Lead Engineer / Senior Lead Engineer, Foundry

Ballast Investments; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Ballast Investments in San Francisco is seeking a Lead Engineer / Senior Lead Engineer to bridge technology with operations and investment strategy. You will code, automate, and build dashboards alongside business users to deliver tangible NOI improvements.

The role embeds with asset, property operations, and finance teams to design scalable data solutions, integrate platforms like Palantir Foundry, and drive real-time analytics and cost optimization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in CS, Data Eng, Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years experience in software/data engineering or applied analytics.
• 1+ years experience with Palantir Foundry or Gotham.
• Strong SQL and Python; familiarity with APIs and ETL pipelines; PySpark beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Embed with property managers, asset managers, and finance staff to identify inefficiencies.
• Rapid prototyping and deployment of tools, dashboards, and automations.
• System integration across platforms such as Yardi, Zendesk, Palantir Foundry, Excel/Sheets, and databases.
• Build models for rent roll forecasting, delinquency tracking, CapEx planning, and maintenance cost monitoring.
• AI/automation deployment to summarize tenant communications, flag high-risk accounts, and optimize workflows.
• Measure outcomes by tracking business impact and scalability of solutions.
• Serve as translator between investment professionals and technical staff.

Skills

3+ years software/data engineering

SQL

Python

APIs

ETL pipelines

Palantir Foundry

Palantir Gotham

PySpark

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS / Data Eng / Engineering

Tools

Palantir Foundry

Palantir Gotham

Job description

Summary

The Company is seeking a Lead Engineer / Senior Lead Engineer to support our rapidly growing team. TheLead Engineer / Senior LeadEngineer will sit at the intersection of technology, operations, andinvestment strategy. Unlike traditional engineers who build in isolation, the Lead Engineer / Senior LeadEngineer will be embedded directly with our Asset Management, Property Operations, and Construction teams.Your mission is to rapidly design, deploy, and iterate on software solutions that directly improve NOI,reduce costs, and enhance portfolio performance working with the CEO, COO, and VP of System Solutions.This is a hands-on builder role: you will write code, automate workflows, integrate data pipelines, andcreate dashboards—always working shoulder-to-shoulder with the business users who need results.

The Company is a vertically-integrated owner-operator of multifamily, student housing, and single familyrental assets in the greater Western United States. The Company has several strategic partnerships withglobal institutional capital providers and has experienced strong growth since its founding in 2014.

Ballast employs over 300+ real estate professionals whose mission is to create value by acquiring,developing, and managing our dwellings with exceptional care through an integrated approach. Our cultureis founded on teamwork, authenticity, integrity and excellence. Through a shared purpose and common goal,the organization is built to serve its partners and communities within which it invests.

Primary Responsibilities

• Embed with business teams: Work day-to-day with property managers, asset managers, and finance staffto identify inefficiencies and data gaps
• Rapid prototyping & deployment: Design and build tools (scripts, dashboards, automations,integrations) that solve problems in real time
• Systems integration: Connect platforms such as Yardi, Zendesk, Palantir Foundry, Excel/Sheets, andcustom databases into unified workflows
• Operational analytics: Build models for rent roll forecasting, delinquency tracking, CapEx planning,and maintenance cost monitoring
• AI/automation deployment: Leverage AI to summarize tenant communications, flag high-risk accounts, andoptimize leasing/maintenance workflows
• Outcome measurement: Track business impact of technical solutions (e.g., reduction in response times,increase in collections, lower R&M cost per unit)
• Cross-functional leadership: Serve as translator between investment professionals and technical staff,ensuring solutions are practical and scalable

Minimum Requirements and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Data Engineering, Engineering, or related field
• 3+ years experience in software engineering, data engineering, or applied analytics
• 1+ years of practical experience with Palantir Foundry or Gotham
• Strong SQL and Python skills and familiarity with APIs and ETL pipelines. Pyspark would be beneficial
• Excellent problem solving and analytical abilities
• Excellent communication skills; ability to explain technical solutions in business terms

Key Skills and Competencies

• Clear, articulate communicator, able to maintain effective documentation
• Strong analytical and qualitative skills
• Able to prioritize, organize, and meet all deadlines
• Committed to high standards of excellence and ethics
• Effectively identify issues and formulate solutions
• Capability to think critically, solve problems logically, and make well-reasoned business decisions
• Ability to probe, ask the right questions, and dig beneath the surface to test the validity ofinformation
• Goal-oriented and diligent

Ballast Investments is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equalopportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, and weprohibit discrimination and harassment of any type based on race, color, religion, age, sex, nationalorigin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity orexpression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Ballast Investmentsis also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigrationstatus. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualifiedapplicants with arrest and conviction records.

We thank all applicants who have applied however only those selected for an interview will becontacted.