Principal Data Engineer (Java/Spark)

Job Description

Principal Java Data Engineer
Enterprise Data Platforms and Engineering

Role Summary
The Enterprise Data Platforms and Engineering team is seeking a Principal level Java focused software engineer who designs and builds large scale, distributed data processing systems using Java, Spark, and Kafka. This role is intentionally designed for senior backend engineers with deep core Java expertise who apply traditional software engineering practices to high volume, data intensive platforms.

The ideal candidate has extensive experience building production grade Java applications using modern frameworks, IntelliJ based development workflows, and strong object oriented design principles, paired with hands on experience delivering Spark based data processing and Kafka driven event streaming solutions. You will operate as a senior technical leader, owning architecture and implementation of enterprise data platforms while remaining close to the code.

This role requires strong Java design, debugging, performance tuning, and production support experience, along with the ability to engineer scalable, resilient data pipelines in regulated, high reliability environments.

Key Responsibilities
Architect, design, and implement enterprise grade Java based data frameworks and distributed processing platforms
Build and maintain production ready Spark applications written primarily in Java
Design and evolve Kafka based event streaming and data ingestion solutions
Lead technical architecture decisions for enterprise data platforms, ensuring scalability, reliability, and regulatory alignment
Apply strong object oriented design and software engineering practices to data processing systems
Mentor and guide engineers on Java development standards, performance optimization, and production readiness
Design and implement master data management solutions, including match, merge, and survivorship logic using modern MDM platforms
Partner with product, business, and engineering stakeholders to translate requirements into robust technical solutions
Ensure data quality, system reliability, and operational stability through testing, monitoring, and observability practices
Support production deployments, change management, and operational handoffs for critical data platforms

Required Skills and Experience
8+ years of experience as a Java software engineer building backend or distributed systems
Deep hands on expertise in core Java, object oriented design, concurrency, and performance tuning
Strong experience developing production applications using Java frameworks and modern IDE based workflows such as IntelliJ
Hands on experience building Spark applications in Java for batch and streaming data processing
Strong experience with Apache Kafka and event driven architectures
Experience designing and building distributed systems in cloud based environments
Proficiency in SQL and data modeling concepts used within data processing platforms
Experience with AWS based data platforms and services such as S3, Glue, Redshift, and Lake Formation
Solid understanding of data platform architecture, data lakes, and master data management principles
Experience operating in regulated environments with strong data governance and compliance requirements

Preferred Experience
Experience with additional JVM or scripting languages such as Scala or Python in a data context
Experience with ETL or data integration tools such as Talend or DataStage
Experience designing microservices and APIs that support data platforms
Experience supporting and operating large scale production systems

Education
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technology field

Work Details
Hours per Week 40
Work Schedule Monday through Friday

Pay Transparency

The salary range for this position is $150,000-180,000 per year, plus an opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Actual pay is based on various factors including but not limited to the work location, and relevant skills and experience.

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more. Note, Citizens' paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory, paid sick or paid time-away policy of very local and state jurisdiction in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit ;br>
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About Us

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family statparenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague's or a dependent's reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.

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Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the candidate successfully passing a background check, which may include initial credit, motor vehicle record, public record, prior employment verification, and criminal background checks. Results of the background check are individually reviewed based upon legal requirements imposed by our regulators and with consideration of the nature and gravity of the background history and the job offered. Any offer of employment will include further information.