Advanced Data Engineer - Assortment Analytics Tech Lead

Kroger•Blue Ash, OH

About The Position

The Advanced Data Engineer - Assortment Analytics Tech Lead will lead our assortment data platform strategy for merchandising analytics using Databricks, Unity Catalog & AI/ML. You'll architect and build solutions that directly impact key assortment planning and execution in merchandizing. Build world-class analytics capabilities with Databricks/PowerBI Implement AI-driven assortment optimization & demand forecasting Design data governance for self-service merchandising analytics Develop agentic AI workflows for automated insights & recommendations Lead a team of data engineers, PowerBI developers and analysts Accountable for leading activities that create deliverables to guide the direction, development, and delivery of technological responses to targeted business outcomes. Provide facilitation, analysis and design tasks required for the development of an enterprise's data and information architecture, focusing on data as an asset for the enterprise. Develop reusable standards, design patterns, guidelines, and configurations to evolve the technical infrastructure related to data and information across the enterprise, including direct collaboration with 84.51. Demonstrate the company's core values of respect, honesty, integrity, diversity, inclusion and safety.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree computer science, or software engineering, or related field
Any experience defining evolutionary data solutions and underlying technologies
7+ years successful and applicable experience taking a lead role in building complex data solutions that have been successfully delivered to customers
7+ years proven track record of designing and delivering large scale, high quality operational or analytical data systems
7+ years successful and applicable hands on experience in the data development and principles including end-to-end design patterns
Demonstrated written and oral communication skills
Knowledge in a minimum of two of the following technical disciplines: data warehousing, data management, analytics development, data science, application programming interfaces (APIs), data integration, cloud, servers and storage, and database management
Strong knowledge of industry trends and industry competition
Basic understanding of network and data security architecture

Nice To Haves

Any experience building solutions using elastic architectures (preferably Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform)
Any experience with data science solutions or platforms
Any experience with operational data science, machine learning or artificial intelligence solutions
Any experience with a variety of SQL, NoSQL and Big Data Platforms
8+ years data platform experience (3+ years Databricks)
Strong Python/SQL + retail/merchandising data expertise
ML/AI model development & deployment experience
Experience with PowerBI integration & dimensional modeling
Databricks & cloud platform certifications (or willingness to obtain)

Responsibilities

Participate in the development and communication of data strategy and roadmaps across the technology organization to support project portfolio and business strategy
Participate in, and drive, the development and communication of enterprise standards for data domains and data solutions, focusing on simplified integration and streamlined operational and analytical uses
Provide technical leadership to ensure clarity between ongoing projects, including direct collaboration with 84.51
Drive digital innovation by leveraging innovative new technologies and approaches to renovate, extend, and transform the existing core data assets, including SQL-based, NoSQL-based, and Cloud-based data platforms
Define high-level migration plans to address the gaps between the current and future state
Present opportunities with cost/benefit analysis to leadership to shape sound architectural decisions
Lead the analysis of the technology environment to detect critical deficiencies and recommend solutions for improvement
Mentor team members in data principles, patterns, processes and practices
Promote the reuse of data assets, including the management of the data catalog for reference
Draft and review architectural diagrams, interface specifications and other design documents
Must be able to perform the essential job functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation