[Remote] Staff Data Engineer

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. onXmaps, Inc. is a high-growth tech company focused on leveraging technology to enhance outdoor experiences. They are seeking a Staff Data Engineer who will be responsible for designing and evolving core components of their data platform, ensuring that data is structured, governed, and secured to support analytics and AI systems.ResponsibilitiesDesign and evolve the Iceberg-based lakehouse architecture to balance scalability, cost, performance, and maintainabilityDefine and promote standards for table design, partitioning, schema evolution, optimization, and data layoutLead architectural efforts spanning batch, streaming, and event-driven data processing where they deliver business valueDrive the design and delivery of complex, cross-team initiatives, enabling teams to move independently within established architectural guidanceBuild vs. Buy: Evaluate and integrate technologiesDefine how datasets, pipelines, features, and models are described, related, and governed using shared metadataLead the adoption and integration of open-source metadata and catalog tools (e.g., OpenMetadata or similar ecosystems)Establish metadata standards that enable self-service analytics, governance, and AI readinessPartner with BI and Analytics to ensure domain models are clearly documented and aligned to business languageCollaborate with Data Science to ensure model inputs, features, and outputs are traceable, explainable, and reusableDesign and evolve security and access-control models for Apache Iceberg, including table-, column-, and row-level controlsPartner with Security and Platform teams to embed policy enforcement directly into data access pathsDrive metadata-driven authorization patterns that scale across tools and user groupsEnsure privacy, compliance, and regulatory requirements are incorporated into platform designBalance strong security guarantees with usability to support safe self-serviceBuild and maintain automation for compaction, retention, lifecycle management, and cost controlsEstablish observability standards that connect pipeline health, data quality, and reliability metricsProvide architectural oversight during critical incidents and drive long-term 'Keep the Lights On' (KTLO) reductionRecommend tooling and process improvements based on industry standards and operational experienceAlign technical work with business priorities by understanding how data supports onX products and customer outcomesCommunicate complex technical concepts clearly to engineers, product partners, and leadershipLead and participate in architecture and design reviews, setting a high bar for technical rigorFoster strong cross-team collaboration across Data Engineering, Platform, Security, Analytics, and Data ScienceMentor senior and mid-level engineers, raising the technical bar across the teamSkillsBachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent experienceDeep industry experience (typically 12+ years) building and operating large-scale data systemsDeep expertise in distributed data systems and data architectureStrong experience with Apache Iceberg and similar table formats (Delta Lake, Hudi)Proven experience designing secure and governed data platformsExpertise in Python, SQL, and orchestration patterns (e.g., Airflow)Experience working with data ecosystems, including metadata, catalog, or governance toolingStrong written and verbal communication skillsPermanent U.S. work authorizationDeep experience in at least one major cloud environment (GCP, AWS, or Azure)Familiarity with cloud-native data services such as query engines, stream/batch processing systems, and object storage–based lakehousesComfort with infrastructure-as-code and automated platform managementBenefitsFull-time onX employees are eligible for a grant of common share options with a vesting scheduleA potential annual bonus of 10% based on company performanceCompetitive salaries, annual bonuses, equity, and opportunities for growthComprehensive health benefits including a no-monthly-cost medical planParental leave plan of 5 or 13 weeks fully paid401k matching at 100% for the first 3% you save and 50% from 3-5%Company-wide outdoor adventures and amazing outdoor industry perksAnnual “Get Out, Get Active” funds to fuel your active lifestyle in and outside of the gymFlexible time away package that includes PTO, STO, VTO, and 7 paid holidays annuallyCompany OverviewImportant Alert: There is an active job scam using the false domain of careers-onXmaps.com. It was founded in 2009, and is headquartered in Missoula, Montana, USA, with a workforce of 201-500 employees. Its website is https://www.onxmaps.com/.