Location: Hybrid – Denver, CO
Employment Type: Full-time
Our client is seeking a Core Engineer focused on data systems to build the streaming and data foundations that power a next-generation edge platform.
In this role, you will own core platform capabilities for ingesting, contextualizing, and serving customer data across OT/IT environments, while also supporting internal data systems that enable observability, alerting, inventory, configuration, fleet state, and deployment telemetry.
You will define and enforce data contracts and integration standards, ensuring production data is accurate, traceable, and trustworthy for both AI and operational use cases.
This is a hands-on, high-ownership role ideal for engineers who want to build the infrastructure that makes real-world AI deployments reliable and scalable.
What You’ll DoOwn core capabilities for ingesting, contextualizing, and serving data across edge and hybrid environments
Build and evolve connectors and integration patterns across OT/IoT protocols and enterprise systems
Implement and operate real-time streaming and event-driven data flows with clear failure modes
Define and enforce data contracts, schemas, and integration standards
Ensure end-to-end data accuracy, lineage, auditability, and validation
Build and support internal data systems including:
Observability pipelines
Alerting systems
Inventory and configuration databases
Fleet telemetry
Design scalable query and access patterns supporting analytics and AI workloads
Partner with customer-facing teams to translate requirements into durable platform capabilities
Produce clear engineering documentation and reusable artifacts
Leverage AI tools to accelerate development while maintaining rigorous production review
First 3 months
Deliver a critical data system that measurably improves reliability, latency, observability, or integration speed
Establish production-grade data contracts and validation mechanisms
Become a trusted owner for a meaningful portion of the data platform
First year
Own major platform components end-to-end with clear production accountability
Drive improvements that materially accelerate customer adoption
Shape scalable patterns across connectors, streaming, semantics, governance, and observability
6+ years building and operating production data, streaming, or integration systems
Experience running real-time pipelines with strong reliability practices (e.g., Kafka-style systems, observability, on-call readiness, incident response)
Strong engineering fundamentals with clean, well-documented implementations
Proficiency in Python and/or Go, APIs for ingestion/access, and structured testing
Comfortable navigating ambiguity and making sound trade-offs under real-world constraints
Strong communicator and cross-functional collaborator
Ownership mindset focused on outcomes
Production experience with streaming and event-driven systems (e.g., Kafka)
Experience with federated query systems and large-scale analytics access patterns (e.g., Trino)
Background integrating data across OT/IoT environments (MQTT, OPC UA, Modbus, DNP3)
Experience building trusted data systems with contracts, validation, and lineage
Track record of turning complex customer integrations into repeatable platform capabilities
Base salary range:
Senior: $130,000–$155,000
Staff: $160,000–$185,000
Meaningful early-stage equity participation
Health, dental, and vision coverage
401(k) with company match
Flexible PTO
Paid parental leave
Commuter benefits
Relocation and visa support for eligible candidates
High-ownership startup environment with immediate impact
Work at the frontier of AI, edge computing, and distributed systems
Exposure to next-generation cloud, IoT, and secure infrastructure challenges
Opportunity to collaborate with deeply technical teammates and industry leaders
Strong AI-native engineering culture
Our client is an equal opportunity employer committed to building an inclusive, merit-based organization and does not discriminate on any legally protected status.
Skills Required
- 6+ years building and operating production data, streaming, or integration systems
- Experience running real-time pipelines with strong reliability practices, observability, on-call readiness, and incident response
- Strong engineering fundamentals with clean, well-documented implementations
- Proficiency in Python and/or Go, ingestion and access APIs, and structured testing
- Ability to navigate ambiguity and make sound trade-offs under real-world constraints
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
- Ownership mindset focused on outcomes
- Production experience with streaming and event-driven systems such as Kafka
- Experience with federated query systems and large-scale analytics access patterns such as Trino
- Experience integrating data across OT/IoT environments using MQTT, OPC UA, Modbus, or DNP3
- Experience building trusted data systems with contracts, validation, and lineage
- Track record of turning complex customer integrations into repeatable platform capabilities
What We Do
SourceDirect Talent is a talent advisory and recruiting firm serving seed and early-stage startups. It provides AI-powered recruiting solutions to help customers build go-to-market and engineering teams, alongside global people consulting. Its services cover end-to-end recruitment, immigration, HR, and advisory support, using AI talent agents, sourcing frameworks, and data-driven processes to help growing companies scale hiring and improve recruitment capacity.







