Sr Data Engineer / Hands on Architect - W2

Job Description Position: Sr Data Engineer / Hands on Architect Location: Chicago, IL • Remote (EST or CST ONLY; Chicago area candidates may need occasional in-office at Glendale Heights) Employment Type: Contract to Hire (6 months) Visa Restrictions: USC or GC only & W2 only Requirements • Deep SQL background (indexing, tuning, replications) • Deep SQL Server background (AWS hosted) • Expertise in Microsoft Fabric (enterprise setup, not just adding a column) • Power BI understanding (concepts, maintenance, ingestion) • AI: Understand data structure for AI integration (e.g., Claude agents) • Excellent communication skills • Comfortable being the sole data engineer (working only with CTO) • 7+ years data engineering experience • Experience with ETL/ELT and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure) • Strong data modeling and performance tuning skills Preferred Qualifications • AWS RDS, Redshift, DMS • Microsoft Fabric or Power BI • Multiple database platforms (SQL Server, PostgreSQL) • Exposure to AI/ML data environments Job Description Seeking a Senior Data Engineer to support the design, development, and modernization of our data platform. This role focuses on building scalable, secure, and high-performing data systems aligned with long-term architecture and business needs. Key initiatives include transitioning to cloud-managed relational databases, evolving toward Microsoft Fabric, and enabling data for advanced analytics and AI. Key Responsibilities • Data Architecture & Modeling: Design scalable data models for operational and analytical use • Data Engineering & Pipelines: Build and maintain ETL/ELT pipelines; support batch and near real-time processing • Platform Modernization: Support SQL Server workloads in AWS RDS; assist transition to Microsoft Fabric • Scalability & Performance: Optimize performance and reliability • Security & Governance: Implement secure data practices; support compliance (e.g., SOC 2) • AI & Advanced Data Enablement: Support AI-ready data structures • Collaboration: Work with engineering, architecture, and business teams Environment & Objective Current stack: AWS RDS SQL, DMS, Redshift, Power BI, Oracle ERP, Angular, .NET Core, Lambda, legacy .NET framework. Goal: Stand up a Microsoft Fabric environment as a unified data hub, eliminating tech debt and implementing a medallion architecture (bronze, clean, gold). Interview Process • Potential TA screening (may be skipped) • 30 min with HM (CTO) • Panel with HM and 2 other managers • Potential meeting with CIO Start Date: ASAP