Sr. Data Engineer

The City of Seattle is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to support the Seattle Police Department’s Data Analytics Platform (DAP) and related data systems. The role provides technical leadership for reliable, scalable, secure analytics in an AWS-based data warehouse environment.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with data scientists, data architects, developers, business stakeholders, program managers, and external partners to translate requirements into well-engineered data products.
• Support long-term technology strategy by assessing emerging tools and AWS services for feasibility, cost, and business value.
• Coordinate Seattle IT resources to support and enhance the Seattle Police Data Analytics Platform (DAP) Data Mart/Warehouse.
• Provide operational monitoring, troubleshooting, stakeholder support, and lead production support, infrastructure design, development, testing, and deployment, including occasional work outside standard business hours.
• Plan, build, and implement improvements to AWS-based analytics systems, on-premises data stores, and analytical models.
• Evaluate requirements, feasibility, and resource needs, and deliver updated data products in collaboration with business stakeholders, program managers, technical teams, and external partners.
• Research future-state analytics solutions using emerging technologies and AWS services, including feasibility, cost, business value, and resource impact; participate in strategic discussions and presentations with leadership.
• Build and maintain scalable, secure, high-performance data pipelines and ETL/ELT processes.
• Ensure pipeline observability, testability, reliability, and workflow automation via CI/CD and monitoring.
• Provision, manage, and optimize AWS data resources.
• Develop clear documentation for pipelines, architecture, and data models.
• Review code, mentor teammates, and support skill development.
• Define and enforce standards for schema evolution, versioning, and overall data quality.
• Monitor and remediate security vulnerabilities identified by AWS Inspector.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, business information systems, database management, or a related degree (or an equivalent combination of experience in lieu of a degree).
• 5+ years of demonstrated proficiency with database technologies, SQL, scripting, performance optimization, scheduling, and integration tools such as Oracle, SQL Server, and PostgreSQL, along with ETL/ELT tools, scheduling, and integration frameworks.
• 4+ years of demonstrated experience delivering data solutions supporting business and operational needs, including developing data warehouses, operational data stores, and analytics models.
• 3+ years of demonstrated experience designing reliable, observable, and testable data pipelines, implementing automation, CI/CD practices, and workflow orchestration.
• 3+ years of demonstrated experience designing and recommending architectures for large-scale analytics initiatives, assessing resource requirements, and working extensively with AWS cloud services, including cloud-native analytics tools such as CloudFormation, S3, Glue, Python, Spark, Lambda, and Athena. Ability to design, build, and support cloud-based data warehouses, datamarts, curated data stores, data migrations, resource provisioning, and security, privacy, and cost management.
• Demonstrated experience working in Agile environments using tools such as Jira, Confluence, SharePoint, and Teams.
• Strong written, verbal, and visual communication skills, including the ability to tailor technical information for diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to guide discussions toward clear, actionable business requirements and translate them into well-structured solution designs.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders and communicate architectural recommendations clearly.
• Experience collaborating with business owners, program managers, data scientists, data architects, developers, and external partners.
• Skilled at establishing confidence through transparent communication, consistent follow-through, and a structured approach to aligning on priorities, timelines, and deliverables.
• Familiarity with analytics and reporting tools (Tableau) and commitment to learning emerging data technologies to support future-state analytics planning.
• Experience supporting data science and machine-learning workflows (for example, feature pipelines, model deployment, SageMaker or similar platforms).

Required Technologies

AWS, SQL, Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, ETL/ELT, CI/CD, AWS Inspector, CloudFormation, S3, Glue, Python, Spark, Lambda, Athena, Jira, Confluence, SharePoint, Teams, Tableau, SageMaker, Agile, workflow orchestration, data warehouses, operational data stores, analytics models, data pipelines, ETL/ELT processes

Compensation

• The full pay range for this position is $62.26 - $93.41 per hour.
• The salary for this individual role will be based on experience, training, and internal equity.

Telework Expectations

• This position offers flexibility of a hybrid work schedule.
• Hybrid telework schedules have a minimum requirement of three days onsite per week, subject to change at any time at the mayor’s discretion.
• Individual schedules are based on operational needs and agreement between the employee and their supervisor.

Benefits

• Vacation, holiday, and sick leave.
• Medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.
• Free public transportation options.

Application & Selection Process

• Submit a complete online application with accurate contact information and relevant work history going back at least 10 years (or more, if necessary) including all job duties, dates of employment, and reasons for leaving.
• Complete supplemental questions.
• Attachments will not be reviewed.
• Applicants will be screened for competitiveness, completeness, and attention to detail.
• The most competitive candidates will be invited to interview.

Equal Opportunity & Who May Apply

• This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications.
• The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences and encourages people of all backgrounds to apply.
• Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
• The City encourages applications from people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experience.

Why Join the City of Seattle

The City of Seattle recognizes that every City employee must play a role in ending institutional and structural racism. To cultivate an antiracist culture, the City seeks employees who will engage in the Race and Social Justice Initiative by working to dismantle racist policies and procedures, unlearn the way things have always been done, and provide equitable processes and services.

Background Check

• The hiring process involves a background check of conviction and arrest records in compliance with Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC14.17.
• Applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain or correct background information.

Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Certification

• You must pass a criminal background investigation and obtain CJIS certification for work on Seattle Police systems.
• See Qualifications - Police | seattle.gov for specific criteria.

Location

Seattle, WA (hybrid)