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.

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$150K - $180K *

Join a team that's designing and optimizing scalable infrastructure for GenAI and LLM workloads. Leverage your expertise in GPU profiling and distributed training to support cutting-edge AI solutions...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $120K *

Join a team that's focused on delivering successful project outcomes by building comprehensive schedules, defining responsibilities, and managing timelines effectively to ensure client satisfaction an...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$170K - $200K *

Elevate your career by leading integrated marketing initiatives that drive awareness and demand for innovative financial products. Collaborate across teams to develop go-to-market strategies and gener...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$132K - $165K *

Accelerate progress at multi-site data center and AI programs valued over $25M. Lead diverse teams to ensure successful delivery, budget management, and customer satisfaction while driving executive c...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$93K - $150K *

Support and optimize cloud-based contact center platforms, ensuring service availability and excellent customer experience. Collaborate with teams to troubleshoot complex issues and enhance operationa...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$160K - $175K *

Shape the future of user experiences by designing intuitive interfaces that empower women in their health journeys. Collaborate across teams to create impactful solutions that merge user insights with...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$134K - $219K *

Empower data management excellence by leading cross-functional teams, ensuring compliance, and driving process improvements across multiple clinical trials while mentoring staff and maintaining high d...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$154K - $227K *

Join a dynamic team as a technical leader, driving scalable software solutions and mentoring engineers. Collaborate across teams to enhance engineering practices and deliver innovative AI-driven appli...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$166K - $193K *

Lead and mentor a team of engineers while overseeing technical excellence and driving AI innovation in operational systems. Collaborate cross-functionally to deliver impactful features for post-purcha...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 month ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Engage as a Design Engineer, bridging design and engineering to create user-centric interfaces. Architect smooth interactions within our platform while implementing a robust design system that enhance...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Legal & Accounting

$164K - $200K *

Shape the future of software integration by leading a team to develop a robust ERP connector framework, ensuring data integrity and seamless communication between systems while driving architectural d...

Minneapolis, MNRemote

5 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$184K - $287K *

Elevate your career by mentoring partners on deploying cutting-edge AI workflows. Collaborate with teams to tackle customer needs, deliver impactful training, and drive innovative solutions that trans...

California, USRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$152K - $179K *

Drive the development of distributed systems for real-time blockchain data ingestion and indexing, owning services from design to production while enhancing performance and reliability across the plat...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$95K - $158K *

Drive the reliability and scalability of critical systems by leading automation efforts. Collaborate with engineering teams to enhance performance and deliver exceptional customer experiences while ma...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$143K - $197K *

Join a dynamic team to shape enterprise data architecture, ensuring seamless integration and governance across platforms. Drive strategic initiatives for data consumption, analytics, and CRM migration...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$177K - $364K *

Join a high-performance analytics team to enhance data foundations, tooling, and insights. Collaborate cross-functionally to shape innovative products and ensure data quality and democratization while...

San Francisco, CARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$157K - $185K *

Join a team that's building cutting-edge data infrastructure for enterprises. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you'll create production-quality agents and integrations directly within customer environm...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$200K - $265K *

Champion innovative data solutions by partnering with sales teams to demonstrate the value of graph databases in financial services, driving technical evaluations and customer engagement to accelerate...

New York, NYRemote

3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$132K - $251K *

Optimize cost modeling and benchmarking for complex assemblies, driving transparency in supplier negotiations across various defense products. Lead should cost assessments and develop models to enhanc...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$172K - $210K *

Drive innovation in autonomous driving by enhancing ML metrics and evaluation systems. Collaborate with a diverse team to optimize performance and ensure reliability across cutting-edge mobility servi...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Transportation

$311K - $428K *

Join a team that drives growth in enterprise accounts. Leverage your expertise in big data and cloud solutions to expand client relationships and exceed targets within the retail vertical, inspiring i...

Ohio, USRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$167K - $245K *

Unlock the potential of software agents by driving innovative design, development, and deployment across diverse environments. Collaborate in an agile setting to enhance capabilities that enforce netw...

San Jose, CARemote

1 month ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$167K - $245K *

Execute the development and enhancement of runtime security features for Windows-based systems. Collaborate with teams to design efficient endpoints, contributing security and reliability across diver...

RemoteRemote

1 month ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$179K - $232K *

Deliver innovative solutions by optimizing developer infrastructures, enhancing integration of hybrid tools, and streamlining workflows for improved productivity across diverse engineering teams and p...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 month ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Business Services

$110K - $130K *

Empower engineering teams by building robust test automation solutions that enhance productivity. Design and own comprehensive frameworks that streamline workflows, and collaborate with product teams...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

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.