Analytics Engineer

Location: Columbus, OH (3 days/week onsite) Duration: 6 Month Contract to Hire Overview Our client is launching a companywide initiative to decommission their SAS platform and replace it with modern, scalable analytics and reporting solutions. They are seeking a hands‑on data professional who can partner with business units to understand how SAS is currently being used, design fit‑for‑purpose alternatives, and help implement and transition those solutions into production. This role sits at the intersection of data engineering, analytics, and business analysis. You won’t receive fully defined requirements — success in this role depends on your ability to ask the right questions, dive deep into existing analytics workflows, and translate business needs into technical solutions. What You’ll Be Doing (Day to Day) • Partner with multiple business units to understand how SAS is currently being used (data prep, analysis, reporting, automation, etc.) • Analyze existing SAS workflows, data pipelines, and reporting processes • Design replacement solutions using modern analytics and data platforms • Examples may include SQL‑based analytics, cloud data warehouses, or BI/reporting tools • Collaborate with stakeholders to define requirements, document use cases, and recommend appropriate tools based on capabilities • Build or assist with building data pipelines, transformations, and analytics workflows • Support implementation, testing, and knowledge transfer as teams migrate off SAS • Help bring solutions into production and ensure they are scalable, maintainable, and aligned with business needs • Act as a trusted technical advisor who can clearly communicate with both technical and non‑technical partners Required Qualifications (Must Haves) • Strong experience in data analysis, data engineering, or analytics engineering • Hands‑on experience with ETL / data pipelines and bringing data solutions into production • Solid understanding of data warehousing concepts (schemas, transformations, performance, governance) • Advanced SQL skills or equivalent data querying experience • Experience working directly with business stakeholders to gather requirements and translate them into technical solutions • Ability to operate independently in ambiguous or unstructured environments • Strong communication skills — comfortable explaining technical concepts to non‑technical audiences Preferred / Nice to Have • Experience replacing or modernizing legacy analytics platforms (not limited to SAS) • Exposure to cloud data platforms (e.g., Snowflake or similar data warehouses) • Experience with BI or reporting tools (e.g., SAP BusinessObjects or comparable tools) • Background as a Business Analyst, Data Analyst, or Analytics Consultant • Familiarity with enterprise data migration or platform decommissioning initiatives Note: Prior SAS experience is not required if you have worked with formal ETL tools or comparable analytics platforms.