About the Role
Seeking an experienced Staff Data Engineer to define data architecture, own platform decisions, and guide technical leadership within a cross-functional team. The role involves designing scalable data infrastructure, enforcing quality and governance standards, modernizing platforms for performance and reliability, and enabling production AI/ML systems through robust data pipelines. The engineer will also mentor peers, collaborate with leadership, and apply an AI-forward approach to accelerate delivery.
Responsibilities
- Architect and oversee data platform strategy, guiding the development of pipelines, data warehouses, and data lakes
- Develop and refine scalable data workflows that support both batch and real-time data processing
- Establish and maintain data governance policies, quality benchmarks, and compliance protocols
- Implement monitoring, logging, and alerting systems for data workflows and contribute to CI/CD automation for data deployments
- Lead platform evolution to improve performance, reduce costs, and ensure scalability
- Apply AI-powered tools such as Claude and Cursor to enhance productivity and deliver higher-quality outcomes efficiently
- Design and implement data contracts and event-driven architectures in coordination with backend and platform teams
- Lead the development of data infrastructure for AI/ML systems, including embeddings, vector databases, RAG pipelines, feature stores, and training/inference workflows
- Connect data systems with APIs, middleware, and third-party services to enable seamless data consumption
- Work with leadership to shape data strategy and translate technical insights into actionable decisions
- Collaborate with engineering, analytics, AI, and product teams to align data platforms with organizational objectives
- Promote data quality, governance, and engineering best practices across projects and teams
- Define and uphold data engineering standards to improve consistency and quality across the team
- Guide junior and mid-level engineers in developing technical skills, confidence, and project impact
- Make critical architectural decisions with clear accountability and long-term implications
Work Arrangement
Remote (Worldwide) — Canada, United States, Eastern Europe, Latin America
Team
Multi-disciplinary engineering team
Position Overview
We’re looking for a Staff Data Engineer to join a multi-disciplinary engineering team building modern, enterprise-grade data platforms. This role is ideal for an experienced engineer who can define data strategy, own platform decisions end-to-end, and contribute to technical leadership across the team. In this role, you will design scalable data lakes, warehouses, and pipelines, define governance and quality standards, and drive data platform modernization across real, in-flight work where performance, reliability, and security are critical. You’ll mentor more junior engineers, partner with leadership on data strategy, and bring an AI-forward mindset.
Why This Role Matters
At Robots & Pencils, we design AI systems for a human world. Our name says it all. Robots and pencils means engineering paired with creativity, because every agent we ship has to work for real people in real workflows. That balance is baked into how we operate. Every role here contributes directly to that mission. Here, you shape how AI systems integrate into enterprise operations, how teams move at real velocity, and how products create measurable impact for clients and the people they serve. We ship production-ready AI in 30 to 45 days. That pace demands people who take ownership, lead with craft, and care deeply about what they put their name on.
You’ll Do Well Here if You Are
A doer. You see something broken and fix it. You'd rather move on clarity than wait for certainty. A fast learner who knows you don't know everything. The AI landscape changes weekly. You're senior enough to know better and curious enough to keep learning anyway. Direct in a way that makes the work better. You give honest feedback. You'd rather have the hard conversation than blow smoke. Obsessed with craft. You know genius is in the details. You ship exceptional, not perfect, and you don't put your name on work you wouldn't stand behind. Built for ownership. You honor commitments, admit mistakes fast, and back your teammates when a decision costs something. No handoffs, no finger-pointing. All in. You treat clients' businesses like your own. You take the work seriously without taking yourself seriously. Resourceful when the budget, timeline, or team is tight. Constraints don't slow you down. They sharpen you. Glad to be in the room with people who care as much as you do. Our teams average fifteen-plus years of experience. We hire people who push each other to do better work.
Other
- An offer of employment may be conditional upon successful completion of a background check in accordance with local legislation and our candidate privacy notice.
- Your current employer will not be contacted without your permission.
- We are committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all job applicants and employees.
- Employment decisions are based upon job-related reasons regardless of an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, marital status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.
