Lead Data Engineer

Xsolla; Canada; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A technology company in gaming is looking for a Data Engineering Lead to oversee data accuracy, performance, and security. The role involves designing data pipelines in Snowflake, mentoring team members, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Ideal candidates should have extensive experience in Data Engineering, particularly in the Snowflake ecosystem, with strong SQL and Python skills. A supportive work environment with competitive benefits is offered.

Benefits

100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision plans

Unlimited Flexible Time Off

Personalized career roadmap

Qualifications

• Strong SQL and Python skills with proven experience building ETL/ELT at scale.
• Deep understanding of Snowflake performance tuning and query optimization.
• Experience with data pipeline orchestration.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and optimize data pipelines and ETL workflows in Snowflake.
• Lead integration across data sources.
• Mentor and guide junior data engineers.

Skills

Data Engineering

Snowflake

SQL

Python

ETL/ELT

Data modeling

Kafka

GCP

Education

6+ years of experience in Data Engineering

3+ years in Snowflake ecosystem

Tools

Airflow

dbt

Job description

ABOUT US

At Xsolla, we believe that great games begin as ideas, driven by the curiosity, dedication, and grit of creators around the world. Our mission is to empower these visionaries by providing the support and resources they need to bring their games to life. We are committed to leveling the playing field, ensuring that every creator has the opportunity to share their passion with the world.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in Berlin, Seoul, and beyond, we partner with industry leaders like Valve, Twitch, and Ubisoft to clear the paths for innovation in gaming. Our global reach spans over 200 geographies, offering more than 700 payment methods in 130+ currencies.

Longevity Opportunity Vision Enjoy the game!

This role will lead the data engineering efforts for the Uer Platform (CDP) and Recommendation Engine, ensuring data accuracy, performance, and security across pipelines connecting Snowflake, Postgres, Kafka, and API Gateway services.

You’ll collaborate with ML engineers, backend teams, and business stakeholders to build reliable, high-performance data systems that support insights, automation, and machine learning use cases

• Key Responsibilities
• 1. Architecture & Development
• Design, build, and optimize data pipelines and ETL workflows in Snowflake using Snowpark, Streams/Tasks, and Snowpipe.
• Develop scalable data models supporting user 360 views, churn prediction, and recommendation engine inputs.
• Lead integration across data sources: MySQL, BigQuery, Redis, Kafka, GCP Storage, and API Gateway.
• Implement CI/CD for data pipelines using Git, dbt, and automated testing.
• Define data quality checks and auditing pipelines for ingestion and transformation layers.
• 2. Leadership & Collaboration
• Mentor and guide junior data engineers on data modeling, performance tuning, and Snowflake best practices.
• Partner with Data Science, ML, and Backend teams to productionize machine learning features in Snowflake.
• Work closely with Legal, Security, and Infrastructure teams to ensure compliance, privacy, and governance of user data (PII).
• Collaborate with the Director of Data Platforms and product stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical specifications.
• 3. Performance & Scalability
• Tune warehouse performance and cost efficiency via query optimization, caching, and cluster sizing.
• Establish data partitioning, clustering, and materialized views for fast query execution.
• Build dashboards and monitors for pipeline health, job success, and data latency metrics (e.g., via Looker, Tableau, or Snowsight).
• 4. Governance & Best Practices
• Establish and enforce naming conventions, data lineage, and metadata standards across schemas.
• Lead code reviews, enforce documentation standards, and manage schema versioning.
• Contribute to the company’s evolving data mesh and streaming architecture vision.

Qualification & Skills

• 6+ years of experience in Data Engineering, with 3+ years in Snowflake ecosystem.
• Strong SQL and Python skills, with proven experience building ETL/ELT at scale.
• Deep understanding of Snowflake performance tuning, query optimization, and warehouse orchestration.
• Experience with data pipeline orchestration (Airflow, Prefect, dbt, or similar).
• Solid understanding of data modeling (Kimball, Data Vault, or hybrid).
• Proficiency in Kafka, GCP, or AWS for real-time or batch ingestion.
• Familiarity with API-based data integration and microservice architectures.
• Preferred
• Experience working with machine learning teams or deploying ML feature pipelines.
• Background in ad-tech, gaming, or e-commerce recommendation systems.
• Familiarity with data contracts and feature stores (Feast, Tecton, or custom-built).
• Experience managing small data engineering teams and setting technical direction
• Strong ownership and ability to work autonomously in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent cross-functional communication — can translate between engineering and business.
• Hands-on problem solver who balances velocity with reliability.
• Collaborative mentor who raises the bar for team quality and discipline

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Xsolla is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in accordance with the Fair Chance Act.

Criminal History Consideration:

For the Executive Assistant, we will conduct a background check that may include the following.

Criminal history check.

Employment verification.

Education verification.

Relevance to job Responsibilities:

The background check is relevant to this position because of the following role responsibilities:

Accessing confidential company data

Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements

Handling sensitive financial information/ managing budgets /accessing funds

Rights Under the Fair Chance Act:

Applicants are encouraged to inquire about their rights under the Fair Chance Act. If you have questions regarding our hiring practices, please contact [e-mail]

Benefits:

We are passionate about fostering a supportive environment for our team, so we prioritize the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of our employees and their families through a comprehensive Benefits Program. This includes 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision plans, unlimited Flexible Time Off, and a personalized career roadmap for each employee. By investing in professional development through training and educational opportunities, we ensure that our team thrives both personally and professionally. Together, we’re not just building a business; we’re cultivating a community that values creativity, collaboration, and the transformative power of play.

By submitting the following job application form, you consent to Xsolla processing your data for career-related inquiries and potential employment opportunities. We process your data in accordance with this Xsolla Privacy Notice for Job Applicants. Please direct any inquiries regarding your data privacy to [e-mail].