Senior Data Engineer

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing public charter schools dedicated to providing an exceptional K-12 education in economically disadvantaged communities. Operating in Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark, and Rochester, we are committed to closing the college completion gap and preparing every student for college and beyond. Our students consistently exceed national benchmarks, reflecting our dedication to their success. We invest deeply in our educators, offering weekly coaching, feedback, and professional development to ensure excellence in teaching and leadership. Join us to work hard, do good, and make a lasting difference!

You will play a key role in shaping how data flows across Uncommon Schools, helping teams make better decisions that directly impact students and communities. As a Senior Data Engineer, you’ll design and build the systems that connect our applications and data warehouse, ensuring data is accurate, accessible, and reliable.

You’ll partner closely with teams across Data, IT, and the organization to translate complex needs into scalable solutions. This is a highly collaborative role where your work will strengthen how we use data to drive outcomes and continuously improve how we operate.

Responsibilities

Data Integration & Architecture

• Design end-to-end data pipelines and integrations aligned to organizational goals
• Build and maintain APIs to enable seamless data movement across systems
• Transform and connect data across applications and the data warehouse while maintaining data integrity
• Establish and implement standards for scalable, sustainable integration development

Systems Maintenance & Support

• Provide advanced support for data integrations and partner with IT and Product teams to resolve issues
• Guide implementation of new integrations and support systems post-deployment
• Select and implement tools that support integration and data infrastructure needs
• Create training resources to support adoption of new systems and processes

Stakeholder Partnership & Technical Leadership

• Partner with stakeholders to understand needs and translate them into technical solutions
• Communicate complex concepts clearly to support strong decision-making
• Mentor team members and support adoption of best practices and coding standards
• Identify new opportunities to connect and leverage data across systems

Governance, Quality & Security

• Monitor integrations to ensure accuracy, reliability, and security
• Maintain documentation and a centralized view of data integrations
• Support development of governance frameworks for data management
• Contribute to long-term enterprise architecture planning and technical direction

Required

• 5+ years of professional experience in data engineering, analytics engineering, or a closely related field
• Deep, hands-on experience with dbt (data build tool), including building, testing, and maintaining production-grade data models (resumes without dbt experience will not be considered)
• Strong proficiency in SQL and at least one programming language (e.g., Python)
• Experience designing, building, and maintaining end-to-end data pipelines, including orchestration (e.g., Apache Airflow or similar tools)
• Demonstrated experience with data modeling, including the ability to translate business needs into scalable, well-structured data models
• Experience owning data systems or projects end-to-end (scoping, designing, building, and maintaining solutions)
• Experience working across systems and building integrations between platforms, with the ability to identify and recommend improvements across data flows
• Experience contributing to team-based projects and collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to mentor, coach, or support other engineers, whether formally or informally
• Experience working in environments where engineers are expected to design solutions, not just execute against predefined specs

Preferred

• Experience with modern data orchestration tools 
• Experience with AI-assisted or agentic coding workflows (e.g., leveraging LLMs or AI tools to accelerate development)
• Experience designing or contributing to scalable data architectures across multiple systems
• Experience in roles requiring both technical execution and strategic thinking (e.g., helping scope projects, define approaches, and influence direction)

Additional Skills

• Strong problem-solving skills with attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize effectively
• Clear communication skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Strong documentation habits and ability to share progress and decisions transparently

Not sure you meet every qualification? If you bring strong experience in dbt, data modeling, and end-to-end pipeline ownership, we encourage you to apply!

Our people are what make us Uncommon. We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits that support the personal health, wellness, and finances of our staff and their families. Our compensation philosophy values equity & fairness and attracting & retaining top talent. 

Compensation

The full compensation range for this role is $120,700 to $142,000. Typically, new hires who fully meet all qualifications listed in the job description will start at $124,300. Starting compensation below this reflects candidates with less experience or qualifications. Offers near the top end of the range are reserved for candidates who significantly exceed the qualifications, bringing extensive experience and specialized expertise beyond what is listed.

Compensation determinations consider relevant professional experience and tenure with Uncommon Schools. 

Work Environment

Uncommon is an in-person organization, with a commitment of at least three days each week at our Central Office in downtown Manhattan (100 Church Street).

Benefit Highlights: 

• 19 days of paid time off
• 3 weeks of paid Winter and Summer org-wide holidays
• Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision insurance plans
• 403(b) retirement savings program + employer match
• Paid leave of absence options (parental, medical, disability, etc.)
• Mental health and counseling support + wellness benefits
• Pre-tax flexible spending, dependent care, and health saving accounts

*A detailed list of all benefits is located HERE.

At Uncommon, we believe that a supportive and welcoming environment helps our students, staff, and community thrive. We are dedicated to building a team that brings a wide range of perspectives and experiences, reflective of the communities we serve---with over 70% of our staff identifying as people of color. Our organization values respect and open dialogue on important topics that shape our school culture.

As an equal opportunity employer, Uncommon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We also ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all privileges and benefits associated with employment and are provided reasonable accommodations for the interview process and to perform core job functions. If you would like to request an accommodation, please email [email protected].