GCP Engineer

Cognizant; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellbeing programs

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking a senior GCP Engineer in Houston to design, build, and optimize scalable data pipelines and infrastructure on Google Cloud Platform. You will contribute across BigQuery, Dataflow, Pub/Sub, and Python while mentoring junior engineers.

You will join a Data Engineering team that collaborates with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to deliver robust data solutions and analytics capabilities in a hybrid work model, with four in-office days in Houston, Texas.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in data engineering or related fields, including 5+ years on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Strong BigQuery expertise including optimization, schema design, and partitioning/clustering.
• Hands-on with Cloud Composer / Apache Airflow and Cloud Run; proficient Python and SQL.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable ETL/ELT data pipelines on GCP, integrating Pub/Sub, Cloud Storage, Dataflow, and Cloud Functions.
• Build and orchestrate complex workflows using Cloud Composer (Apache Airflow).
• Develop and deploy containerized microservices and event-driven data processing jobs using Cloud Run.
• Design efficient, high-performance data models and queries in BigQuery with partitioning and cost optimization.
• Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to translate data requirements into solutions and mentor engineers.

Skills

GCP

BigQuery

Python

SQL

Data modeling

ETL/ELT design

Apache Airflow

Tools

Cloud Composer

Cloud Run

Terraform

GitHub Actions

Job description

Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future.

About the role

As a GCP Engineer, you will make an impact by designing, building, and optimizing scalable data pipelines and infrastructure on Google Cloud Platform, with hands‑on, production‑grade experience across Cloud Run, Cloud Composer, BigQuery, and Python. You will play a key role in architecting robust data solutions that support analytics, reporting, and business intelligence across the organization. You will be a valued member of the Data Engineering team and work collaboratively with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders.

In this role, you will:

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable ETL/ELT data pipelines on GCP, integrating services such as Pub/Sub, Cloud Storage, Dataflow, and Cloud Functions.
• Build and orchestrate complex workflows using Cloud Composer (Apache Airflow).
• Develop and deploy containerized microservices and event‑driven data processing jobs using Cloud Run.
• Design efficient, high‑performance data models and queries in BigQuery, including partitioning, clustering, and cost optimization strategies.
• Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to translate data requirements into technical solutions, while mentoring junior and mid‑level engineers.

Work model

We believe hybrid work is the way forward as we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role's business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring 4 days a week in a client or Cognizant office in Houston, Texas. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work‑life balance though our various wellbeing programs.

The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you're engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations.

What you need to have to be considered

• 10+ years of overall experience in data engineering, software engineering, or related fields, including 5+ years of hands‑on experience with Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Strong, demonstrable expertise in BigQuery, including query optimization, schema design, and partitioning/clustering.
• Hands‑on experience with Cloud Composer / Apache Airflow (DAG design, orchestration, scheduling) and Cloud Run (containerized deployments, serverless architecture).
• Advanced proficiency in Python, including data processing libraries such as Pandas or PySpark, along with solid SQL and query performance tuning skills.
• Strong understanding of data warehousing concepts, data modeling (star/snowflake schema), and ETL/ELT design patterns.

These will help you stand out

• Experience with additional GCP services such as Cloud Storage, Pub/Sub, Dataflow, Dataproc, or IAM.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure‑as‑code tools such as Terraform, Cloud Build, or GitHub Actions.
• Experience with Git‑based version control and Agile/Scrum development practices.

We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role.