Senior Data Engineer

Senior Data Engineer - Data Architecture & Platform

CPI Security, a national leader in residential and commercial security solutions, is seeking a Senior Data Engineer transitioning into Data Architecture to join us on our data transformational journey. This unique role combines hands-on data engineering (70%) with architectural design and governance (30%), ideal for a technical expert ready to shape our enterprise data strategy while remaining deeply involved in implementation. You'll work directly with line of business leaders and technical users to architect and build our cloud data warehouse using data vault 2.0 modeling and dbt. This is a technical, hands-on role, not a pure architecture position, where you'll mentor junior engineers on a lean team while personally implementing the solutions you design.

This is an on-site position at our HQ in Charlotte, NC.

What You'll Do

This role balances architectural design with hands-on implementation. You'll spend approximately 70% of your time coding, building pipelines, and implementing solutions, while dedicating 30% to architectural design, standards definition, and technical guidance. On our lean team, everyone contributes technically, this isn't about drawing boxes, it's about designing it AND building it. You must be comfortable in the IDE daily, working alongside engineers and providing mentorship through code reviews, pair programming, and technical guidance.

Data Architecture & Design

Define and document reference architectures, design patterns, and standards for the enterprise data platform. Create technical design documentation, data flow diagrams, and architectural decision records (ADRs) while remaining actively involved in hands-on implementation. Establish data modeling standards, naming conventions, and best practices across the platform.

Architecture Governance

Establish and maintain data modeling standards, design patterns, and architectural guidelines. Review and approve technical designs to ensure alignment with architectural principles and enterprise standards. Collaborate with stakeholders to define data governance policies and ensure compliance with security requirements.

Technical Mentorship & Collaboration

Provide architectural guidance and hands-on mentorship to engineers through code reviews, pair programming, and technical design sessions. Share expertise in data vault modeling, dbt development, and cloud data engineering best practices. Foster a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning within the team. Work collaboratively on our small team where everyone contributes to solving complex technical challenges.

Data Vault Implementation

Design and implement data vault 2.0 modeling patterns to build a scalable, audit-friendly enterprise data platform that supports business agility and data governance.

Modern Data Engineering

Build and maintain automated data pipelines using dbt (Cloud/Core), Python, and Snowflake to transform raw data into business-ready datasets with comprehensive data quality testing.

Cloud Data Platform Development

Architect and implement an enterprise data platform on Snowflake, including automated deployment pipelines, data quality frameworks, and monitoring solutions. While we are modernizing to a cloud data platform, on-premises work is still needed using SSIS and MSSQL Server during the migration phase.

Data Mart & Dimensional Modeling

Design and build data marts using dimensional modeling techniques (Kimball methodology) to support business intelligence and analytics requirements.

ETL/ELT Pipeline Development

Design and implement robust data transformation models using dbt, SQL, and Python to build scalable ingestion and processing pipelines.

Data Quality & Testing

Implement comprehensive data quality testing frameworks using dbt tests, custom Python validations, and automated monitoring to ensure data accuracy and reliability.

External Data Integration

Integrate and operationalize data from external systems such as CRM, ERP, and third-party platforms via secure cloud data sharing, CDC, and APIs.

DataOps Implementation

Enable reliable, scalable, and automated data workflows by implementing DataOps best practices for continuous integration, testing, deployment, and monitoring across the data pipeline lifecycle. Establish and maintain Snowflake security governance through role-based access control (RBAC), including the design and management of role hierarchies, privilege grants, and object-level permissions to enforce least-privilege principles across all data assets. Define and enforce data access policies for users, service accounts, and downstream consumers by leveraging Snowflake's virtual warehouses, resource monitors, row-level security, and dynamic data masking to ensure compliant and auditable data access at scale.

Cloud Migration Support

Play an integral role in planning, designing, and implementing data migration strategies from legacy on-premises SQL Server systems to our modern Snowflake cloud platform.

What We're Looking For

Required Experience

• 6+ years of data engineering experience with cloud data platforms
• 4+ years of experience with Snowflake (required)
• 4+ years of experience with dbt (Cloud and/or Core)
• 4+ years of Python development experience
• 4+ years of AWS experience (AWS Certified Developer preferred)
• 6+ years of experience building data warehouses and data marts
• Experience using Data Vault 2.0 modeling methodology
• Strong experience with dimensional modeling (Kimball methodology)
• Proven experience with automated deployment and CI/CD pipelines
• Experience implementing data quality testing frameworks
• Experience designing data architectures and creating technical documentation (data models, architecture diagrams, design patterns, ADRs)
• Proven ability to balance architectural thinking with hands-on implementation
• Experience mentoring and guiding junior/mid-level engineers through technical collaboration

Technical Skills

• MSSQL Server SQL and SSIS
• Advanced SQL and data modeling expertise with dimensional modeling and data vault modeling
• Strong dbt skills for data staging, cleaning, transformation, testing, and modeling
• Proficiency in Python programming for data engineering tasks
• Experience with agile/scrum teams for data engineering and analytics engineering
• AWS cloud services (S3, Lambda, IAM, CloudFormation, etc.)
• Experience with data orchestration tools (Airflow, Prefect, or similar)
• Understanding of modern data engineering practices and agile methodologies
• Knowledge of data governance, security, and compliance requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• AWS Certified Developer certification
• Snowflake certifications in data engineering and/or architecture
• Experience with data vault automation tools (automate-dv package)
• Knowledge of modern BI and analytics platforms

Soft Skills

• Excellent oral and written communication skills to effectively deliver messages to a wide range of audiences, from business to technical
• Innovative and positive team member mindset
• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills, with the ability to deliver results working independently or in a collaborative environment
• Agile development experience preferred
• Solution-oriented approach with strong problem-solving abilities

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Data Science, or related field of study preferred
• Work experience equivalent will be considered

What Sets You Apart

• Deep understanding of the complete data engineering lifecycle
• Architectural design experience combined with strong implementation skills
• Experience with cloud data platform implementations and migrations
• Proven ability to work with cross-functional teams and stakeholders
• Passion for building modern, cloud-first data solutions
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• Commitment to data quality and best practices

Why Join CPI Security

• Opportunity to architect and build a modern enterprise data platform during an active transformation
• Work with cutting-edge cloud technologies and data vault modeling
• Lead technical design while remaining hands-on with implementation
• Collaborative environment with experienced data professionals on a lean, high-impact team
• Competitive compensation and benefits package
• Professional development opportunities and certification support
• On-site position in Charlotte, NC with a dynamic, growing company

CPI Security is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.