Senior Data & AI Engineer (Snowflake & AWS)

Senior Data & AI Engineer (Snowflake & AWS) Industry: Banking Location: 3 Days Onsite in Boston, MA 6 Month Contract-to-Hire Role Overview We are seeking a seasoned, hands-on Senior Data and AI Engineer to take ownership of our enterprise data and artificial intelligence ecosystem. This individual will be responsible for architecting, building, and operating modern data platforms and AI-enabled solutions that support secure, compliant, and high-performance analytics within a regulated financial environment. This role sits within a small, highly skilled engineering group and is suited for someone who thrives in lean teams, takes initiative, and is comfortable working end to end from foundational data infrastructure through advanced AI capabilities and business-facing analytics. The successful candidate will bring a builder mindset, strong technical depth, and the ability to operate with autonomy while partnering closely with both technical and business stakeholders. Key Responsibilities Data Platform Architecture and Engineering • Design, implement, and evolve scalable data pipelines and cloud-based data warehouse solutions primarily leveraging Snowflake and AWS. Define and maintain efficient data models, schemas, and storage patterns that support analytics, reporting, and AI workloads. Platform Ownership and Optimization • Serve as the primary owner of the Snowflake environment, overseeing performance tuning, cost management, workload optimization, and secure access controls. Manage user provisioning and lifecycle processes while ensuring appropriate governance and operational stability. AI and Advanced Analytics Enablement • Design, build, and integrate AI-driven capabilities using a mix of internal development and external platforms including Snowflake Cortex, Amazon Bedrock, and other modern AI and ML services. Evaluate emerging AI technologies and identify practical use cases that deliver measurable business value. Business Intelligence and Reporting Support • Manage and support reporting and business intelligence platforms, enabling the creation and maintenance of customized dashboards and analytical outputs. Partner with business users to translate reporting needs into scalable and reliable solutions. User Enablement and Advisory • Provide expert guidance to stakeholders by supporting data access, educating users on data best practices, and improving overall data literacy across the organization. Data Governance, Security, and Compliance • Implement and enforce data security controls, encryption standards, access policies, and governance frameworks aligned with financial services regulatory requirements. Ensure data integrity, privacy, and audit readiness across all platforms. Cross-Functional Collaboration • Work closely with IT, security, and business teams to gather requirements, troubleshoot issues, and ensure smooth daily operation of data services. Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement • Continuously enhance data processes, documentation, and quality controls to improve reliability, transparency, and long-term maintainability. Required Knowledge, Skills, and Experience • Minimum of 8 or more years of hands-on experience in data engineering, software development, or a closely related technical role. • Demonstrated experience delivering data solutions within banking or financial services environments. • Six or more years of advanced hands-on experience with Snowflake, including administration and platform optimization. • Four or more years of hands-on experience with AWS cloud services supporting data and analytics workloads. • Proficiency with business intelligence and reporting platforms such as Sigma or Omni. • Strong programming skills in SQL and Python. • Experience designing and implementing AI or machine learning solutions. Familiarity with Snowflake Cortex, AWS Bedrock, or modern generative AI platforms is strongly preferred. • Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders. • Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving capabilities. • Ability to work independently and lead complex data initiatives. Preferred but Not Required • Working knowledge of core banking platforms such as Jack Henry and loan origination systems such as eNcino.