Senior Software Engineer
NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights-delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms-NIQ delivers the Full View™. NIQ is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population.
The Forward Deployment Engineer (FDE) builds and operates NIQ's data connector ecosystem - the reusable, versioned connectors that link client data sources (ad platforms, CRM, POS, panel providers) into NIQ's measurement pipelines. You own connector design, lifecycle, and reliability, and work with the Data Strategist, who leads client strategy and insight interpretation.
- Build the connector ecosystem - design, build, and version reusable connectors to client data sources, standardizing ingestion across NIQ's client base.
- Own the connector lifecycle - track upstream API changes, handle schema drift, and ship backward-compatible updates without breaking live pipelines.
- Deliver client pipelines - connect each client's data sources to NIQ's measurement models using the connector library, and keep them production-reliable.
- Instrument for reliability - build logs, metrics, and alerts on connector and pipeline health so issues surface before clients do.
- Keep stakeholders aligned - translate connector and data-availability status clearly for the Data Strategist and client technical contacts.
Core - Connector & Data Engineering
- Strong Python for connector development and SQL for data validation and transformation.
- REST API integration - OAuth/API-key auth, pagination, rate-limiting, and schema handling across diverse third-party platforms.
- ETL/orchestration experience (Airflow, dbt, or equivalent) at production scale.
- Connector versioning and lifecycle management - Git-based version control, backward compatibility, and structured deprecation handling.
- Observability - logs, metrics, and alerts (Datadog, ELK, Grafana, or equivalent) to catch failures proactively.
- Working familiarity with Docker for packaging and running connectors consistently.
- 6-9 years in data/integration engineering, connector development, or backend engineering with heavy third-party API work.
- Demonstrable experience building and maintaining production data connectors or pipelines against third-party APIs (ad platforms, CRM, POS, or similar).
- Experience with schema evolution and versioning in a multi-tenant or multi-client context.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or equivalent professional experience.
Good to Have
- Working knowledge of a major cloud platform (AWS, GCP, or Azure).
- Linux/Unix scripting (Bash) for pipeline operations.
- Kubernetes exposure (Helm, pod debugging) and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform/Ansible).
- Enterprise security basics - secrets management (Vault or equivalent), SSO/SAML awareness.
- Enterprise IT exposure - change control (ITIL) and InfoSec review processes for client deployments.
- CI/CD authoring (GitHub Actions, Jenkins).
- Awareness of MMM/MTA and retail/CPG data (scan, panel, POS).
- Pre-sales technical scoping or RFP support; industry exposure in CPG, FMCG, pharma, or retail.
Our Benefits
- Flexible working environment
- Volunteer time off
- LinkedIn Learning
- Employee-Assistance-Program (EAP)
NIQ may utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools at various stages of the recruitment process, including résumé screening, candidate assessments, interview scheduling, job matching, communication support, and certain administrative tasks that help streamline workflows. These tools are intended to improve efficiency and support fair and consistent evaluation based on job-related criteria. All use of AI is governed by NIQ’s principles of fairness, transparency, human oversight, and inclusion. Final hiring decisions are made exclusively by humans. NIQ regularly reviews its AI tools to help mitigate bias and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. If you have questions, require accommodations, or wish to request human review were permitted by law, please contact your local HR representative. For more information, please visit NIQ’s AI Safety Policies and Guiding Principles: https://nielseniq.com/global/en/info/niqs-ai-safety-policies/
About NIQ
NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights-delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms-NIQ delivers the Full View™. NIQ is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population.
For more information, visit NIQ.com
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Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At NIQ, we are steadfast in our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace that mirrors the rich diversity of the communities and markets we serve. We believe that embracing a wide range of perspectives drives innovation and excellence. All employment decisions at NIQ are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. We invite individuals who share our dedication to inclusivity and equity to join us in making a meaningful impact. To learn more about our ongoing efforts in diversity and inclusion, please visit the https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/diversity-inclusion