Staff Data Engineer

Job title: Staff Data Engineer

About the Role Shift5 is building the data platform for onboard operational technology (OT). We are seeking a Staff Data Engineer to design, build, and maintain data processing, storage, and integration pipelines while enabling cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact features for safer, smarter fleets. You will report to the Off Vehicle Manager, Software Engineering, and collaborate with engineers, product managers, program managers, and designers to shape major features.

What You'll Do

• Design, build, and maintain robust, scalable batch and streaming data processing, storage, and integration pipelines using technologies such as Apache Airflow or Benthos.
• Interpret requirements and design specifications, taking full ownership of building features from the ground up.
• Mentor and lead the rest of your team to deliver the right solutions.
• Write clean, well-documented, scalable, extensible, and testable code to ensure application quality and maintainability.
• Partner with data scientists and engineers to create semantic data models representing complex vehicular systems, and integrate applications cleanly across other Shift5 componentry.
• Build scalable data products for data scientists, transportation engineers, and executives to drive insights and decision-making.
• Create efficient, reliable, cost-effective, dynamically scalable, and observable solutions utilizing AWS cloud services.
• Analyze complex data sets to create data ontologies, verify data quality/integrity, and ensure data accuracy throughout pipelines.
• Travel to customer sites occasionally (few times per year) to collaborate with Field Engineers on data integration and deployment.

What We're Looking For

• 6+ years of software/data engineering experience with a deep understanding of software engineering practices.
• 6+ years of experience with a major programming language (GoLang, Java, or Python).
• 6+ years of relational database experience (PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, etc.) alongside 6+ years of experience with Big Data (Hadoop, Spark) and Data Modeling.
• 4+ years of experience with containerization and cloud services (Docker, Kubernetes) and cloud monitoring tools.
• Expertise with batch and streaming data pipelines (Apache Airflow, Benthos) and familiarity with modern data stack components (ingestion, transformation, orchestration).
• Preferred: U.S. citizenship required and ability to obtain a security clearance.
• Education: MS in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Cyber Intelligence, or equivalent.
• Data Architecture: Experience with data lakes/warehouses (Snowflake, Databricks, Redshift).
• DevOps Practices: Proficiency with CI/CD, source control, design reviews, and integrating observable practices.
• Advanced Languages & Tools: Experience with Rust, SDK design, and implementation (including code gen of type-specific bindings to Python, Go, TypeScript).
• Travel Flexibility: Willingness to travel occasionally to customer and partner sites to support field integration and deployment efforts.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $185,000 - $220,000
• Bonus program and equity in a fast-growing startup
• Competitive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their families
• Health Savings Account with annual employer contributions
• Employer-paid Life and Disability Insurance
• Uncapped paid time off policy
• Flexible work & remote work policy
• Tax-deferred public transit benefits with Metro SmartBenefits (DC/MD/VA)
• We are committed to building an inclusive culture of belonging that embraces the diversity of our people and represents the communities in which we work and the customers we serve.