[Remote] IT Principal Data Engineering

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Save A Lot is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to lead the design, development, and operation of platforms and pipelines that support their data science capabilities. This role involves a combination of data engineering and data science, requiring collaboration with various teams to ensure reliable data flow and effective AI/ML implementation.ResponsibilitiesDefine the long-term technical direction for the data science platform and integration with existing ELT pipelinesEnsure platforms are scalable, reliable, secure, and cost-efficient at enterprise scaleEvaluate and adopt emerging tools in the modern data and ML stackDesign, develop, and optimize ETL pipelines and outbound data feedsDevelop and follow templates and engineering patterns to reduce the time-to-deploy new data assets or changes to an existing data model or analytics solutionsPartner with key business teams to understand their data needs and assist them in building appropriate data solutions to meet their business needsDesign, build, and optimize end-to-end data science pipelines — from raw data ingestion through feature engineering, model training, and inference servingContribute to MLOps practices including model versioning and monitoring, supporting the transition of data science work into productionProvide technical guidance to data engineersConduct code reviews and champion engineering best practices across workstreamsLead without direct authority, influencing cross-functional teams across data engineering, analytics and product ownersEstablish best practices for data quality, lineage, privacy, and security across data engineering and science pipelinesEnsure model inputs and outputs are auditable, reproducible, and compliant with data governance standardsPartner with data engineering, product owners, and software engineers to align platform capabilities with organizational AI/ML goalsTranslate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights for non-technical stakeholdersSkillsBachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics, or a related field, OR 7+ years of equivalent verifiable experience, skillset, and record of accomplishmentExperience in a Principal or Senior Data Engineer role with direct involvement in ML platform or Data Science workProficiency in an analytics/BI tool such as Power BIModern data stack technologies — Databricks (strongly preferred), Snowflake, SparkInbound/outbound transportation of data with APIs and FTPsMPP databases such as Databricks, Snowflake, BigQuery, Teradata, or Azure SynapseCloud platforms — AWS, Azure, or GCPPython and SQLBuilding and deploying ML models (classification, regression, forecasting, NLP, or similar)Familiarity with ML frameworks such as scikit-learn, XGBoost, PyTorch, or TensorFlowMLflow or similar tools for experiment tracking, model registry, and deploymentUnderstanding of feature engineering, model evaluation, and common ML failure modesStrong understanding of data modelling techniques (Kimball, Data Vault) and distributed systemsFamiliarity with feature stores, training pipelines, and batch/real-time inference architecturesBenefits401K company match up to 4%Paid Time OffMedical Insurance options including FSA & HSAVision InsuranceDental insuranceEmployee Assistance ProgramsTeam Member Referral ProgramTuition ReimbursementWellbeing ProgramCareer development opportunitiesCompany OverviewFounded in 1977, Save A Lot is one of the largest value-focused grocery store chains in the U.S., with approximately 700 stores in 30 states. It was founded in 1977, and is headquartered in Earth City, Missouri, USA, with a workforce of 1001-5000 employees. Its website is https://savealot.com/.