Senior Data Engineer

Join Versant Media in North Hollywood, CA (hybrid) to help design, build, and scale a modern data platform used across analytics, data science, and data products across Versant brands. In this role, you will partner with Data Product, Data Science, Analytics, and Engineering teams to deliver reliable, high-impact data solutions that support media-focused datasets.

Salary range: USD 140,000 - 160,000 per year.

What you’ll do

• Design and implement lakehouse architecture using Delta Lake, including medallion pipeline patterns (Bronze/Silver/Gold), schema enforcement, and time travel
• Build and operate batch and real-time ingestion pipelines using Databricks Auto Loader, Structured Streaming, and Change Data Capture (CDC) patterns
• Implement data governance and security using Unity Catalog, RBAC, and compliance-driven practices for sensitive environments
• Optimize performance and manage cost through FinOps strategies, including cluster sizing, workload tagging, Spark tuning, and Photon acceleration
• Design, implement, and maintain CI/CD pipelines and orchestration workflows using Databricks Workflows, Delta Live Tables, and tools such as Airflow
• Collaborate with Data Science teams on ML workflows, including MLflow, feature store integration, and model lifecycle management
• Ensure data quality, observability, and lineage across media-specific datasets such as streaming logs, ad impressions, and audience metrics
• Provide technical mentorship through code reviews, pairing, and knowledge sharing

What you bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or equivalent practical experience
• 5+ years building production-grade data pipelines in cloud environments using Spark-based platforms (e.g., Databricks, EMR, Dataproc, open-source Spark)
• Expertise in PySpark and SQL, with experience running pipelines at scale in production
• Hands-on experience building batch or streaming production pipelines using distributed processing frameworks (e.g., Spark, Flink) and query engines such as Presto
• Proficiency with orchestration tools such as Apache Airflow or Dagster, including CI/CD, monitoring, alerting, and data quality practices for production systems
• Experience with modern data architectures, including event-driven and distributed systems
• Proficiency with Git and collaborative development workflows
• Hands-on experience building and operating batch and real-time ingestion pipelines using Spark-based patterns (e.g., Structured Streaming, CDC), with experience on Databricks or comparable platforms
• Solid understanding of infrastructure, networking, and data security fundamentals

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid leave
• Tuition reimbursement
• Company sponsored benefits and a variety of other benefits and perks

Hybrid and hiring notes

• Hybrid: generally working from the office a minimum of three days per week from our LA office
• As part of the selection process, candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with a VERSANT employee in New York
• External candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview at one of VERSANT Media’s locations prior to a hiring decision

Additional information

• Versant Media provides equal employment opportunities without regard to protected characteristics under applicable law.
• If you require support due to a disability during the application and/or recruitment process, you can request a reasonable accommodation by emailing [email protected].
• For LA County and City residents only: VERSANT Media will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with applicable legal requirements.
• VERSANT is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this opportunity. Resumes submitted by search firms without a valid written Statement of Work will be treated as VERSANT’s sole property, and no fee will be paid if hired.

Technologies you’ll work with

• Delta Lake, Delta Live Tables, Databricks Auto Loader, Structured Streaming, Change Data Capture (CDC)
• Unity Catalog, RBAC, Databricks Workflows, Airflow
• PySpark, SQL, Spark, Flink, Presto
• Dagster, FinOps, Photon acceleration
• MLflow, feature store integration, CI/CD, Git, Lakehouse
• Medallion pipeline patterns (Bronze/Silver/Gold), schema enforcement, time travel, Spark tuning, cluster sizing, workload tagging

Preferred qualifications

• Experience building Lakehouse platforms and medallion pipelines in Databricks
• Familiarity with Unity Catalog, data governance, and compliance frameworks (e.g., PCI)
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines, orchestration tools, and infrastructure-as-code
• Experience with Lakeflow Spark Declarative Pipelines (SDP), MLflow, feature stores, and MLOps practices
• Background in media and entertainment data (e.g., video metadata, ad tech, audience analytics)
• Experience building data platforms within the media industry, including audience analytics
• Experience working with large-scale analytical datasets (e.g., event logs, clickstream data, audience metrics)
• Comfortable using AI-assisted development tools (e.g., ChatGPT)
• Databricks or cloud certifications (e.g., Databricks Certified Data Engineer)

What sets the team up for success

• Passion for clean, reliable, scalable data systems
• Strong communication and collaboration
• Ability to balance near-term delivery with thoughtful technical design
• Curiosity and a growth mindset
• A team-first attitude that supports and uplifts others