Lead Data Engineer

AIR Communities; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 135,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discounted rent

Health insurance

Dental & Vision

Life insurance

401(k)

Paid time off

HSA/FSA

Tuition assistance

Commuter benefits

Certification reimbursement

Parental leave

Professional development

Job summary

AIR Communities in Denver, CO seeks a Lead Data Engineer to design, build, and optimize modern data pipelines and cloud-based platforms supporting analytics, ML, and business applications.

You will lead data infrastructure efforts, mentor engineers, and collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and product teams to deliver scalable, secure data solutions. The role requires 12–14+ years in data engineering with strong SQL/Python and cloud governance expertise.

Qualifications

• 12–14+ years in data engineering with 8+ years on data pipelines.
• Advanced SQL and Python for data processing and automation.
• Cloud data platforms experience and governance knowledge.
• Experience with ETL/ELT, orchestration, and data security.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain scalable data pipelines and platforms.
• Write efficient SQL/Python for ingestion and transformation.
• Optimize workflows for performance, security, and cost.
• Lead, mentor, and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Implement data governance and monitor data quality.
• Evaluate tools and architectures; drive improvements.

Skills

SQL

Python

Data modeling

ETL/ELT

CI/CD

Cloud platforms

Leadership

Mentorship

Analytics

Strong problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Airflow

Parquet/Delta/Iceberg

Git

CI/CD tooling

Snowflake/AWS/GCP/Azure

Job description

Job Title

Lead Data Engineer

Location

Denver, CO – Denver Tech Center (in‑office 5 days a week)

Job Description

We are seeking a highly skilled Lead Data Engineer to join our dynamic data team. The ideal candidate has extensive experience designing, building, and optimizing modern data pipelines and cloud‑based data platforms. In this role, you will help shape scalable data infrastructure that supports analytics, machine learning, and business‑critical applications across the organization.

What You Will Do

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable data pipelines to ingest, transform, and deliver large and diverse datasets.
• Write efficient, reusable SQL and/or Python for data ingestion, transformation, and integration.
• Optimize data workflows for performance, reliability, security, and cost‑efficiency in cloud environments.
• Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, application teams, and business stakeholders to understand data requirements and deliver technical solutions.
• Implement data governance and security practices across pipeline components and data assets.
• Monitor data flows, troubleshoot issues, and ensure data quality, availability, and integrity.
• Integrate data from various internal and external sources into centralized data platforms.
• Provide technical leadership, mentor junior engineers, and support knowledge‑sharing within the team.
• Evaluate emerging tools and architectures, recommending improvements to existing systems and processes.
• Conduct performance tuning and optimization across ingestion, transformation, and storage layers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 12–14+ years of experience in data or related engineering roles, with 8+ years focused on data engineering.
• Advanced proficiency in SQL and/or Python for data processing, transformation, and automation.
• Hands‑on experience building and optimizing data pipelines and integration workflows.
• Strong understanding of data modeling, performance optimization, and query tuning.
• Experience working with cloud platforms and their data ecosystem.
• Knowledge of ETL/ELT concepts, orchestration patterns, and automated data workflows.
• Understanding of data governance, data security, and handling sensitive or regulated data (e.g., PII).
• Experience with version control and CI/CD practices.
• Strong problem‑solving abilities in complex or unstructured data environments.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, including root‑cause analysis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with distributed data processing or declarative pipeline frameworks.
• Familiarity with cloud‑native functions and workflow orchestration tools.
• Experience with data governance frameworks, metadata management, or cataloging solutions.
• Knowledge of columnar storage and big‑data file formats.
• Familiarity with modern table formats such as Parquet, Delta, or Iceberg.

Required Soft Skills

• Strong leadership and mentorship abilities, with a focus on elevating team capability and fostering knowledge sharing.
• Strategic thinking and the ability to align engineering work with broader business objectives.
• Effective communication skills, including the ability to translate technical concepts for non‑technical audiences.
• Collaboration‑oriented mindset, thriving in cross‑functional environments with product, analytics, and engineering partners.
• Adaptability and resilience in navigating ambiguity, shifting priorities, or evolving technical landscapes.
• Proactive initiative, consistently identifying opportunities for improvement and driving solutions forward.
• Commitment to quality and craft, with a strong sense of ownership over system performance and reliability.
• Growth mindset, continuously seeking new knowledge, tools, and approaches to improve team outcomes.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary of approximately $135,000–$160,000 plus annual bonus.
• 25% discounted rent at AIR Communities (subject to exclusions).
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options with HSA and FSA contributions.
• Short and long‑term disability coverage.
• 401(k) with company contributions.
• Paid vacation, 14 paid holidays, and paid sick time.
• Tuition assistance program.
• Commuter benefits and pet insurance.
• Up to 100% reimbursement for professional certification or licensing.
• Paid parental leave of up to 16 weeks.
• Consumer discounts on travel, electronics, and more.
• 15 hours of paid time annually for community giving.
• Professional development and career growth opportunities.

AIR values diversity and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. AIR prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.