Senior Data Engineer

Kforce Inc; Naperville (IL); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Kforce Inc. in Naperville, IL is seeking a hands-on Senior Data Engineer to design scalable data solutions and own end-to-end technical delivery. You will lead data pipelines, work with cloud platforms, and collaborate with product, analytics, QA, and engineering teams.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in data/softw are engineering, strong Python/SQL skills, Spark experience, and a passion for building robust architectures that enable data-driven decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Engineering, or equivalent.
• 5+ years of experience in data engineering or software engineering.
• Strong programming experience with Python and SQL.
• Hands-on with Apache Spark or similar technologies.
• Experience with at least one cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Experience designing scalable, resilient data systems and BI tools.
• Knowledge of data governance, modelling, and integrations.
• Ability to translate requirements into scalable data architectures.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement complex data solutions that are scalable and well-tested.
• Own end-to-end technical delivery including architecture, development, testing, and deployment.
• Lead design discussions and evaluate architectural trade-offs.
• Develop and maintain data pipelines and distributed data systems.
• Monitor system health using logs and metrics and drive improvements.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to engineering standards.
• Collaborate with product, analytics, QA, and other stakeholders.

Skills

Python

SQL

Data engineering

Distributed systems

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Apache Spark

AWS

Azure

GCP

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

Responsibilities

Kforce has a client that is seeking a Senior Data Engineer in Naperville, IL. Key Responsibilities:

• Design and implement complex data solutions that are scalable, maintainable, secure, and well-tested
• Own technical solutions end-to-end, including architecture, development, testing, deployment, monitoring, and ongoing operational support
• Lead technical design discussions and evaluate architectural trade-offs to determine effective solutions
• Translate business and technical requirements into scalable data architectures and solutions
• Partner with product, analytics, QA, engineering, and other stakeholders to deliver high-quality solutions
• Develop and maintain data pipelines, integrations, and distributed data systems
• Leverage logs, metrics, and analytics to monitor system health, identify performance issues, and drive continuous improvement
• Apply strong testing, debugging, and performance optimization practices throughout the development lifecycle
• Build solutions with observability, reliability, scalability, and security in mind
• Mentor and support other engineers through technical guidance, knowledge sharing, and onboarding
• Contribute to the evolution of engineering standards, development practices, tools, and workflows
• Stay current with emerging data engineering and cloud technologies and identify opportunities to improve the organization's technical capabilities

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
• 5+ years of experience in data engineering or software engineering
• Strong programming experience with Python and SQL
• Hands‑on experience with Apache Spark or comparable distributed data processing technologies
• Experience working with at least one major cloud platform, such as AWS, Azure, or GCP
• Experience designing and implementing scalable, resilient data systems
• Experience with MLOps, analytics platforms, and/or business intelligence technologies
• Experience with BI tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or similar platforms
• Strong understanding of data architecture, data modeling, data integration, and data governance
• Strong understanding of APIs, integrations, distributed systems, and modern data architectures
• Strong troubleshooting, debugging, testing, and performance optimization skillsStrong communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to independently navigate ambiguous technical problems and drive solutions through completion

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience influencing technical strategy and architecture across multiple teams
• Experience mentoring engineers and contributing to engineering best practices
• Experience working in large-scale enterprise data environments
• Strong product mindset with the ability to connect technical decisions to business outcomes

Ideal Candidate: The ideal candidate is a hands‑on senior engineer who thinks beyond individual tasks. They can take ownership of complex problems, design solutions from the ground up, and work effectively across technical and business teams. This person should be comfortable making technical decisions, challenging existing approaches when appropriate, mentoring other engineers, and balancing technical excellence with practical business outcomes.

The pay range is the lowest to highest compensation we reasonably in good faith believe we would pay at posting for this role. We may ultimately pay more or less than this range. Employee pay is based on factors like relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, location, performance, union contract and business needs. This range may be modified in the future.

We offer comprehensive benefits including medical/dental/vision insurance, HSA, FSA, 401(k), and life, disability & ADD insurance to eligible employees. Salaried personnel receive paid time off. Hourly employees are not eligible for paid time off unless required by law. Hourly employees on a Service Contract Act project are eligible for paid sick leave.

Note: Pay is not considered compensation until it is earned, vested and determinable. The amount and availability of any compensation remains in Kforce's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified in its discretion consistent with the law.

This job is not eligible for bonuses, incentives or commissions.

Kforce is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.