Sr. Databricks Engineer - Hybrid NYC

job summary:

We are seeking an experienced Senior Data Engineer to design, develop, and optimize scalable data platforms that power enterprise analytics, machine learning, and AI-driven solutions. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in modern data engineering practices, cloud-native architectures, Lakehouse platforms, and distributed data processing technologies.

This role will play a critical part in building reliable, high-performance data ecosystems leveraging Databricks, Spark, Delta Lake, Snowflake, Kafka, and AWS, while also contributing to the adoption of Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), and AI-assisted engineering solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Data Platform Engineering

Design, build, and maintain scalable batch and real-time data pipelines.

Develop and optimize data ingestion, transformation, and processing frameworks for structured, semi-structured, and unstructured datasets.

Implement modern Lakehouse architectures utilizing Databricks, Delta Lake, and Medallion (Bronze, Silver, Gold) design patterns.

Build data solutions that support enterprise analytics, reporting, and machine learning initiatives.

Ensure data quality, governance, lineage, security, and compliance across data ecosystems.

Big Data & Streaming Solutions

Develop distributed data processing applications using PySpark and Spark SQL.

Build and maintain streaming pipelines using Kafka, Spark Structured Streaming, and AWS Kinesis.

Design fault-tolerant, scalable systems capable of processing large data volumes with low latency.

Optimize workload performance through partitioning strategies, clustering, caching, and query tuning.

Cloud & Lakehouse Architecture

Architect and implement cloud-based data solutions on AWS.

Utilize AWS services including S3, EMR, EC2, Athena, Redshift, RDS, Lambda, IAM, SNS, and SQS.

Design data storage and processing strategies that maximize reliability while minimizing operational costs.

Support migration initiatives from traditional Hadoop and EMR environments to modern cloud-native platforms.

Data Operations & Automation

Develop orchestration and scheduling frameworks using Airflow and Databricks Workflows.

Build CI/CD pipelines and automation frameworks for deployment, monitoring, and data platform operations.

Collaborate closely with architects, analysts, data scientists, and business stakeholders to deliver enterprise-grade solutions.

AI & Intelligent Platform Engineering

Implement Generative AI-powered solutions for engineering productivity and operational excellence.

Develop applications leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), Vector Databases, and Model Context Protocol (MCP).

Build AI-assisted documentation, developer productivity tooling, and intelligent platform capabilities.

Evaluate emerging AI technologies and identify opportunities for adoption within data engineering processes.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.

8+ years of experience in software engineering, data engineering, or big data platform development.

Strong experience designing and implementing enterprise-scale data pipelines.

Hands-on expertise with:

Python

PySpark

Spark SQL

SQL

Kafka

Databricks

Delta Lake

Snowflake

Hive

Experience building data solutions on AWS cloud platforms.

Strong understanding of distributed computing, data modeling, and large-scale data processing.

Experience with Git-based development workflows and CI/CD practices.

Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with real-time streaming architectures and event-driven systems.

Knowledge of data governance, metadata management, and data quality frameworks.

Experience with generative AI technologies including:

LLMs

RAG

Vector Databases

AI Agents

MCP integrations

Experience developing developer productivity tools and AI-assisted engineering workflows.

Exposure to enterprise supply chain, retail, healthcare, or manufacturing data domains.

AWS certifications are highly preferred.

Technical Skills

Programming Languages

Python

Java

SQL

Shell Scripting

C/C++

Big Data & Data Engineering

PySpark

Spark SQL

Hive

Databricks

Delta Lake

Snowflake

Kafka

HBase

Sqoop

Workflow & Orchestration

Apache Airflow

Databricks Workflows

Oozie

Cloud Technologies

AWS S3

EMR

EC2

Athena

Redshift

RDS

IAM

Lambda

SNS

SQS

AI & Modern Engineering

Generative AI

Large Language Models (LLMs)

Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)

Agentic AI Systems

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Vector Databases

Visualization & Tools

Tableau

Git

Docker

Splunk

IntelliJ IDEA

PyCharm

Cursor

Preferred Certifications

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

Databricks Certifications (preferred)

What Success Looks Like

Deliver highly scalable and reliable data pipelines.

Improve platform performance, efficiency, and cost optimization.

Enable enterprise-wide analytics and AI initiatives through trusted data products.

Drive modernization of data platforms and adoption of cloud-native architectures.

Leverage AI technologies to enhance engineering efficiency, automation, and innovation.

Ideal Candidate Profile: A senior-level data engineer with extensive experience in Databricks, Spark, AWS, Kafka, Snowflake, and Lakehouse architectures, who is equally passionate about modern AI technologies and building intelligent data platforms for the future.

location: New York, New York

job type: Contract

salary: $70 - 75 per hour

work hours: 9am to 6pm

education: Bachelors



responsibilities:

We are seeking an experienced Senior Data Engineer to design, develop, and optimize scalable data platforms that power enterprise analytics, machine learning, and AI-driven solutions. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in modern data engineering practices, cloud-native architectures, Lakehouse platforms, and distributed data processing technologies.

This role will play a critical part in building reliable, high-performance data ecosystems leveraging Databricks, Spark, Delta Lake, Snowflake, Kafka, and AWS , while also contributing to the adoption of Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), and AI-assisted engineering solutions .

Key Responsibilities

Data Platform Engineering

• Design, build, and maintain scalable batch and real-time data pipelines.



• Develop and optimize data ingestion, transformation, and processing frameworks for structured, semi-structured, and unstructured datasets.



• Implement modern Lakehouse architectures utilizing Databricks, Delta Lake, and Medallion (Bronze, Silver, Gold) design patterns.



• Build data solutions that support enterprise analytics, reporting, and machine learning initiatives.



• Ensure data quality, governance, lineage, security, and compliance across data ecosystems.

Big Data & Streaming Solutions

• Develop distributed data processing applications using PySpark and Spark SQL.



• Build and maintain streaming pipelines using Kafka, Spark Structured Streaming, and AWS Kinesis.



• Design fault-tolerant, scalable systems capable of processing large data volumes with low latency.



• Optimize workload performance through partitioning strategies, clustering, caching, and query tuning.

Cloud & Lakehouse Architecture

• Architect and implement cloud-based data solutions on AWS.



• Utilize AWS services including S3, EMR, EC2, Athena, Redshift, RDS, Lambda, IAM, SNS, and SQS.



• Design data storage and processing strategies that maximize reliability while minimizing operational costs.



• Support migration initiatives from traditional Hadoop and EMR environments to modern cloud-native platforms.

Data Operations & Automation

• Develop orchestration and