Senior Data Engineer I

Sun Life; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 128,000; Full time

Job summary

Sun Life Financial Canada is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to join the CXO Data and Analytics team. You’ll design, build, and maintain a sophisticated data ecosystem that powers digital campaigns, reporting, and actionable insights across Sun Life’s client base.

You will collaborate with business, analytics, and IT to translate evolving data requirements into scalable solutions, leverage AWS and Snowflake, and drive governance, data quality, and best practices in a Kanban delivery model.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in relational databases and dimensional modeling.
• 3–5 years with AWS services (S3/Lambda/Step Functions) and Snowflake.
• Experience with data warehousing, data quality, and governance.
• Able to translate data needs for business teams.
• Strong communication and collaboration across IT and analytics.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain a data ecosystem for campaigns, reporting, insights.
• Build and optimize ETL pipelines with performance and quality in mind.
• Partner with stakeholders to translate requirements into data solutions.
• Guide data interpretation and best practices for digital marketing.
• Operate in Kanban to deliver solutions at a sustainable pace.

Skills

5+ years relational databases and data

Dimensional modeling

Strong communication

Data warehousing

Data governance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

AWS

Git/Bitbucket

Jenkins

Terraform

Python

PySpark

SQL

Snowflake

Snowspark

Job description

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do.

At Sun Life, we're driven by our Purpose: helping our Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. Our values shape how we work: caring, authentic, bold, inspiring, and impactful.

When you join Sun Life, you'll work with passionate colleagues and empowering leaders who support your growth and celebrate your contributions, so you can make a meaningful difference in our Clients' lives.

Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Job Description

Join a team that is transforming data and analytics at Sun Life Financial (SLF) Canada. Sun Life's Client Experience Office (CXO) Data and Analytics area is actively enhancing its member insights capability with new tools, and most importantly, new talent. As a Senior Data Engineer, you will leverage our vast data and Big Data capabilities to ensure a solid data foundation supporting data mining, strategic insight, and digital capability enablement. You'll work within our Data Engineering team using a Kanban-based approach to deliver continuous value through iterative improvements at a sustainable pace. In joining this team, you'll be part of one of the fastest growing areas of our business, representing the future of our industry.

Reporting to the Manager of Data Engineering, you'll partner closely with business, analytics, and IT teams to understand evolving data requirements. You'll bring experience in:

• Understanding data requirements for analytics and marketing campaigns
• Bridging communication between business stakeholders, analytics teams, and IT
• Data discovery and source evaluation, scoping new data sources and optimizing current ones

What will you do?

• Design, develop, and maintain a sophisticated data ecosystem that provides accurate, reliable data to support digital campaigns, reporting, and actionable business insights
• Build and optimize data assets and ETL processes, identifying and resolving performance bottlenecks and data quality issues, establishing best practices for data structure, quality assurance, and governance
• Partner with business stakeholders to understand evolving needs, translate requirements into data solutions, and ensure alignment with strategic priorities
• Serve as a leading data expert and analytics steward, guiding the organization on data interpretation, application to business problems, and best practices for digital marketing
• Develop deep expertise in Sun Life Financial Canada's business model and client data landscape to inform data strategy
• Operate within a Kanban framework, managing workflow across a continuous delivery pipeline to deliver solutions at a sustainable pace

What do you need to succeed?

• 5+ years hands-on experience with relational database systems, relational models, and dimensional modeling
• 3–5 years hands-on experience with AWS (S3, Lambda, Step Functions), Git/Bitbucket, Jenkins, Terraform, Python, PySpark, SQL, Snowflake, and Snowspark
• Proficiency in data warehousing, data quality management, and master data governance practices
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate technical concepts for business audiences
• Experience with database querying, reporting, and direct marketing campaign development
• Self-directed, organized, and takes ownership; thrives in Kanban/continuous delivery environments with strong execution focus
• Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills with ability to diagnose and resolve complex data pipeline issues

Assets

• Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities with a proactive approach to challenges
• Track record of implementing innovative solutions and driving continuous improvement
• Experience in direct marketing campaigns and strategies
• Familiarity with Agile tools (Jira, Confluence) and ability to conduct thorough code reviews
• Experience with Big Data platforms and modern data stack architecture

Education and Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or equivalent
• This role requires Reliability Status Clearance. In addition to a law enforcement inquiry and a credit check, as part of your application, the Government of Canada will ask if you lived or travelled outside of Canada for 6-consecutive months during the last 5 years, and you must account for all activities during this time.

Important Requirements

• The candidate selected for this role is required to attain Canadian Reliability Security Clearance (administered by submitting fingerprints to the RCMP, who then conduct minimum 5 year history checks)
• To see if you are eligible for this clearance, please review the section 201 on the Federal Government site (https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/esc-src/personnel/pdcf-rsrp-eng.html)

The Base Pay range is for the primary location for which the job is posted. It may vary depending on the work location of the successful candidate or other factors. In addition to Base Pay, eligible Sun Life employees participate in various incentive plans, payment under which is discretionary and subject to individual and company performance. Certain sales focused roles have sales incentive plans based on individual or group sales results.

Diversity and inclusion have always been at the core of our values at Sun Life. A diverse workforce with wide perspectives and creative ideas benefits our clients, the communities where we operate and all of us as colleagues. We welcome applications from qualified individuals from all backgrounds.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process or those needing job postings in an alternative format may e‑mail a request to [e-mail].

At Sun Life we strive to create a flexible work environment where our employees are empowered to do their best work. Several flexible work options are available and can be discussed throughout the selection process depending on the role requirements and individual needs.

We thank all applicants for showing an interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

The Base Pay range is for the primary location for which the job is posted. It may vary depending on the work location of the successful candidate or other factors. In addition to Base Pay, eligible Sun Life employees participate in various incentive plans, payment under which is discretionary and subject to individual and company performance. Certain sales focused roles have sales incentive plans based on individual or group sales results.

Diversity and inclusion have always been at the core of our values at Sun Life. A diverse workforce with wide perspectives and creative ideas benefits our Clients, the communities where we operate and all of us as colleagues. We welcome applications from qualified individuals from all backgrounds.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing job postings in an alternative format, may e‑mail a request to [e-mail].

We are proud to be a hybrid organization that offers our employees the choice and flexibility to work from both the office and virtually based on the needs of the business, our Clients and you.

We may use artificial intelligence to support candidate sourcing, screening, interview scheduling.

We thank all applicants for showing an interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Salary Range

80,000/80 000 - 128,000/128 000

Job Category

Advanced Analytics

Posting End Date

13/08/2026