Analytics Engineer - U.S. Based Remote Opportunity

Common App; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Common App is seeking an Analytics Engineer to architect and evolve the shared data warehouse, semantic layer, and reusable data assets enabling scalable analytics across the organization.

You will work with Data Engineering, Applied Analytics, and Data Governance to deliver insight-ready data, enforce governance, and build data products that scale for self-service analytics and AI readiness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a quantitative/technical field.
• 5-8 years in analytics engineering or data engineering roles.
• Experience in enterprise data warehouse at scale with data models and pipelines.
• Experience implementing data governance, retention, PII controls in production data platform.
• Strong SQL and data modeling skills; dimensional modeling and star/snowflake schemas.
• Experience with cloud data warehouses (Databricks, Snowflake, BigQuery or equivalent).
• Experience with Databricks features like Unity Catalog and Delta Live Tables.
• Experience designing a semantic/metrics layer for BI tools, analysts, and AI systems.
• Proven thought leadership in data platform engineering and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Evolve Common App's data warehouse, semantic layer, and reusable assets for scalable analytics.
• Partner with Data Engineering, Applied Analytics, and Data Governance to implement governance rules.

Skills

SQL

Data modeling

Python

Databricks

Snowflake

BigQuery

Data governance

ETL pipelines

Data warehouse

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Engineering, Statistics

Tools

Databricks Unity Catalog

Delta Live Tables

dbt Cloud

Apache Airflow

Job description

ABOUT US

Do you have a passion for higher education? Do you want to make a positive impact on the college admissions process? Our staff help to remove barriers and encourage students to forge their path to a better future. Common App is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to the pursuit of access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process. Each year we support more than 1 million students, one-third of whom are first-generation, as they apply to our more than 1100 diverse member colleges & universities using the Common App's free online application. If you are an experienced analytics professional and want to be part of a mission-driven non-profit that uses innovative technology to advance the college admission process, Common App may be a great match for you. Common App is currently searching for a Analytics Engineer.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Analytics Engineer is the technical architect responsible for evolving Common App's shared data warehouse, semantic layer, and reusable data assets to enable scalable analytics, data governance, and artificial intelligence readiness across the organization. This role is central to operationalizing governance standards within enterprise systems and building the shared data foundations that power the Applied Analytics and Research team. Reporting to the Senior Director, Analytics Engineering, the Analytics Engineer partners with Data Engineering and Applied Analytics and Research to deliver insight-ready data, and with Data Governance to ensure that governance rules and standards are technically enforceable within the enterprise data platform. This role focuses on developing Common App's reporting schema, refactoring existing tables and pipelines for performance, cost efficiency, and maintainability; designing and implementing automated data quality frameworks; establishing monitoring and alerting for critical datasets and pipelines; maintaining warehouse data documentation; and architecting data products that structure the platform for scalability, quality, and self-service. The Analytics Engineer is a recognized subject matter expert in data platform engineering who combines deep data modeling expertise with a platform mindset, delivers outstanding results, and drives innovation in how Common App's shared data infrastructure is designed and governed.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Candidates must live in the United States.
• Hybrid Work & Travel: Employees can live anywhere in the US or its territories, with the willingness and ability to travel for periodic in-person events-including semi-annual Common App retreats, department retreats, and strategic leadership sessions.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Engineering, Statistics, or a closely related quantitative or technical field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5-8 years of progressive experience in analytics engineering, data engineering, or a closely related data platform role.
• Demonstrated experience working within an enterprise data warehouse environment at scale, including ownership of data models, transformation pipelines, and data quality processes.
• Experience implementing data governance requirements - such as retention, deletion, or PII controls - within a production data platform.
• Strong expertise in SQL and data modeling, including dimensional modeling, star/snowflake schemas, and modern data transformation approaches.
• Demonstrated experience designing, building, and maintaining data pipelines and transformation layers within cloud data warehouse platforms (e.g., Databricks, Snowflake, BigQuery, or equivalent).
• Experience with Databricks-specific features, including Unity Catalog, Delta Live Tables, or Databricks workflows.
• Experience designing and maintaining a semantic layer or metrics layer that serves multiple downstream consumers, including BI tools, analysts, and AI systems.
• Demonstrated thought leadership in data platform engineering, with a track record of innovating and contributing to the advancement of analytics engineering practices within or beyond the organization.
• Proven ability to contribute to long-term platform planning and influence organizational data strategies through technical expertise and cross-functional engagement.
• Demonstrated experience implementing automated data quality frameworks, including pipeline-embedded tests, validation logic, and monitoring/alerting for production datasets.
• Understanding of data governance concepts and experience translating governance requirements - including data retention, PII handling, and access controls - into technical implementations within data platforms.
• Proficiency in Python for data engineering and analytics workloads; familiarity with orchestration tools (e.g., Apache Airflow, dbt Cloud, or Databricks AI).
• Experience designing and implementing data products and reusable data assets for self-service analytic consumption.
• Strong documentation practices, wi