Data Engineer

About Robots & Pencils

Robots & Pencils is a specialized firm focusing on applied AI engineering to innovate business architecture by integrating AI co-workers into enterprise operations. We leverage AWS and combine advanced UX expertise with seasoned engineering professionals to rapidly bring AI solutions from concept to production. Our clients span sectors including Consumer Products and Retail, Education, Energy, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Manufacturing. Established in 2009, we operate delivery hubs across Canada, United States, Eastern Europe, and Latin America, maintaining small, agile, and highly experienced teams averaging over 15 years of industry experience.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Staff Data Engineer to join an interdisciplinary engineering team dedicated to constructing sophisticated enterprise data platforms. This role requires a professional capable of steering the data strategy, overseeing end-to-end platform architecture, and providing technical leadership within the team.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect and lead the design of scalable data lakes, warehouses, and pipelines.
• Develop and optimize data pipelines for both batch and real-time data processing.
• Establish and enforce data governance, quality control, and compliance standards throughout the data platform.
• Enhance monitoring, logging, and alerting systems for pipelines and services; contribute to continuous integration and deployment workflows for data automation.
• Advance modernization efforts to improve data platform performance, scalability, and cost efficiency.
• Incorporate AI-forward tools such as Claude and Cursor to augment development quality and speed.
• Design data contracts and event flow coordination alongside backend, platform, and engineering teams.
• Implement data pipelines supporting production AI/ML workflows including embeddings, vector storage, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) data preparation, feature stores, and training/inference data flows.
• Integrate data services with APIs, middleware, and third-party systems to facilitate seamless data consumption.
• Collaborate with leadership on shaping data strategy and translating technical complexities into actionable insights.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams such as analytics, AI, product, and engineering to align platform capabilities with organizational goals.
• Champion data quality, governance, and best practices across multiple projects and teams.
• Define and uphold data engineering standards to elevate team output quality and consistency.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers to build their expertise and influence.
• Make critical architectural decisions with long-term vision and accountability.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of seven years' experience in data engineering with leadership on complex platform projects.
• Extensive knowledge in distributed data systems architecture.
• Proficiency in programming languages including Python, Scala, and SQL.
• In-depth experience with cloud-native data platforms and enterprise data warehousing solutions.
• Expertise in data pipeline orchestration and stream processing technologies such as Kafka, Kinesis, or Pub/Sub.
• Strong capabilities in data modeling and transformation processes.
• Experience implementing data quality, governance, and compliance frameworks.
• Familiarity with container orchestration systems and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) for data workflows.
• Proven success designing data pipelines specific to AI/ML production environments.
• Demonstrated technical leadership and mentoring across teams or organizations.
• Strong communication skills for interacting with diverse stakeholders.
• Practical experience using AI-assisted coding tools on a daily basis.
• Ability to solve complex problems with good judgment amid ambiguity.

Preferred Skills and Background

• Experience in healthcare data handling and modeling is advantageous.
• AWS certifications, especially Certified Data Engineer – Associate, are highly desirable.

Candidate Attributes

• Proactive problem-solver who addresses issues promptly and prioritizes progress.
• Adept at continuous learning and adaptability in a rapidly evolving AI landscape.
• Transparent and forthright in communication to enhance team outcomes.
• Detail-oriented craftsman committed to shipping high-quality work.
• Strong sense of accountability and teamwork in achieving commitments.
• Dedicated to treating client business goals with personal ownership and seriousness.
• Resilient and resourceful in the face of constraints like budget or tight schedules.
• Collaborative team player who thrives in experienced and motivated groups.

Additional Information

Employment offers may require successful completion of background checks consistent with legal requirements. Candidates' current employers will not be contacted without prior consent. The company upholds equal opportunity employment practices and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected categories.