Staff Data Engineer

General Motors; United States; Remote; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

GM vehicle discounts

Paid vacation & holidays

Job summary

General Motors is seeking a Staff Data Engineer to set technical direction for Motorsports data initiatives. You will lead architecture for real-time ingestion, telemetry, and data platforms while mentoring engineers and collaborating with data science, platform, and racing stakeholders.

The role requires deep expertise in data engineering, distributed systems, cloud platforms, and production software development, with strong Python/Java/Scala skills and a track record of delivering cross-team

Qualifications

• Deep expertise in data engineering and distributed systems.
• Strong programming experience in Python, Java, or Scala.
• Experience designing real-time streaming and batch pipelines at scale.
• Knowledge of data modeling, schema evolution, observability, and data quality.
• Ability to work independently on ambiguous problems and influence stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction and target-state architecture for cross-system data platforms.
• Lead high-visibility initiatives with multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Design scalable real-time ingestion, telemetry, and data quality solutions.
• Own measurable outcomes like reliability, throughput, and recovery (SLOs/SLAs).
• Mentor engineers and drive engineering best practices across the organization.

Skills

Python

Java

Scala

Distributed systems

Cloud platforms

Data modeling

Mentoring

Communication

Tools

Databricks

Apache Kafka

Flink

Spark

Kubernetes

AWS

Azure

Job description

Job Description

The Staff Data Engineer is an expert-level individual contributor who sets technical direction for complex Motorsports data engineering initiatives. This role works independently with broad latitude, applies deep expertise and sound judgment to ambiguous problems, and delivers solutions with measurable impact across teams and functional areas. The role will lead architecture and engineering practices for real-time data ingestion, telemetry, data quality, cloud platforms, and race‑day operational systems. The Staff Data Engineer will influence technical decisions across the organization, mentor engineers, and partner with engineering, data science, platform, product, and racing stakeholders to deliver durable business outcomes.

What You’ll Do Set technical direction and develop target‑state architecture for complex, cross‑system data platforms and products. Lead large, high‑visibility initiatives that integrate multiple teams, disciplines, technologies, and stakeholder needs. Design and implement innovative, scalable solutions for real‑time ingestion, telemetry, event and session data, data quality, and analytical products. Exercise independent judgment to analyze complex problems, select appropriate methods, evaluate tradeoffs, and make durable technical decisions. Establish and own measurable technical and operational outcomes, including reliability, data quality, throughput, cycle time, recovery, and service‑level performance. Develop standards, policies, methods, and reusable patterns for schemas, data contracts, observability, testing, deployment, security, and recovery. Lead technical planning, dependency management, risk identification, and sequencing for roadmap and race‑critical work. Anticipate and elevate risks that could affect customers, race operations, delivery commitments, or functional outcomes, while providing actionable recommendations. Improve operational reliability through incident leadership, root‑cause analysis, automation, runbooks, and permanent corrective actions. Influence adoption of new approaches through data, clear communication, persuasion, and collaboration across teams with differing priorities or practices. Serve as a technical resource and indirect leader by mentoring engineers, guiding design reviews, and raising engineering capability across the organization. Partner with stakeholders to understand customer and business needs and translate them into scalable data solutions. Champion change management and continuously improve engineering processes, tools, and ways of working.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications) Deep expertise in data engineering, distributed systems, cloud platforms, and production software development. Demonstrated experience setting technical direction and delivering complex solutions spanning multiple teams or functional areas. Strong programming experience in Python, Java, Scala, or a comparable language. Experience designing and operating streaming and batch data pipelines at production scale. Strong knowledge of data modeling, schema evolution, data quality, observability, testing, deployment, and incident response. Demonstrated ability to work independently on ambiguous problems and make decisions with broad business and technical implications. Experience influencing stakeholders and gaining adoption of new architectures, processes, or technical practices without relying on direct authority. Strong communication, collaboration, technical writing, and mentoring skills.

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications) Experience with Databricks, Apache Kafka, Flink, Spark, Kubernetes, AWS, Azure, or comparable technologies. Experience with real‑time telemetry, event processing, time‑series data, or latency‑sensitive production workloads. Experience supporting systems during high‑availability or time‑critical operating periods. Experience with data science, machine learning, analytics, or engineering strategy teams. Experience establishing engineering standards, technical communities of practice, or cross‑functional architecture forums. Interest in motorsports, vehicle systems, race strategy, or performance engineering. This role is expected to operate as a recognized subject‑matter expert, develop solutions to broad and complex problems, lead initiatives with cross‑functional visibility, and make measurable contributions to functional outcomes. The role will set objectives for technical and operational results, influence decisions across organizational boundaries, and multiply impact through mentoring, reusable practices, and effective collaboration.

GM behaviors

• Winning with integrity through candid, transparent, respectful, and safe decisions.
• Committing to customers by understanding stakeholder needs and delivering high‑quality outcomes.
• Innovating and embracing change through experimentation, learning, and continuous improvement.
• Speaking fearlessly by raising risks, challenging assumptions respectfully, and offering actionable solutions.
• Moving with urgency by focusing on high‑impact work, anticipating obstacles, and flagging delays early.
• Being inclusive by inviting diverse perspectives and creating space for open dialogue.
• Leading as one team by providing context, clarifying ownership, and aligning cross‑functional partners.
• Owning the outcome by following through on commitments, addressing gaps, and considering enterprise impact.

Success measures

• Measurable improvement in reliability, observability, data quality, and recovery readiness for critical data products.
• More predictable delivery through improved architecture, dependency management, sequencing, and flow metrics.
• Reduced aging, carryover, rework, and recurring operational toil.
• Documented adoption of reusable data engineering standards and target‑state architecture.
• Stronger engineering capability through mentoring, design reviews, and knowledge sharing.
• Demonstrated impact on Motorsports functional outcomes and race‑day readiness.

Compensation

The compensation information is a good faith estimate only. It is based on what a successful applicant might be paid in accordance with applicable state laws. The actual base salary a successful candidate will be offered within this range will vary based on factors relevant to the position, as well as geography of the selected candidate.

• The salary range for this role is 160K -180K. The actual base salary a successful candidate will be offered within this range will vary based on factors relevant to the position.
• Bonus Potential: An incentive pay program offers payouts based on company performance, job level, and individual performance.
• Benefits: GM offers a variety of health and wellbeing benefit programs. Benefit options include medical, dental, vision, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement savings plan, sickness and accident benefits, life insurance, paid vacation & holidays, tuition assistance programs, employee assistance program, GM vehicle discounts and more.

GM does not provide immigration‑related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1‑B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J‑1, etc).

This role is categorized as remote. This means the selected candidate may be based anywhere in the country of work and is not expected to report to a GM worksite unless directed by their manager.

Relocation benefits are available for candidates who qualify under company policy.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits Overview

From day one, we're looking out for your well‑being–at work and at home–so you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)

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We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role‑related assessment(s) and/or a pre‑employment screening prior to beginning employment.

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Our Company Our Culture How we hire Our diverse team of employees bring their collective passion for engineering, technology and design to deliver on our vision of a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion. We are looking for adventure‑seekers and imaginative thought leaders to help us transform mobility. Explore our global locations. We are determined to lead change for the world through technology, ingenuity and harnessing the creativity of our diverse team. Join us to help lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all by becoming a member of GM’s Talent Community (beamery.com). As a part of our Talent Community, you will receive updates about GM, open roles, career insights and more. Please note that filling out the form below will not add you to our Talent Community automatically; you will need to use the link above.