Senior Data Engineer, AI Platform

Zip Co

. Shape the data platform powering analytics, machine learning, Generative AI, and Agentic AI for millions of customers and internal teams .

Posted 11/3/2026full-timeRemote • United StatesSenior💰 $134,000 - $168,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in designing and building enterprise-scale data platforms, with a strong focus on cloud-native infrastructure, data modeling, and AI-ready data products. Proven ability to lead technical initiatives and mentor teams while ensuring data accuracy and governance.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Cloud Data PlatformsAdvanced SQLPython ProgrammingData ModelingStreaming Architectures

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Data Pipeline DevelopmentELT/ETL DevelopmentDimensional ModelingMetadata ManagementOperational ExcellenceCI/CDInfrastructure AutomationVector SearchRetrieval-Augmented GenerationTesting

Soft Skills

MentoringCollaborationOwnershipAccountability

Tools & Technologies

SnowflakeDatabricksMicrosoft FabricBigQueryRedshiftKafkaAzure Event HubsSparkAirflowDagster

Industry Keywords

Data GovernanceObservabilityAI and Machine LearningLakehouse TechnologiesOpen Table Formats

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

AirflowAmazon RedshiftApacheAWSAzureBigQueryCloudETLGoogle Cloud PlatformKafkaPythonSnowflakeSparkSQL

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Shape the data platform powering analytics, machine learning, Generative AI, and Agentic AI for millions of customers and internal teams
Build scalable, cloud-native data infrastructure across batch, streaming, structured, and unstructured workloads
Partner with Data Science, Machine Learning, Product, and Engineering leaders to deliver AI-ready data products
Design, build, and scale Zip’s enterprise Data & AI Platform
Develop scalable data pipelines and architectures for structured, unstructured, batch, and real-time workloads
Build AI-ready data products, semantic models, and retrieval capabilities for intelligent agents and AI-powered applications
Design and optimize vector search, hybrid search, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) capabilities
Implement streaming and event-driven solutions for near real-time insights, operational intelligence, fraud detection, and risk monitoring
Establish best practices for data modeling, testing, observability, governance, security, and platform reliability
Drive self-service and automation to improve developer productivity and time-to-insight
Partner with cross-functional teams to deliver trusted, high-quality data solutions
Mentor engineers, influence architecture decisions, and define the future direction of Zip’s data platform

Requirements

What you’ll need

8+ years of experience designing, building, and operating enterprise-scale data platforms
Deep expertise with modern cloud data platforms such as Snowflake, Databricks, Microsoft Fabric, BigQuery, Redshift, or similar technologies
Advanced SQL and Python skills
Strong experience in data modeling, ELT/ETL development, dbt, and orchestration frameworks such as Airflow, Dagster, or equivalent
Experience building scalable streaming and event-driven architectures using Kafka, Azure Event Hubs, Spark, or similar platforms
Strong understanding of dimensional modeling, semantic layers, data governance, metadata management, and platform observability
Experience supporting AI and machine learning workloads through AI-ready data models, vector search, metadata enrichment, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and knowledge retrieval systems
Experience with modern lakehouse technologies and open table formats such as Apache Iceberg, Delta Lake, or similar technologies
Hands-on experience with cloud platforms; Azure preferred, AWS or GCP acceptable
Experience in testing, CI/CD, infrastructure automation, and operational excellence
Proven ability to lead technical initiatives, mentor engineers, and collaborate across technical and business teams
Strong ownership and accountability for data accuracy, consistency, reliability, and quality
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position

Benefits

Comp & perks

Flexible working culture
Incentive programs
Unlimited PTO
Generous paid parental leave
Leading family support policies
Company-sponsored 401k match
Learning and wellness subscription stipend
Beautiful Union Square office with a casual dress code
Industry-leading, employer-sponsored insurance for you and your dependents, with several 100% Zip-covered choices available
Additional premium percentages may apply based on the tiered premium strategy
Bonus and/or commission awards may be included in the total compensation package