Senior Data Engineer, Platform Architect

Quick take: Axios is a growth-stage startup dedicated to providing trustworthy, award-winning news content in an audience-first format. We're hiring a Data Platform Architect to join our data platform team! 

Why it matters: As a Data Platform Architect specialized in planning and creation of scalable data infrastructure, you will drive forward data initiatives across mission-critical Axios products. Our cross-functional data platform team is composed of Data Engineers, Data Scientists, Analysts, Product Managers and Quality engineers who use data-driven methodologies to inform decisions and strategy, build robust scalable products and identify opportunities for innovation across the company. 

Go deeper: This Data Platform Architect will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our data platform. You will lead the design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure that ensures seamless and efficient data flow from diverse sources to users and applications, facilitating data-driven decision-making across our organization. In this role, you will drive impact at Axios through the following responsibilities:

• Drives strategic data platform initiatives, collaborates with data team members to optimize processes to ensure data accuracy, integrity, and availability for key stakeholders and business processes.
• Proactively initiates and implements architectural solutions, demonstrating a self-starting approach to addressing complex challenges and driving continuous improvement in data infrastructure and platform design.
• Leads in the design, development, and maintenance of data platform components, including our data lake, data warehouse, business intelligence tools, 3rd party integrations, CI/CD processes and developer tools.
• Leads initiatives to enhance data platform performance, enabling it to efficiently manage escalating data velocity, volume, and complexity.
• Implements and steers data governance policies and best practices to maintain data security and compliance
• Designs and optimizes data storage and retrieval processes for performance and cost-efficiency.
• Proactively monitors data platform operations to ensure uptime, performance, and reliability.
• Developers and Implements CI/CD patterns for data-related tasks to improve deployment efficiency.
• Works closely with cross functional teams and business stakeholders to understand data requirements and deliver solutions.
• Perform regular maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting of data infrastructure.
• Contributes to a culture of documentation, including data platform architecture, processes, and workflows.
• Stays updated with the latest industry trends, technologies, and best practices in data engineering and platform development.
• Evaluates and recommends new tools and technologies to improve the data platform.
• Conducts regular audits and assessments to ensure data platform security and compliance.

The details: Ideal candidate should have an entrepreneurial spirit, be highly collaborative, exhibit a passion for building technology products, and have the following qualifications:

• Experience with Agile Software Development methodologies.
• Demonstrated senior-level expertise in proactive problem-solving and driving technical innovation.
• Track record of improving data system up time and architecture improvements
• Experience in automating data processing tasks using languages such as Python and SQL.
• Strong understanding and experience with implementing CI/CD workflows and supporting developers with tools to increase their effectiveness. 
• Extensive senior-level expertise in leveraging cloud data services and platforms, coupled with adept management of infrastructure using Terraform.
• Strong understanding of data modeling, ETL/ELT processes, and data warehousing concepts.
• Proficient in diagnosing and resolving performance issues within complex, large-scale data processing systems.
• Knowledge in designing, developing, and maintaining complex data pipelines.
• Knowledge of workflow management tools like Apache Airflow, DBT.
• Experience with performance tuning and optimization techniques for databases and data pipelines.
• Experience building and managing Kubernetes clusters for container orchestration.
• Experience with data platform monitoring and observability tools.
• Preferable experience in managing Amazon Redshift environments and optimizing database performance

Starting salary for this role is in the range of $165,000 - $190,000 and is dependent on numerous factors, including but not limited to location, work experience, and skills. This range does not include other compensation and benefits. Axios' compensation philosophy takes into account cost of labor differentials across the country. Because this is a remote-optional job posting, this salary range takes into account all possible locations within the United States, but candidates will only be eligible for the salary range for their location.

What Axios brings to the table besides salary:

• 401(k) with employer match
• Robust PPO and High Deductible health insurance options on the Blue Cross Blue Shield network
• Employer Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution for the high deductible health plan option
• Dental and vision coverage
• Primary caregiver 12-week paid leave
• Generous vacation policy, plus holidays
• One mental health day per quarter
• Annual learning and development stipend
• $100 monthly work-from-home stipend
• Tele-mental health services through Headspace
• OneMedical membership, including tele-health services
• Personal health advocacy resources through HealthAdvocate
• Inclusive fertility, hormonal health and family forming benefits through Carrot Fertility
• Access to the Axios “Family Fund”, which was created to allow employees to request financial support when facing financial hardship or emergencies
• Increased work flexibility for parents and caretakers
• Virtual company-sponsored social events
• A strong and positive work environment
• A commitment to an open, inclusive, and diverse work culture

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement 

Axios is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. 

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Axios makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.