and maintain robust data pipelines using SparkSQL and Pyspark, ensuring high-quality data for analytics. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance data analysis efficiency and support...
2 weeks ago
$110K - $143K *
Join a dynamic team as a Data Engineer, where you'll design and maintain data pipelines using SparkSQL and Pyspark. Your work will enhance data analysis efficiency, impacting industries and driving cu...
2 weeks ago
Senior Software Engineer - Grafana Search & Storage | US | Remote
$154K - $185K *
Join our dynamic team to develop next-gen storage solutions, enhancing Grafana's App Platform. Collaborate on innovative features, drive projects from ideation to operations, and contribute to an open...
3 days ago
Senior Infrastructure Engineer
$163K - $224K *
Transform your career by automating and improving infrastructure systems, collaborating with engineering teams, and enhancing operational efficiency as part of a dynamic team focused on self-service s...
Reposted 1 week ago
What does a Senior Data Engineer do?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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.