Lead Data Platform Architect (Remote)

8th Light, Inc.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 152,000 - 221,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited learning resources

Annual learning stipend

Co-working support

Flexible PTO

New parent leave 12 weeks

Job summary

8th Light is seeking a Principal Engineer to lead architecture and delivery of modern data platforms for client engagements. You will shape data strategy, design scalable solutions, and guide implementations from design through production, while staying hands-on when needed.

You will mentor teams, collaborate with clients, and help evolve our data lakehouse stack using Databricks, Delta Lake, Spark, and cloud services.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in software and 7+ years in data engineering with leadership.
• Experience delivering data platforms end-to-end.
• Expertise with Databricks and lakehouse architectures.
• Strong SQL and Python for large-scale pipelines.
• Cloud data services and infrastructure design.
• Data modeling and ETL/ELT patterns.
• CI/CD and DevOps practices.
• Mentoring team members.

Responsibilities

• Own architecture and end-to-end delivery of modern data platforms.
• Shape data strategy and design scalable solutions.
• Lead implementation from design to production.
• Partner with client stakeholders for requirements and updates.
• Mentor team members and ensure quality delivery.
• Balance technology choices to meet deadlines.
• Advise on architecture and platform evolution.
• Lead retrospectives and drive action items.
• Document outcomes and drive progress.
• Support 8th Light culture and values.
• Resolve blockers to team progress.
• Contribute to hiring process.

Skills

Data platform architecture

Databricks

SQL

Python

Cloud platforms

CI/CD

Mentoring

Tools

Delta Lake

Spark

Kafka/Kinesis

Terraform/IaC

Job description

8th Light is seeking a Principal Engineer to lead architecture and delivery of modern data platforms for client engagements. You will shape data strategy, design scalable solutions, and guide implementations from design through production, while staying hands-on when needed.

You will mentor teams, collaborate with clients, and help evolve our data lakehouse stack using Databricks, Delta Lake, Spark, and cloud services.