The Lead Data Platform Engineer designs, implements, and maintains data platforms and tools supported by the Digital Technology organization. The position is responsible for understanding the technical, functional, and security capabilities of managed data systems, and collaborates with teams across the Enterprise Data & Insights, Digital Technology, and Cybersecurity organizations to ensure that data engineering and data analytics platforms are reliable, scalable, self-service, secure-by-design, and compliant with corporate policies and standards. The Lead Data Platform Engineer works with other members of the Data Tools & Operations team to provide stable, secure, and scalable solutions which meet the requirements of data consumers across the enterprise.

The Lead Data Platform Engineer conducts technical tasks associated with the implementation and ongoing support of data services. Proficiency in documentation is required, as is the ability to provide troubleshooting in support of individuals and teams who consume data services. The Lead Data Platform Engineer ensures that data platforms and services meet business, technology, and security requirements while following principles of automation and self-service, allowing for rapid consumption and scalability while minimizing impact to business risk and operational overhead.

Essential Functions

Strategy & Planning

• Leads analysis to design, develop, and implement operational and security controls across data systems.
• Develops plans for achieving increased reliability, scalability, and security across data systems.
• Maintains knowledge of the IT security industry including awareness of new or revised security solutions, improved security processes, and the development of new attack and threat vectors.
• Maintains documentation regarding operational processes, security processes, access boundaries, and integrations.
• Participates in defining and prioritizing work for the team.

Acquisition & Deployment

• Leads implementation and maintenance of data platforms in support of Digital Technology, Enterprise Data & Insights, and Cybersecurity strategies.
• Implements security measures to safeguard information against accidental or unauthorized damage, modification, or disclosure.
• Leverages automation to deliver services in accordance with guidelines and standards.
• Participates in lifecycle management activities for data platforms.

Operational Management

• Leads maintenance efforts around operational and security configurations of platforms per established baselines.
• Audits data systems to ensure that operational and security controls are adequately enforced and operating as designed.
• Collaborates with service and support teams to troubleshoot and resolve availability, performance, access, and security issues.
• Leads team and organizational ceremonies.
• Performs activities in support of a 24x7 global support model for critical production environments as required.
• Tracks daily work in project management software.

Incidental Functions

• Participates in proof-of-concept efforts for new data tools and services.
• Facilitates vendor meetings where appropriate.
• Participates in hiring activities and fulfilling affirmative action obligations and ensuring compliance with the equal employment opportunity policy.

Formal Education & Certification

• Bachelor's degree (or foreign equivalent) in a Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Information Technology field of study (e.g., Information Technology, Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, Computer Systems Management, Mathematics) or equivalent experience.

Knowledge & Experience

• 8+ years of IT experience.
• 5+ years of experience in roles responsible for delivering and supporting scalable and secure technical solutions.
• 2+ years hands-on experience with Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD), DevOps, and automation tools such as Jenkins, Git, Terraform, Ansible, or Puppet.
• Strong understanding of cyber security concepts including identity and access management, privileged account management, network security, application security, zero-trust architectures.
• Knowledge and understanding of information risk concepts and principles, as a means of relating business needs to security controls.
• Understanding of CVSS, CVE, CWE, CPE, CCE, CWE, OVAL, SCAP and/or other standards.
• Aptitude to lead the requirements gathering, analysis, design, and implementation of data platforms.

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• Experience with enterprise data tools and platforms such as Snowflake, MicroStrategy, Informatica, Fivetran, Business Objects, Tableau, Dataiku.
• Experience with logging and monitoring tools such as Splunk, Elastic, or Azure Application Insights.
• Familiar with networking fundamentals such as load balancers, firewalls, application proxies, and security brokers.
• Working knowledge of RESTful development practices.
• Public cloud certifications such as Azure Fundamentals, AWS Practitioner, or GCP Associate Cloud Engineer.
• Hands-on experience with a public cloud platform.

Personal Attributes

• Strong commitment to inclusion and diversity.
• Strong and comprehensive verbal and written communications.
• Responsive and alert to new learning opportunities, growth, and development of technical, interpersonal, and business skills; able to recognize and address areas needing improvement.
• Motivated and competent to contribute appropriate time and effort to work needing attention.
• Attentive to detail with focus on accurate and timely results.
• Organized and able to prioritize tasks, responding effectively to competing needs.
• Attentive and reactive to customer needs and concerns.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong customer service orientation.
• Able to contribute to team effort and individual achievement.
• Ability to understand automation and leverage it to do most work.
• Work outside the standard office 7.5-hour workday may be required.