Data Engineer

Cognizant; Missoula (MT); On-site; USD 59,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance

Paid holidays + PTO

401(k) plan and contributions

Disability insurance

Paid Parental Leave

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking a Data Engineer to design, develop, and maintain scalable data pipelines across structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data. The role emphasizes Python, SQL, Spark, and data quality practices in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

Location options include Plano, TX or Teaneck, NJ, with relocation as needed. Start date is January or February 2026; the position offers standard Cognizant benefits and an annual salary of $65,000, with eligibility for an incentive

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Engineering, or a related field
• Strong programming skills in Python and SQL
• Good problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment
• Familiarity with data orchestration tools (Airflow, Prefect)
• Exposure to data lake and data warehouse architectures (Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery)
• Knowledge of containerization and CI/CD pipelines (Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub)
• Familiarity with data visualization tools
• Basic understanding of ETL/ELT concepts, data modeling, and data architecture

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize data pipelines using Python, Spark, and SQL.
• Ingest, process, and analyze structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data from diverse sources.
• Implement data quality checks, validation, and transformation logic to ensure data integrity and reliability.
• Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to understand data requirements and deliver solutions.
• Develop and maintain data models, data dictionaries, and technical documentation.
• Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize data workflows for performance and scalability.
• Ensure compliance with data governance, security, and privacy policies.
• Support data migration, integration, and modernization initiatives, including cloud-based solutions (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Automate repetitive data engineering tasks and contribute to continuous improvement of data infrastructure.
• Knowledge of any of the cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Understanding of data security, encryption, and compliance best practices.

Skills

Python

SQL

Spark

Airflow

Prefect

Data warehousing

AWS

Azure

GCP

Data governance

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science/Information Systems/Data Engineering

Tools

Snowflake

Databricks

BigQuery

Docker

Kubernetes

GitHub

Job description

Position Overview

We are seeking a motivated Data Engineer to join our Data Engineering team. The ideal candidate will have exposure in Python, and SQL, and will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining robust data pipelines for structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data. This role is ideal for someone passionate about building scalable data solutions and enabling advanced analytics across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize data pipelines using Python, Spark, and SQL.


• Ingest, process, and analyze structured (e.g., relational databases), semi-structured (e.g., JSON, XML), and unstructured data (e.g., text, logs, images) from diverse sources.


• Implement data quality checks, validation, and transformation logic to ensure data integrity and reliability.


• Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to understand data requirements and deliver solutions.


• Develop and maintain data models, data dictionaries, and technical documentation.


• Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize data workflows for performance and scalability.


• Ensure compliance with data governance, security, and privacy policies.


• Support data migration, integration, and modernization initiatives, including cloud-based solutions (AWS, Azure, GCP).


• Automate repetitive data engineering tasks and contribute to continuous improvement of data infrastructure.


• Knowledge of any of the cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).


• Understanding of data security, encryption, and compliance best practices.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Engineering, or a related field


• Good programming skills in Python and SQL


• Good problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills


• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment


• Familiarity with data orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, Prefect)


• Exposure to data lake and data warehouse architectures (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks, Big query etc.)


• Knowledge of containerization and CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub)


• Familiarity with data visualization tools


• Basic understanding of ETL/ELT concepts, data modeling, and data architecture

Location

New hires will be hired at the Cognizant office in Plano, TX or Teaneck, NJ, where you will work alongside other experienced Cognizant associates delivering technology solutions. Applicants must be willing to relocate to this major geographic area. While we attempt to honor candidate location preferences, business needs and position availability will determine final location assignment.

Start Date

New hires will start in January or February 2026 . While we will attempt to honor candidate start date preferences, business need and position availability will determine final start date assignment. Exact start date will be communicated with enough time for you to plan effectively.

Salary and Other Compensation:

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

The annual salary for this position is $65,000.00 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate. This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.

Why Choose Us?

Cognizant delivers solutions that draw upon the full power and scale of our associates. You will be supported by high-caliber experts and employ some of the most advanced and patented capabilities. Our associate’s diverse backgrounds offer multifaceted perspectives and fuel new ways of thinking. We encourage lively discussions which inspire better results for our clients.

Benefits

Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance


• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off


• 401(k) plan and contributions


• Long-term/Short-term Disability


• Paid Parental Leave


• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Disclaimer

The hourly rate, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

Work Authorization

Due to the nature of this position, Cognizant cannot provide sponsorship for U.S. work authorization (including participation in a CPT/OPT program) for this role.

Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.