Lead Data Engineer

Description and Requirements
Role Value Proposition:
The MetLife Corporate Functions Data Office is part of the Data and Analytics Organization (D&A) within GTO. Our mission is to implement scalable data solutions for our stakeholders to generate actionable insights. We partner with Technology, and our Business and functional partners, to build and deploy the next generation data solutions for MetLife as we head into our New Frontier strategy!
The Lead Data Engineer plays a critical role in big data development within the data analytics engineering organization of MetLife Data & Analytics. This position has the responsibility for architecture & design of data and analytics solutions, building ETL, data warehousing, and reusable components using cutting-edge big data and cloud technologies. The role is based in Cary, NC, Tampa, FL, Wilmington, DE, Bridgewater, NJ, or NYC, NY, and supports MetLife's commitment to data-driven decision-making and operational excellence.
Key Responsibilities:

• Design and execute a large-scale data migration initiative with a focus on defining migration architecture, ensuring data quality, and data reconciliation from various sources for consumption and reporting for analytics.
• Ingest huge volumes of data from various platforms for Analytics needs and write high-performance, scalable, reliable, and maintainable pipelines in Azure data bricks, Azure Data Factory, and related services.
• Developing reusable frameworks to manage complex data transformations, Validations, and data reconciliations.
• Develop quality code with thought-through performance optimizations in place right at the development stage.
• Appetite to learn new technologies and be ready to work on new cutting-edge cloud technologies.
• Work with teams spread across the globe in driving the delivery of projects and recommend development and performance improvements.
• Extensive experience with various database types and knowledge to leverage the right one for the need.
• Strong understanding of data tools and ability to leverage them to understand the data and generate insights
• Hands-on experience in building/designing at-scale Data Lake, Data warehouses, data stores for analytics consumption on Cloud platforms (real-time as well as batch use cases).
• Utilize Cloud technologies (preferably Azure Databricks) to enable PaaS-centric enterprise solutions.
• Implement solutions that support dynamic scaling, including throttling and bursting for high-volume data workloads.
• Establish and evangelize modern software development practices, including CI/CD, automated testing, and code quality standards
• Develop and support an API catalog for data services, ensuring standardization and security.
• Optimize reusable frameworks, Spark jobs for performance and cost efficiency in large-scale environments.
• Ability to interact with business analysts and functional analysts in getting the requirements and implementing ETL solutions.

Essential Business Experience and Technical Skills:
Required:

• Bachelor's/ master's degree in information technology/computer science or a relevant domain.
• Microsoft Azure Certifications and/or Databricks certifications.
• 10+ years of solutions development and delivery experience with 6+ years of recent experience in data engineering.

• Strong analytic skills related to working with unstructured datasets.
• Data architecture (traditional - examples include SQL Server + modern - examples include Azure) and knowledge of data architecture patterns.
• Strong experience in Azure data bricks, including Spark, Delta Lake, data stores for analytics consumption (real-time as well as batch use cases)
• Ability to interact with business analysts and functional analysts in getting the requirements and implementing the ELT solutions.
• Proficiency and extensive experience with Spark/Scala/Python and performance tuning
• Experience with APIs and web services for data exchange
• Hands-on expertise in building & implementing data ingestion, curation, and data integration processes developed using Cloud data tools such as Azure Databricks, SQL, Azure Data Factory, Spark (Scala/Python), Delta Lake, etc.
• Performance tuning on Azure data bricks, dedicated SQL Pool and server SQL Pools, APIs loading and consumption optimizations.
• Very good problem solver and excellent communication skills - both written and verbal

Preferred:

• Experience using data reconciliation frameworks and data migration automation tools.
• Good scripting experience primarily on shell/bash/ PowerShell would be desirable.
• Experience in large-scale ERP transformation programs.
• Code versioning experience using Azure DevOps. Working knowledge of Azure DevOps pipelines.
• Prior experience leveraging AI and ML capabilities to automate and optimize complex workflows with intelligent use of low or no-code.

At MetLife, we're leading the global transformation of an industry we've long defined. United in purpose, diverse in perspective, we're dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our customers.
Location Expectation: This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in office.
The expected salary range for this position is $120,000 to $158,400. This role may also be eligible for annual short-term incentive compensation. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms.
Benefits We Offer
Our U.S. benefits address holistic well-being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no-cost short- and long-term disability. We also provide company-paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more!
About MetLife
Recognized on Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies", Fortune World's 25 Best Workplaces™, as well as the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®, MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world's leading financial services companies; providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutional customers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positions in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Our purpose is simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world at large create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by our core values - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, and Think Ahead - we're inspired to transform the next century in financial services. At MetLife, it's #AllTogetherPossible . Join us!
MetLife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regards to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law ("protected characteristics").
If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at [email protected]. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process.
MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.
$120,000 to $158,400
#BI-Hybrid