Senior QA Lead - Data Engineering & Analytics Testing

The Intersect Group; Tempe, Northern (AZ, KY); Hybrid; USD 83,000 - 96,000; Part time

Job summary

The Intersect Group is seeking a Senior QA Lead for Data Engineering & Analytics Testing, fully remote in the United States, on a W2 contract. You will lead QA across data engineering and analytics initiatives with heavy emphasis on backend data testing and ETL/ELT validation.

Responsibilities include defining testing strategies, mentoring 2-3 junior QA professionals, and partnering with Data Engineers and Product Owners throughout the development lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS/IT/Engineering or related field.
• 7+ years of QA, data warehouse testing, ETL/ELT testing, and data quality validation.

Responsibilities

• Lead testing efforts for data engineering and analytics initiatives.
• Validate complex data transformations, calculations, aggregations, and business rules.
• Perform end-to-end ETL/ELT testing with source-to-target reconciliation.
• Ensure data integrity across cloud platforms and large-scale migrations.
• Validate data across Bronze, Silver, and Gold layers in Medallion Architecture environments.
• Develop and execute SQL-based test cases against large datasets.
• Build and maintain cross-system data reconciliation processes.

Skills

Quality Assurance

Data Warehouse Testing

ETL/ELT Testing

Data Quality Validation

Advanced SQL

Agile/Scrum

Data Reconciliation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Snowflake

SQL

Databricks

Azure Data Factory

Azure Data Lake

Job description

Senior QA Lead – Data Engineering & Analytics Testing **Remote (U.S.) | Contract Opportunity | Potential for Long-Term Extension** **Compensation:** $60-$70/hour DOE **Employment Type:** W2 Contract Only **Eligibility:** No Corp-to-Corp (C2C), Third-Party Vendors, or Subcontractors ---About the Opportunity Join a globally recognized retail and mobility organization undergoing a large-scale enterprise data transformation. This position will support a strategic Data Platform modernization initiative focused on migrating and validating critical business data across modern cloud-based platforms. We are seeking a **Senior QA Lead – Data Engineering & Analytics Testing** to drive quality assurance efforts across data engineering and analytics projects. This role is heavily focused on **backend data testing (85-90%)**, including ETL/ELT validation, data reconciliation, transformation testing, and data quality assurance. This is a unique opportunity to join a new project pod from inception, helping define testing strategy, validation frameworks, and quality standards while providing leadership to a small team of QA professionals. ---What You'll Be DoingData Validation & Quality Assurance* Lead testing efforts for enterprise data engineering and analytics initiatives.* Validate complex data transformations, calculations, aggregations, and business rules.* Perform end-to-end ETL/ELT testing, including source-to-target reconciliation.* Ensure data integrity across cloud-based platforms and large-scale migration efforts.* Validate data across Bronze, Silver, and Gold layers within Medallion Architecture environments.* Develop and execute SQL-based test cases against large and complex datasets.* Build and maintain cross-system data reconciliation processes using source-to-target mappings.QA Strategy & Leadership* Define and execute comprehensive testing strategies, plans, and test cases.* Establish quality standards and QA best practices across projects.* Review test cases, Jira tickets, and defect documentation for quality and completeness.* Mentor and guide junior QA team members.* Ensure edge cases and complex business scenarios are adequately tested before release.* Partner with Data Engineers, Architects, Product Owners, Scrum Masters, and Business Analysts throughout the development lifecycle.Automation & Continuous Improvement* Support the transition from manual testing toward automated testing capabilities.* Help design and implement reusable automation frameworks for data validation.* Contribute to automation initiatives leveraging modern tools and Snowflake-native capabilities.* Participate in Agile ceremonies, sprint planning, reviews, retrospectives, and daily standups.---Required Qualifications* Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field.* 7+ years of experience in: + Quality Assurance + Data Warehouse Testing + ETL/ELT Testing + Data Quality Validation* Strong hands-on experience with: + Snowflake + SQL + Databricks + Azure Data Factory (ADF) + Azure Data Lake* Advanced SQL skills with the ability to independently write and execute test queries.* Extensive experience with data reconciliation and source-to-target validation.* Experience validating complex business rules and data transformations.* Strong understanding of data warehousing concepts and modern cloud data platforms.* Experience working within Agile/Scrum environments.* Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.---Preferred Qualifications* Previous QA Lead or Test Lead experience.* Python and PyTest automation experience.* Experience building or supporting test automation frameworks.* Experience with Streamlit or similar automation and workflow platforms.* Knowledge of Snowflake Data Quality Monitoring and Data Metric Functions (DMFs).* Exposure to Power BI or reporting validation.* Experience with Azure DevOps and CI/CD pipelines.* Knowledge of Data Governance and Data Quality frameworks.* Experience supporting enterprise data migration initiatives.---Leadership Expectations This role is approximately: * **70% Hands-On Individual Contributor*** **30% Team Leadership** You will: * Lead and mentor 2-3 junior QA professionals.* Review testing artifacts and ensure quality standards are met.* Provide guidance on defect management and validation approaches.* Serve as the senior QA authority for your project team.* Participate in business-facing discussions and support release readiness activities.---What Makes a Strong Candidate? Successful candidates typically have experience with: * Snowflake Testing* Data Warehouse Testing* ETL/ELT Validation* Data Quality & Reconciliation Testing* Source-to-Target Mapping Validation* SQL & Database Testing* Data Migration Projects* Automation Framework Development* QA Leadership & Mentoring---Work Environment* Fully remote position within the United States.* Team operates on Eastern Time.* Daily collaboration begins around 8:00 AM ET.* Candidates outside Eastern Time must be able to support the team schedule.* Strong communication and collaboration skills are essential in this highly visible role.---Why Consider This Opportunity?* Join a major enterprise data modernization initiative from the ground floor.* Work on large-scale cloud data platforms and migration programs.* Gain visibility with Data Engineering, Architecture, and Analytics leadership.* Long-term engagement with an expected initial duration of approximately 18 months.* Strong potential for extension based on project needs and performance.* Opportunity to influence quality standards for business-critical data platforms used at global scale. **If you have deep experience in Snowflake testing, SQL, ETL/ELT validation, and data quality assurance and are ready to lead while remaining hands-on, we'd love to speak with you.**