Senior Data Engineer

Hornet; Cape Town; Remote; ZAR 800 000 - 1 000 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading queer tech company in Cape Town is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to own the raw data layer and design robust data pipelines in BigQuery. The successful candidate will have 5+ years of Data Engineering experience, expertise in SQL and Python, and a commitment to optimizing data quality and scalability. This role offers a remote-first work environment and opportunities to work on impactful projects for the LGBTQ+ community.

Benefits

Flexible remote work environment

Innovative team collaboration

Open contract options with monthly invoicing

Qualifications

• 5+ years of Data Engineering experience with a proven track record.
• Strong problem-solving skills focused on pipeline reliability.
• Excellent communication skills for effective collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain data ingestion pipelines in BigQuery.
• Optimize data storage and query performance.
• Collaborate with teams to align pipeline development with analytics.

Skills

Data Engineering

SQL (BigQuery)

Python

Data Governance

CI/CD practices

Cloud Data Warehouses

Orchestration Frameworks (e.g., Mage/Airflow)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field

Job description

Hornet (Queer Networks) is the world’s leading queer tech company, providing a digital home for gay men to safely connect with each other — anytime, anywhere. Amplifying the radical, affirmative power of the queer community with cutting‑edge technology, Queer Networks serves the LGBTQ+ community with products such as the gay chat app Hornet, with over 100 million users worldwide, the gay live‑streaming app Hornet Live, and HornetX, a map‑based web app for gay guys. Our diverse team spans the world, bringing together various perspectives and incredible talent.

Do you want to join Hornet? We are looking for a Senior Data Engineer at Hornet, starting immediately.

Your Tasks

In this role, you will be the owner of Hornet’s raw data layer — ensuring that downstream Analytics & AI applications can build on a consistent and trustworthy foundation. You will design and maintain the pipelines that bring our user, product, and monetization data into BigQuery, while enforcing standards that guarantee quality, scalability, and reliability.

• Own the ingestion of raw data from Firebase, back‑end/front‑end systems, and external partners into BigQuery.
• Design, build, and maintain robust ETL/ELT pipelines that are efficient, evolvable, and scalable to TB‑scale workloads.
• Implement data contracts, schema enforcement, and quality checks at the ingestion layer to prevent downstream issues.
• Proactively monitor and debug pipelines, ensuring resilient, idempotent ingestion processes.
• Optimize data storage and query performance in BigQuery, balancing cost efficiency and scalability.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to integrate new data sources and align pipeline development with analytics needs.
• Contribute to engineering best practices, documenting processes, reviewing code, and mentoring colleagues where appropriate.
• Partner with the AI Engineer on aligning ingestion with broader architectural standards and long‑term infrastructure goals.

Your Profile & Experience

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of Data Engineering experience with a proven track record of delivering reliable, scalable data pipelines.
• Strong expertise in SQL (BigQuery preferred) and Python for production‑ready data workflows.
• Deep knowledge of cloud data warehouses and orchestration frameworks (e.g., Mage/Airflow).
• Experience implementing data contracts, schema enforcement, and data quality frameworks.
• Strong problem‑solving skills with a focus on pipeline reliability, scalability, and cost optimization.
• Familiarity with CI/CD practices and version control systems (GitHub).
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with analytics and engineering peers.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with event‑driven architectures and data for experimentation or ML pipelines.
• Prior work with subscriptions, ad‑tech, or social networking platforms.
• Understanding of data governance, privacy, and security best practices.

Our Benefits

• You will be part of our mission to provide a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community.
• Work alongside an innovative and passionate Data-Analytics-AI squad, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
• Enjoy a flexible, remote‑first work environment with teammates across the world.
• We offer you an open contract with monthly invoicing or employment, depending on circumstances.

Do you want to become a part of Hornet? To apply, please submit your resume. We do not ask for cover letters, but we give bonus points to candidates who can articulate their passion for our mission in a concise (1-2 sentence) statement. We are looking forward to hearing from you! Do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. We strongly believe that diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds will lead to a better environment for our team members and a better product for our users and community.