Senior Data Engineer

About Alethea

Please note it is preferred that applicants reside in the Washington D.C. or New York City area

Founded in 2019, Alethea is a tech company that detects and mitigates instances of disinformation and social media manipulation to help clients navigate the new digital reality. We protect clients from the threat of disinformation that targets brands, reputations, employee safety, or financial bottom lines through our industry-leading investigation and remediation services.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Data Engineer with extensive experience in backend data pipeline, storage and retrieval.  The successful candidate will be responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining our backend data processing pipeline that supports the company’s SaaS product.  This role requires technical expertise in data engineering development and experience leading technical projects. 

Responsibilities Include:

• Lead Complex Projects: Drive complex projects with contributions from multiple engineers, ensuring timely and successful delivery. 
• Build Data Pipelines: Build & improve data pipelines by identifying performance bottlenecks and implementing effective solutions.
• Select Tools and Technologies: Research and recommend tools, libraries, and frameworks for technical projects based on performance, reliability, and cost.
• Optimize for Efficiency and Scalability: Ensure services are efficient and scalable, particularly when managing large volumes of data and multiple concurrent users.
• Promote Process Improvement: Advocate for continual process and practice improvement to ensure high-quality and efficient software delivery.
• Collaborate with Teams: Work with cross-functional teams and product management to gather requirements and suggest improvements.
• Mentor and Guide Engineers: Provide mentorship through code and design reviews, and offer technical direction to enhance performance.

Skills/Experience::

• 8+ years in Data Engineering: Extensive experience in building real-time, ETL data pipelines, data warehousing, and efficient storage and retrieval.
• Proficiency in Python: Strong expertise in Python is essential. 
• Expertise in Streaming Architecture and Storage: In-depth knowledge of streaming architectures and a variety of database and storage technologies, including Airflow, Kafka, Snowflake, Redis etc.
• Experience in Search: Diverse experience with search-related technologies, frameworks, and tools.
• Scaling Components in Production Environments: Proven track record in scaling and maintaining backend components in a production environment.
• Cloud Computing: Experience with containerized deployments (docker, kubernetes, terraform etc.) and cloud computing (AWS is a plus).
• Integration and Deployment: Familiarity with continuous integration, continuous deployment, and test driven development practices.
• Mentorship and Coaching: Demonstrated ability to mentor and coach engineers, fostering their professional growth and enhancing team performance.
• Problem Solving and Project Management: Strong problem-solving skills and effective project management capabilities.
• Communication and Collaboration: Strong verbal and written communication skills, and proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

• Growth Mindset: Adaptable and open to feedback, thriving in a fast-paced startup environment with frequent iterations and changes.
• Curiosity and Drive: Independent thinker with a relentless curiosity and drive to achieve and excel.

 Compensation and Benefits: 

• Salary and stock options are negotiated based on experience. 
• Healthcare at the gold-tier level, dental, and vision is fully funded by the employer. 50% of dependent coverage is provided by the employer.  Additional benefits include employer provided life and AD&D insurance and an Employee Assistance Program with a variety of services, including generous Mental Wellbeing support. 
• Flexible vacation, sick leave, including office closure between Christmas and New Year’s, and extended holidays at Thanksgiving and the 4th of July.
• Employees may also participate in an Employer sponsored 401k, after their 6-month anniversary, with a 3% match. Health Savings (HSAs) and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) are also offered.
• Hybrid work environment, with 3 days per week required in office in Washington, D.C or New York.

The salary range for this position is $175k to $210k per year, depending on the candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications.   In addition to cash compensation, this role is eligible for a stock option grant. Further, we offer comprehensive benefits, including flexible PTO, health, dental and vision plans, and generous company holidays.  From time to time, employees may also be provided with opportunities for professional growth, development, and advancement.

Alethea is an equal opportunity employer that encourages people of all backgrounds, genders, ethnicities, abilities, and sexual orientations to apply. We are committed to being an inclusive place to work, while maintaining a workforce that represents the communities we serve.