
Principal Data Engineer
Houston, TX · HybridContractSeen 4 days agoSeen in employer's feed 4 days ago
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At a glance
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Job overview
The Principal Data Engineer will lead delivery of cloud-based analytics solutions, focusing on Azure data lake architecture, Databricks engineering, governance, and operational performance. The role includes architecting scalable data solutions, establishing technology roadmaps, leading transformation pipelines, and optimizing resources. It also involves setting governance and quality policies, monitoring production pipelines, mentoring teams, and translating technical challenges into executive-level actions.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
Job Title: Principal Data Engineer
Location: Houston, Texas
Type: Contract
Work Model: Hybrid – onsite and remote
Responsibilities
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Lead delivery of data analytics solutions with emphasis on Azure data lake architecture, Databricks engineering, governance, and operational performance in a high-volume environment.
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Architect and implement scalable Azure-based data lake solutions.
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Establish roadmaps across Qlik Replicate, Databricks Delta Live Tables, and Unity Catalog.
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Lead data transformation pipelines using Delta Live Tables and Structured Streaming.
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Optimize Databricks resources for performance and cost.
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Use Unity Catalog for governance, lineage, and metadata management.
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Establish data governance, security, and quality policies; monitor production pipeline performance.
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Mentor teams and translate technical challenges into executive-level actions.
Requirements
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15-17 years IT experience with cloud-based analytics delivery.
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Proficiency in Azure: ADF, ADLS, Databricks, Stream Analytics, Delta Live Tables, Synapse.
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Advanced SQL plus Python, Scala, or Spark SQL.
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Experience with scalable ETL pipelines, data workflow optimization, and cloud migration.
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Azure Data Engineering or Databricks certification preferred.
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Nice to have: Hadoop, Kafka, Spark, Power BI/QlikSense, AI/ML/NLP/GenAI
System One, and its subsidiaries including Mountain Ltd., are leaders in delivering outsourced services and workforce solutions across North America. We help clients get work done more efficiently and economically, without compromising quality. System One not only serves as a valued partner for our clients, but we offer eligible employees health and welfare benefits coverage options including medical, dental, vision, spending accounts, life insurance, voluntary plans, as well as participation in a 401(k) plan.
System One is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, family care or medical leave status, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
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Ref: #404-IT Pittsburgh
System One, and its subsidiaries including Joulé, ALTA IT Services, CM Access, TPGS, and MOUNTAIN, LTD., are leaders in delivering workforce solutions and integrated services across North America. We help clients get work done more efficiently and economically, without compromising quality. System One not only serves as a valued partner for our clients, but we offer eligible full-time employees health and welfare benefits coverage options including medical, dental, vision, spending accounts, life insurance, voluntary plans, as well as participation in a 401(k) plan.
System One is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, family care or medical leave status, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
How this job compares
Set against the 5,783 open Data Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 28, 2026.
- Pay
- This postingNot listed
- Texas median$121–206K/yr306 salary ranges
- Texas median$65–75/hr22 hourly ranges
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 456 open Data Engineer jobs in Texas and 5,783 across the US. 8% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 15 years of experience — more than three in four Data Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 5,007 postings).
- Education
- 2,683 of the 5,783 open Data Engineer jobs (46%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 28, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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