Senior Data Engineer (Hybrid Eligible)

*Location: This is a hybrid position based in the Seattle Corporate Office subject to WaFd Bank guidelines.

Are you passionate about data At WaFd Banks Enterprise Data Department were on a mission to harness the power of data to drive decisions create exceptional customer experiences fight fraud and power AI innovation. We are a small collaborative group that values generalists over specialists simple solutions over clever ones and delivering results over talking. You will have real ownership of the systems you build direct visibility into how your work affects the business and the freedom to work across the full stack. If you want to do meaningful work on inside a stable growing business bank with less bureaucracy and more impact wed like to meet you.

Applicants are encouraged to submit a cover letter with their resume.

As a Senior Data Engineer you will have a leading role in designing building and maintaining the organizations data repository and integration platforms data flows (pipelines/integrations) and related addition to traditional data platform work you serve as a generalist technical expert advising on solutions administrating department systems driving automation and taking on the heavier technical challenges the department needs solved. You work as part of a small collaborative team where members support one another learn new tools and languages quickly and pitch in wherever the work demands sharing knowledge openly mentoring junior staff and partnering across the department to deliver effective solutions that serve the broader organization.

Along with the key functions listed below you will be expected to uphold the value that WaFd Bank places on simply being kind when working alongside colleagues and servicing our clients.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

1. Data Platform Engineering and Administration
Design build and operate the Banks cloud data platforms including the data warehouse databases and Lakehouse structures that support analytical and business needs. Administer the platform day to day managing compute and storage role-based access monitoring and performance and cost optimization.

2. Data Pipeline Engineering
Develop implement and maintain efficient automated data pipelines for ETL processes. Build and own integrations that move data between core systems and the data platform through APIs change-data-capture and batch feeds ensuring data flows are reliable timely observable and scalable.

3. Data Architecture
Work collaboratively and independently to design and implement database objects including tables views and schemas to support the analytical needs of the business. Transform raw data into a usable format by applying data cleansing aggregation filtering and enrichment techniques balancing performance maintainability and clarity for downstream consumers.

4. Data Quality and Governance
Develop and implement strategies and tactics to enhance and validate data quality integrity and consistency across multiple data sources and systems including automated data quality checks. Assist with data governance data classification and make recommendations to improve organization-wide data management.

5. Documentation and Procedures
Create and manage documentation and appropriate procedures necessary to enforce standards communicate best practices define roles and responsibilities and sustain ongoing operations. Define and promote effective documentation best practices internally and externally.

6. Security / Compliance
Adhere to all applicable laws and regulations. Maintain a working knowledge of security threats laws and policy for data privacy and protection; design and operate data systems with auditability appropriate access controls and sound change management in mind. Take steps to protect organizational data from accidental or unauthorized damage modification or disclosure; assist with security and access management.

7. Technical Leadership and Support
Serve as a go-to technical resource for the department taking on complex troubleshooting new technology evaluation and the heavier technical lifting that spans systems and teams. Provide guidance to end-users analysts and stakeholders on data tools and technologies and mentor junior engineers and analysts.

8. Continuous Improvement
Stay current with related regulations best practices tools and new technologies; participate in educational opportunities; read industry publications; participate in professional organizations. Use new knowledge and ideas to continuously improve operational efficiencies procedures and strategy.

9. Team Player
Commit to a collaborative mindset and perform other duties as assigned in support of the team.

10. Ensuring Regulatory & Operational Excellence
Maintain the integrity of WaFds business needs in all processes and activities. Adhere to bank policies and procedures designed to comply with federal regulations including but not limited to the Bank Secrecy Act USA Patriot Act and OFAC regulations. To that end ensure timely and accurate preparation of reports and other recordkeeping requirements. Complete and pass all assigned eLearning courses and assigned certifications as required. Always adhere to security and compliance procedures. Avoid all real or perceived conflicts of interest and always maintain client privacy and confidentiality.

Personal Attributes:

• You default to action take ownership and deliver
• You care about the details and take pride in quality even when nobody is watching
• Youd rather build a clean simple solution than an impressive complicated one
• You treat your colleagues and stakeholders as customers whose time and problems matter
• Youre comfortable with ambiguity and dont need a detailed playbook to get started

Education/Skills/Training:

• Bachelors degree (B.A.) in computer science data science software engineering information systems related quantitative field or equivalent experience and/or training. A minimum of five years of experience in data engineering database administration or similar functions.
• Advanced SQL including performance tuning and strong proficiency in Python. Experience with other languages (e.g. Java Scala PowerShell) is a plus.
• Hands-on experience operating a modern cloud data platform ideally Snowflake including warehouse and compute management role-based access control and performance and cost optimization.
• Significant experience with modern ETL/ELT tools and transformation frameworks workflow orchestration and integrating data from operational source systems via APIs change-data-capture and file or batch feeds.
• Proficiency with version control and Git-based workflows and hands-on experience building and maintaining CI/CD and infrastructure-as-code.
• Experience building data quality and observability into pipelines including automated data quality checks data lineage freshness monitoring and alerting.
• Strong broad knowledge of data management principles data governance practices and data modeling including dimensional modeling.
• Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills including the ability to determine the source of issues in unfamiliar code or systems and to recognize and resolve recurring problems.
• Strong communication collaboration and stakeholder-management skills including the ability to mentor junior engineers and help set technical standards across the team.

Preferred:

• Experience using or strong interest in adopting AI development tools (e.g. Snowflake Cortex Claude Code Codex).
• Familiarity with streaming or near-real-time data processing (e.g. Kafka Kinesis Snowpipe Streaming OpenFlow).
• Core banking or financial-services systems experience (e.g. Fiserv/DNA nCino).
• Familiarity with BI and data visualization tools (e.g. Power BI Tableau).
• Experience in fintech banking or another regulated and audited environment (e.g. SOX GLBA FFIEC) with the ability to design for auditability and access control.

At WaFd Bank you get all of these great benefits!

• Paid time off for vacation sick days and holidays
• Health insurance
• Stock options
• Bonus programs
• 401(k) plan
• Paid Parental Leave
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Long-term disability
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee assistance programs
• Pre-tax health and dependent-care spending plans

WaFd Bank Benefits Summary - Click here for more information

We are committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action. We recruit hire train and promote persons in all job titles and ensure that all other personnel actions are administered without regard to race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity military and/or veteran status or disability in accordance with Executive Order 11246 Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 which require affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity in all aspects of employment. WaFd Bank does not discriminate on the basis of national origin or citizenship status as provided under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 or any other Federal or State legally-protected classes. WaFd Bank is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to employees and applicants with disabilities to the full extent required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you feel you need a reasonable accommodation pursuant to the ADA you are encouraged to contact us at 800.324.9375

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