Sr Data Engineer II

American Express is hiring a Senior Data Engineer to help build AI-ready data platforms for next-generation intelligent payment capabilities. This hybrid role in Phoenix, AZ focuses on turning large-scale payment data into real-time intelligence, advanced analytics, machine learning, and Generative AI solutions.

What you’ll do

You will help design, build, and evolve highly scalable data platforms that support critical payment capabilities. The work sits at the intersection of data engineering, distributed systems, cloud-native technologies, and AI, with an emphasis on intelligence that is secure, reliable, and production-grade.

• Design and evolve scalable, AI-ready data platforms that enable real-time intelligence, advanced analytics, machine learning, and Generative AI use cases.
• Translate large-scale payment data into intelligent, secure, and dependable products and experiences.
• Partner across domains to connect distributed systems and cloud-native engineering with AI-driven data solutions.

Key skills and experience

• Experience designing, implementing, and operating large-scale distributed data platforms and systems.
• Strong experience with NoSQL technologies such as Cassandra, Elasticsearch, Couchbase, or Redis.
• Experience with large-scale distributed data processing, including Apache Spark.
• Strong programming experience with Python, Java, Scala, or similar languages.
• Experience designing data pipelines, data models, APIs, and event-driven architectures.
• Solid understanding of distributed system concepts: scalability, reliability, resiliency, security, and performance.
• Proven ability to solve complex engineering problems and deliver production-grade solutions.

Technologies you may work with

Cassandra, Elasticsearch, Couchbase, Redis, Apache Spark, Python, Java, Scala, Apache Kafka, Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift, plus Generative AI building blocks such as LLMs, RAG, embeddings, and vector databases/search. The role also includes exposure to AI agent architectures, MLOps/LLMOps, and microservices.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience building AI/ML-ready data platforms for machine learning, Generative AI, or intelligent application use cases.
• Familiarity with Generative AI, LLMs, RAG, embeddings, vector databases/search, and AI agent architectures.
• Experience integrating AI/ML models and services into production environments.
• Familiarity with MLOps/LLMOps including deployment, evaluation, monitoring, observability, governance, and lifecycle management.
• Experience with distributed messaging and streaming platforms such as Apache Kafka.
• Experience with real-time distributed processing using Spark, Kafka, Cassandra, and Elasticsearch.
• Experience developing microservices and cloud-native applications, including container platforms like Docker, Kubernetes, or OpenShift.
• Experience with CI/CD, DevOps, infrastructure automation, and production observability.
• Understanding of Responsible AI, data privacy, security, governance, and model risk considerations.
• Experience architecting large-scale systems with an emphasis on availability, scalability, performance, resiliency, and cost efficiency.
• Ability to stay current with emerging AI and data engineering technologies and identify opportunities to apply them to business problems.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and technical leadership, including mentoring and influencing technical direction.

Compensation

USD 123,000 - 215,250 per year.

Benefits and work model

• Competitive base salaries and bonus incentives
• 6% Company Match on retirement savings plan
• Free financial coaching and financial well-being support
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits
• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite, or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need
• 20+ weeks paid parental leave for all parents regardless of gender, for pregnancy, adoption, or surrogacy
• Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location)
• Free and confidential counseling through the Healthy Minds program
• Career development and training opportunities

Visa sponsorship

Depending on factors such as business unit requirements, the nature of the position, cost and applicable laws, American Express may provide visa sponsorship for certain positions.