Senior Data Platform Engineer

About Us    

We are Ascent! and we help our customers solve problems, elevate, and do existing things better. We are on a mission to help our customers connect data, software, and purpose to create extraordinary outcomes. You could say we are a digital transformation business.  

We specialize in software product development, analytics, data science, IoT solutions, machine learning, DevOps optimization, and modernization of applications, data, and platforms.  

We work with incredible clients in all types of industries such as smart home devices, space exploration, beer manufacturing, finance, ecology, and logistics. We work with some of the sharpest minds in the brightest businesses and we employ the sharpest minds too!  

At Ascent, we also believe in fostering a vibrant office community where collaboration thrives and connections flourish. With our hybrid approach, we prioritize hiring individuals who reside in close proximity to our offices. Our aim is to cultivate a positive atmosphere and sense of belonging by facilitating easy access to the office.  

About the Role

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Cloud Data Platform Engineer with deep hands-on experience in Azure, Databricks, and DevOps to support our enterprise-grade data platform initiatives. This role requires a proactive engineer with strong cloud architecture, CI/CD automation, and governance expertise who can seamlessly collaborate with cross-functional teams and ensure the reliability, security, and performance of our data workflows. 

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, implement, and manage cloud-based solutions on Microsoft Azure across diverse projects. 
• Design and maintain CI/CD pipelines for Azure Data Factory and Databricks notebooks using Azure DevOps, including YAML-based builds and release workflows. 
• Lead automation of testing workflows (unit, integration, and QA) within Databricks, leveraging Databricks Asset Bundles (DAB). 
• Enforce robust data governance practices, including schema evolution, Unity Catalog, token management, data masking, and access control. 
• Utilize scripting and IaC tools such as Python, PowerShell, and Terraform to provision and manage infrastructure. 
• Collaborate closely with Data Engineers and Platform Engineers to manage development, staging, and production environments. 
• Monitor and troubleshoot pipeline failures and deployment inconsistencies across environments. 
• Promote DevOps best practices and help mature the cloud data platform through continuous improvement and automation. 

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on experience with Azure, spanning multiple roles and large-scale projects. 
• Proven expertise in Azure DevOps, including CI/CD pipelines and YAML-based configurations. 
• Deep proficiency with Databricks and/or Fabric, particularly in testing automation and managing Databricks Asset Bundles. 
• Strong understanding of data architecture, schema evolution, and governance frameworks in a cloud environment. 
• Hands-on experience with Unity Catalog, fine-grained access control, and handling of sensitive data. 
• Advanced scripting capabilities using Python and PowerShell; strong IaC knowledge using Terraform. 
• Demonstrated ability to manage cloud environments and collaborate effectively with engineering teams. 
• Experience with monitoring tools and resolving pipeline/deployment failures. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Relevant Azure and Databricks certifications. 
• Experience with Posit Connect. 
• Experience in highly regulated industries (e.g., finance, healthcare) with strict data governance requirements. 
• Knowledge of modern data lakehouse patterns and enterprise data modeling. 

Working at Ascent 

At Ascent we promote a healthy work-life balance by offering flexibility in where you work.  We also promote well-being and provide access to Well Being Coaches.  
Your development and learning will be taken seriously, and we'll support your professional development with training and certification, with regular feedback and review. It is a fun, supportive and modern workplace where we really live by our company values of Empathy, Energy and Audacity! Ascent also offers a variety of benefits in each of our countries. 
Ascent is an equal opportunities employer. We take intentional steps to ensure inclusion and belonging are something real here, not just something we talk about. No person will be treated less favourably because of their gender, pregnancy, and maternity status, marital or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, age, religion or belief, or disability status. If you require any reasonable accommodation, please let us know when you apply.