Principal Data Engineer

Location: Denver, CO

Schedule: 1 day onsite

Type: Full-Time, Direct Hire

Salary: $200k - $210k (depending on experience) + 10% bonus

Principal Data Architect (Hands-On, Application-Focused)
We are looking for a Principal Engineer who brings deep data expertise and a strong application engineering background. As our teams shift to an autonomous, stream-aligned model, this role will empower engineers to make strong data decisions without relying on centralized bottlenecks. You will partner directly with full stack and backend engineers, working in the context of real applications rather than sitting on an isolated data island.

This is a hands-on role for someone who loves solving complex data problems, guiding engineers, and setting standards that elevate the entire organization.

What You Will Do

• Partner with application teams to design and review data architectures for their services and domains
  * Create data models that support clear ownership and align with domain boundaries
  * Review application code with a focus on data access patterns, performance, and scalability
  * Recommend the right storage technologies for each use case including MongoDB, PostgreSQL, NoSQL, document stores, and warehouses
  * Improve database performance through query tuning, indexing, execution plan analysis, and resource optimization
  * Guide technology choices based on read and write patterns, data growth, and access behavior
  * Define data access approaches including APIs, ORMs, event-driven patterns, and replication strategies
  * Build strategies for replication and syndication including CDC, streaming, and batch processing
  * Support ML and LLM applications including vector databases, embeddings, and RAG designs
  * Lead zero-downtime data migrations and modernization initiatives
  * Troubleshoot and optimize production data systems
  * Set standards for data quality, monitoring, and observability
  * Share knowledge through documentation, workshops, and office hours

Required Qualifications

• 10 or more years building software with a strong focus on data-intensive systems
  * Application development experience in full stack, backend, or high-volume data environments
  * Deep knowledge of NoSQL databases such as MongoDB, DynamoDB, or DocumentDB, plus relational databases like PostgreSQL or SQL Server
  * Proven experience optimizing performance at scale including index strategies and query tuning
  * Strong skills in data modeling and schema design
  * Solid understanding of application architecture, API design, and modern engineering practices
  * Experience working with cloud data platforms in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform, including cost optimization
  * Exposure to AI and LLM-assisted development tools or agentic workflows
  * Experience creating or maintaining data standards for engineering teams
  * Excellent communication abilities that allow you to influence and teach other engineers

Preferred Qualifications

• Background as a full stack or backend engineer with a strong data focus
  * Experience with Python, Java, JavaScript or TypeScript, or C#
  * Familiarity with AWS services such as RDS, Aurora, or Redshift, or modern warehouses like Snowflake
  * Advanced modeling experience such as temporal modeling, event sourcing, or complex domain-driven models
  * Healthcare or EDI exposure
  * Experience with event-driven systems and change data capture
  * Experience with ETL or ELT pipelines and orchestration tools
  * Prior Principal or Staff Engineer experience

Who You Are You come from an application engineering world and understand how data decisions impact reliability, scalability, and product velocity. You are hands-on, collaborative, and invested in helping application teams succeed. You can step into code reviews, explain trade-offs clearly, and improve architectures without gatekeeping. You know when speed matters and when stability matters, and you influence through expertise rather than authority. You have run data systems in production and understand how to keep them fast and reliable as they grow.

Why This Role Matters We are building autonomous, stream-aligned teams that can deliver independently. Strong data architecture is essential to that vision. In this role, you will shape the future of data strategy for a growing engineering organization in healthcare technology. You will work closely with engineering leadership and play a key role in designing scalable, durable foundations that will support innovation for years to come.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, or military or veteran status. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local laws, including the California Fair Chance Act, City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.