Data Engineer (Applied ML / Analytics)

The Brattle Group, a privately held, global economics consulting firm, is looking for a Data Engineer (Applied ML / Analytics) to join our Boston, MA office. This is not a typical data engineering role. At Brattle, Data Engineers work in a consulting environment where problems are non-recurring, data is often messy, and analytical judgment matters as much as technical execution. You will work on high-profile matters across industries, partnering with economists, industry experts, and senior consultants to turn real-world questions into defensible, well-reasoned analyses. This role is designed for sharp, technically strong engineers who want breadth, client exposure, and the opportunity to grow their analytical judgment quickly, rather than specialize narrowly in a single pipeline or platform.

The Data Engineering team is a specialized technical group embedded within Brattle’s consulting staff. We partner closely with case teams and subject-matter experts, contributing applied data engineering and machine learning expertise to client work.

The Data Engineering team researches new technologies and implements them through embedded project work to improve efficiency and introduce new capabilities. You will collaborate with experienced consultants and industry experts, support senior technical leads, and progressively take on more responsibility as your judgment and confidence grow. Our work spans industries and problem types, including:

• Applied machine learning and generative AI workflows (e.g., text extraction, summarization, vector search, rapid prototyping)
• Text and unstructured data analysis
• Data visualization and exploratory analysis
• Cloud and on-premise data environments
• Evaluation and improvement of existing analytical approaches

Much of our work involves building custom analyses and models from scratch under real-world time and data constraints. Solutions are often designed to be fit-for-purpose rather than fully optimized, with opportunities to improve accuracy, interpretability, or robustness when time and impact warrant it.

Some of the day-to-day responsibilities of this role include:

• Translate client questions and messy real-world data into workable analytical approaches, with guidance from senior team members.
• Prepare, explore, and assess data from varied sources, identifying limitations, assumptions, and appropriate analytical paths.
• Build reproducible Python-based analyses for data processing, modeling, and evaluation.
• Apply classical ML, generative AI, or simpler approaches as appropriate to the problem, data quality, and time constraints.
• Contribute to visualizations and written explanations that help technical and non-technical stakeholders understand results.
• Participate in code reviews and collaborative problem solving within the team.
• Contribute to internal documentation, tooling, and shared best practices.
• Gradually take on more responsibility in client discussions as experience grows, including explaining technical work to internal and external stakeholders.

THE CANDIDATE

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field; advanced degree is a plus.
• 3-5 years of professional experience in data engineering, analytics, data science, or a related technical role.
• Experience applying machine learning or statistical methods to real-world data in an industry or consulting setting.
• Comfort working in ambiguous problem spaces and learning new tools or methods as needed.
• Strong Python skills for data analysis, automation, and modeling.
• Applied experience with machine learning techniques (e.g., classification, clustering, ranking, text or vector-based methods).
• Experience evaluating and improving models, not just training them.
• Proficiency in SQL and relational data concepts.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (Azure or similar) and modern data tooling.
• Experience working with messy, heterogeneous datasets.
• Working knowledge of version control (Git).
• Ability to explain technical work clearly to mixed technical and non-technical audiences.
• Comfort collaborating closely with consultants, economists, and other experts.
• Willingness to stand in front of stakeholders, ask good questions, and explain and discuss analytical choices thoughtfully.
• Curiosity, adaptability, and a strong learning mindset.
• Ability to manage multiple parallel workstreams in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexible mindset to adapt to changing project priorities and client needs.
• Comfort with occasional extended hours or weekend work when facing tight deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to code quality and data integrity.

Brattle offers a competitive benefits package, base salary, and bonus program for eligible roles based on individual and firm performance. The anticipated base gross salary range for this position in Boston, MA is $100,000 - $110,000 annually.  Actual salary will depend on a variety of factors, including experience and training.

This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

The Brattle Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity and expression, age, height, weight, domestic partner status, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or HIV status (AIDS/HIV status), genetic information, sexual orientation, disability (where the applicant or employee is qualified to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation), marital status, veteran status, political affiliation, drug or alcohol abuse or alcoholism, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.

We encourage all applicants to click here to review our full Equal Employer Opportunity Statement.