Database Engineer

Description

We are looking for a Database Engineer to support the performance, stability, and scalability of a modern data platform in Irvine, California. This role focuses on building dependable data pipelines, improving platform operations, and ensuring data assets remain governed, accessible, and cost-efficient in a production environment. The ideal candidate brings strong hands-on experience with Databricks, Spark, Python, SQL, and SQL Server, along with the ability to troubleshoot issues across orchestration, storage, and source system connectivity.

Responsibilities:
Oversee daily health and uptime of Databricks pipelines, job schedules, compute resources, Delta Lake datasets, and warehouse environments to maintain consistent platform performance.
Design, build, and refine Spark-based data processing workflows in Databricks notebooks across bronze, silver, and gold layers, including incremental ingestion patterns using Auto Loader and streaming frameworks when needed.
Support and enhance workflow orchestration through Databricks Workflows and Apache Airflow, with attention to data delivery timelines, reliability targets, and operational continuity.
Administer data governance controls in Unity Catalog by managing schemas, permissions, lineage visibility, and catalog structures within a regulated environment.
Maintain and optimize Microsoft SQL Server databases used as source and downstream data stores, improving query execution, indexing strategy, schema organization, and overall system efficiency.
Track compute utilization and platform spend by implementing monitoring, alerting, and resource tuning practices that improve predictability and cost control.
Investigate and resolve end-to-end production issues involving failed jobs, data validation concerns, evolving schemas, and connectivity or authentication problems with upstream systems.
Contribute to shared operational ownership by creating documentation, runbooks, and support procedures that strengthen team coverage and reduce dependency on any one individual.
Produce clear technical documentation for pipeline design, platform operations, and maintenance practices to support long-term scalability and team collaboration.

Requirements

3+ years of practical data engineering experience supporting production-grade data platforms.
Strong hands-on expertise with Databricks, including notebooks, jobs, workflows, cluster configuration, SQL warehouses, and Unity Catalog administration.
Proven ability to develop and troubleshoot distributed data transformations using Python, PySpark, and SQL.
Solid experience working with Microsoft SQL Server, including database tuning, indexing, schema management, and query performance analysis.
Background in Apache Airflow for building, scheduling, and debugging DAG-driven workflows in live environments.
Experience integrating data from SaaS or operational source systems through batch, bulk, or streaming APIs.
Ability to monitor, support, and troubleshoot active data pipelines with a strong focus on reliability and issue resolution.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create clear and maintainable technical documentation.

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