Mgr, Data Platform Engineering

UFCU; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

University Federal Credit Union (UFCU) in Austin, Texas seeks a Manager of Data Platform Engineering to lead a technical team responsible for UFCU’s enterprise data platform. You will oversee data ingestion, engineering, and platform operations while driving data products used for analytics, AI, and decision-making.

The role blends people management with hands-on technical accountability, including governance, product delivery, and 24/7 on-call rotations.

Qualifications

• 5+ years leading a platform engineering team with people management and delivery accountability.
• Hands-on experience building and operating data pipelines and data products in production environments.
• Proven experience with Databricks, Spark-based transformation, job orchestration, and the Medallion architecture.
• Strong SQL skills and experience with SQL Server, including on-prem and managed Azure SQL Server instances.
• Experience leading or directing a DBA function, including performance, availability, and operational support.
• Demonstrated experience with data architecture and data modeling concepts.
• Experience implementing data observability, pipeline monitoring, data quality checks, lineage, and alerting.
• Experience ingesting data from core operational/source systems into a centralized data platform.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and source control.
• Experience working in an agile environment.
• Experience enabling business intelligence and data products used by Analysts and PowerBI.
• Experience managing vendor or contractor resources, including offshore development teams.
• Willingness and ability to lead a 24/7 on-call rotation comprised of the team members.

Responsibilities

• Ingest data from key banking and operational source systems into the enterprise data platform.
• Clean, transform, and curate data using Databricks and the Medallion architecture.
• Build data products that business teams can trust and self-serve.
• Monitor pipelines for failures, ensuring data freshness and quality.
• Oversee SQL Server health, performance, and reliability across on-prem and Azure SQL Server.
• Lead, mentor, and manage hiring, coaching, performance, and contractor engagement.
• Manage vendor relationships to meet scope, quality, and service level requirements.

Skills

Team leadership

SQL

Databricks

Data pipelines

Agile

On-call rotation

PowerBI

Tools

Databricks

SQL Server

Azure

CI/CD

Git

Azure SQL/On‑prem

Job description

Job Summary

University Federal Credit Union (UFCU) is seeking a Manager, Data Platform Engineering to lead a technical team responsible for delivering UFCU’s enterprise data platform. The platform includes a portfolio of data products, pipelines, and curated datasets that power analytics, reporting, AI initiatives, and data‑driven decision‑making across the organization. Reporting to the Director of Platform Engineering, this role blends people management with technical and operational accountability, overseeing platform governance, product delivery execution, and platform operations.

Responsibilities

• Data Ingestion & Integration
  • Ingesting data from key banking and operational source systems into the enterprise data platform on a reliable, repeatable cadence.
• Data Engineering & Quality
  • Cleaning, transforming, and curating data using Databricks and the Medallion architecture.
  • Building data products that business teams can trust and self‑serve.
• Platform Operations
  • Monitoring pipelines for failures, ensuring data freshness and quality.
  • Maintaining the stability and performance of the data platform.
• Database Administration
  • Overseeing a DBA function responsible for SQL Server health, performance, and reliability across on‑prem and managed Azure SQL Server instances.
• Team Leadership
  • Lead, inspire, and mentor team members to achieve departmental and individual development goals.
  • Manage hiring, coaching, performance management, and contractor engagement.
• Vendor & Contract Management
  • Manage vendor relationships and ensure scope, quality, and service levels meet or exceed requirements.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• 5+ years leading a platform engineering team with people management and delivery accountability.
• Hands‑on experience building and operating data pipelines and data products in production environments.
• Proven experience with Databricks, Spark‑based transformation, job orchestration, and the Medallion architecture.
• Strong SQL skills and experience with SQL Server, including on‑prem and managed Azure SQL Server instances.
• Experience leading or directing a DBA function, including performance, availability, and operational support.
• Demonstrated experience with data architecture and data modeling concepts.
• Experience implementing data observability, pipeline monitoring, data quality checks, lineage, and alerting.
• Experience ingesting data from core operational/source systems into a centralized data platform.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and source control.
• Experience working in an agile environment.
• Experience enabling business intelligence and data products used by Analysts and PowerBI.
• Experience managing vendor or contractor resources, including offshore development teams.
• Willingness and ability to lead a 24/7 on‑call rotation comprised of the team members.

Preferred Requirements

• Hands‑on experience with Databricks Unity Catalog for data governance, lineage, and access control.
• Experience with Azure cloud services supporting data platforms (identity, secrets management, storage, monitoring, and data services).
• Experience with enterprise data models and reference architectures across multiple business domains.
• Experience in financial services or another regulated environment with strong security/compliance expectations.
• Experience scaling delivery with a mix of FTE and contractor resources, including offshore vendor/contract management.

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus.
• Employee will make extensive use of the telephone and virtual communications requiring the ability to explain complex information effectively and accurately.

Work Environment

• This position requires frequently working onsite at UFCU Plaza in Austin, Texas.
• This position may involve periodic stressful conditions.
• May occasionally require an adjusted work schedule, overtime, and evening/weekend hours.
• May occasionally move from one work location/branch to another.
• Public contact position, requiring appropriate professional appearance.
• Frequent computer use at a workstation of up to two hours at a time.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.