Lead Data Engineer

Redhorse Corporation; Oregon; Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Redhorse Corporation is seeking a Senior Data Engineer/Lead to advance data pipelines and provide technical leadership for government-scale programs in Oregon. The role focuses on translating complex defense requirements into scalable data models and high-throughput ETL/ELT workflows using Databricks.

Candidates must hold a U.S. Secret clearance and demonstrate mentorship, code reviews, and architecture discipline.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional experience in data engineering
• Experience providing technical mentorship and code reviews
• Hands-on Databricks experience designing and optimizing data transformations
• Advanced Python/PySpark scripting and SQL optimization
• Experience building functional, user-centric reports and dashboards

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day task prioritization and technical direction
• Elicit and translate mission requirements into technical specifications and data models
• Architect, develop, and optimize high-throughput ETL/ELT workflows using Databricks
• Identify bottlenecks and implement automated solutions for reliability
• Collaborate with government product owners, data scientists, and analysts
• Develop and maintain pipeline architecture documentation

Skills

Data engineering

Python/PySpark

SQL

Databricks

ETL/ELT pipelines

Technical leadership

Code reviews

Documentation

Data visualization

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Apache Spark

Git

GitLab

Jira

Job description

About the Organization

Now is a great time to join Redhorse Corporation. We are a solution-driven company delivering data insights and technology solutions to customers with missions critical to U.S. national interests. We're looking for thoughtful, skilled professionals who thrive as trusted partners building technology-agnostic solutions and want to apply their talents supporting customers with difficult and important mission sets.

About the Role

Redhorse transforms the way government uses data and technology. To support this mission, we are seeking a Senior Data Engineer / Lead to join our team supporting the US National Defense Strategy. In this role, you will play a vital role in translating complex defense requirements into scalable data pipelines and actionable insights, directly contributing to the modernization of critical defense systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership & Task Oversight: Provide day-to-day task prioritization and technical direction to team members; lead code reviews, ensure design best practices, and mentor engineers in modular Python development and SQL optimization.
• Requirements Development & Architecture: Work directly with government stakeholders to elicit, refine, and translate complex mission requirements into robust technical specifications, interface designs, and scalable data models.
• Pipeline & Platform Development: Architect, develop, and optimize high-throughput ETL/ELT workflows using Databricks; maintain, refactor, and enhance existing Python and SQL codebases for performance, stability, and security.
• Pipeline Diagnostics & Troubleshooting: Identify pipeline bottlenecks, debug complex data workflows, and implement automated solutions to enhance pipeline reliability and data integrity.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with government product owners, data scientists, Data Analysts, and technical peers to document architecture, coordinate technical sprints, and communicate engineering trade-offs to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Technical Documentation: Develop new and maintain existing pipeline architecture documentation relating to pipeline code architecture and configurations to ensure high system reliability and seamless team onboarding.

Required Experience/Clearance

• Security Clearance: Must be a U.S. Citizen with a current, active U.S. Government Secret clearance. (Applicants without an active Secret clearance cannot be considered).
• Experience Level: Minimum of 8+ years of professional experience in data engineering, building enterprise-scale data platforms and pipelines.
• Technical Guidance: Demonstrated experience providing technical mentorship, performing code reviews, and providing day-to-day technical task oversight to other engineers.
• Databricks: Proven, hands-on experience designing and optimizing data transformation workflows in Databricks.
• Python/PySpark & SQL: Advanced skills in modular, object-oriented Python/PySpark scripting and extensive experience writing, tuning, and optimizing complex SQL queries.
• Data Visualization: Proven experience building functional, user-centric reports and dashboards using modern data visualization tools.

Desired Experience

• Hands-on experience with Apache Spark and distributed computing frameworks.
• Familiarity with modern agile and DevOps tools such as GitLab Jira.
• Experience working with DoD, defense, or intelligence community data environments and compliance standards.
• Knowledge of data governance, metadata management, and data cataloging frameworks.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

$170,000 - $190,000 a year

The salary range provided for this position represents the anticipated base salary for successful candidates. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, education, certifications, skills, security clearance level, geographic location, market conditions, and internal equity. In addition to base salary, eligible employees may participate in Redhorse's comprehensive benefits programs and may be eligible for performance-based or other incentive compensation, where applicable.

Redhorse Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on this site as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by contacting Talent Acquisition at

Redhorse Corporation shall, in its discretion, modify or adjust the position to meet Redhorse's changing needs. This job description is not a contract and may be adjusted as deemed appropriate in Redhorse's sole discretion.