Staff Data Engineer

OP is partnering with a fast-growing iGaming startup to hire talented individuals building the next generation of sweepstakes-based gaming experiences. Operating at the intersection of gaming, technology, and user engagement, the platform enables seamless cross-game interactions powered by innovative mechanics. With plans to rapidly scale this year, the team is seeking builders who thrive in fast-paced environments where ideas move from concept to live product in weeks. Role Overview As a Staff Engineer, Data Platform, you will serve as a key contributor for the data foundations. You’ll design and evolve the systems that power real-time and batch data pipelines, canonical datasets, transactional systems, analytics, and compliance workflows. This is a hands-on senior individual contributor role with broad influence across engineering, product, analytics, security, and compliance. Key Responsibilities • Own and evolve the data platform architecture supporting real-time and batch workloads. • Design and build scalable, reliable data pipelines for gameplay, payments, and analytics. • Define canonical datasets, data models, and golden paths for data consumption. • Ensure data correctness, auditability, and traceability in regulated environments. • Define SLAs, monitoring, and operational standards for data systems. • Serve as an escalation point for complex data incidents. • Mentor senior engineers and influence architecture across teams. • Leverage AI tools to accelerate development, testing, analysis, and documentation. Core Data Technology Stack • The ideal candidate has deep, hands-on experience with modern data platforms and large-scale data systems, including: • Distributed processing: Apache Spark, Apache Flink. • Streaming & messaging: Apache Kafka. • Query & analytics engines: Trino. • Databases: ClickHouse, Postgres. • Data languages: SQL. • Cloud-native data platforms and distributed systems. • Operational tooling for monitoring, alerting, and data quality. • Applied use of AI/LLMs and agents for data analysis, incident response, and developer productivity. Required Qualifications • 8–12+ years building large-scale data systems in production environments. • Expertise in data platform architecture, pipelines, and distributed systems. • Strong SQL plus proficiency in Python, Java, or Scala. • Experience operating data platforms with SLAs, on-call rotation, and compliance requirements. Nice To Have • FinTech, gaming, payments, or regulated environment experience. • Real-time streaming, CDC, or event-driven architectures. • Experience in stewarding canonical datasets and data governance. • Passion for gaming or entertainment platforms. Role Clarifications • This is an individual contributor role. It is a high-ownership, low-process, high-trust environment with strong emphasis on production quality, reliability, security, and operational excellence. Benefits • 100% medical, dental & vision coverage (partial for dependents). • 401(k) employer match.