Data Application Engineer

Cooley•Santa Monica, NY

About The Position

As a leading technology law firm, Cooley is determined to become a leader in the digital practice of law. We are committed to advancing the digital practice of law through modern data applications, automation, and Lakehouse‑native tooling. The Data Application Engineer plays a foundational role in building and supporting interactive data applications on the firm’s Databricks platform, enabling users to access insights, workflows, and AI‑powered capabilities more efficiently. The Data Application Engineer will work closely with product owners and architects to deliver intuitive, reliable, and secure data applications built using Databricks Appkit, AI‑assisted development tools, and GitHub‑based engineering practices.

Requirements

After orientation at Cooley LLP, exhibit proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, iManage, and other firm applications
Ability to work extended and/or weekend hours, as required
Ability to travel, as required
4+ years of experience directly applicable experience (e.g., data engineering, data application)
Experience with front‑end development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
Familiarity with React, Vue, Angular or other modern JavaScript frameworks
Basic SQL skills and understanding of relational databases
Experience building or maintaining web applications, websites, or content‑driven platforms
Familiarity with using GitHub for version control, branching, and pull requests
Strong problem‑solving skills and willingness to learn new technologies
Ability to collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams in an Agile environment
Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing high‑quality work
Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly
Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines
Collaborative team player with a positive, learning‑oriented mindset
Proactive problem solver who seeks opportunities to improve processes and tools
Ability to adapt to evolving technologies and business needs
Professionalism, discretion, and the ability to handle confidential information
Curiosity and enthusiasm for growing into a data engineering or application engineering career path
Ability to drive projects to completion and achieve goals
Strong judgment
Team-player with collaborative spirit
Unwavering ability to handle and maintain confidentiality regarding firm information, projects, client data
Proactive, analytical mindset
Effective presentation skills

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or related discipline
Experience with Python or another scripting language
Exposure to Databricks, cloud platforms (Azure/AWS/GCP), or Lakehouse concepts
Familiarity with REST APIs, JSON, and basic integration patterns
Experience with VS Code or similar development environments
Experience related to data engineering, analytics, or application development
Experience with low‑code/no‑code automation tools
Understanding of UI/UX principles and accessibility best practices
Exposure to AI‑assisted development, RAG workflows, or data‑driven application design

Responsibilities

Build and enhance interactive data applications using Databricks Appkit, AI‑assisted coding tools (e.g., Claude Code), and optional local development in VS Code, following GitHub‑based version control and pull‑request workflows
Implement UI components, data visualizations, and user‑facing features that integrate seamlessly with Databricks data sources and Lakehouse‑native APIs
Support the development of internal tools that streamline workflows, improve data accessibility, and enhance user experience across legal and business teams
Participate in code reviews, testing, and documentation to ensure application reliability, maintainability, and adherence to firm standards
Troubleshoot application issues, perform root‑cause analysis, and implement fixes under the guidance of senior engineers
Maintain and update content‑driven applications, ensuring accuracy, usability, and compliance with firm policies
Contribute to internal documentation, user guides, and knowledge bases for supported applications
Assist senior engineers in building and maintaining ingestion, transformation, and integration workflows on the Databricks platform
Write SQL queries to retrieve, validate, and prepare data for use in data apps
Monitor data jobs and application integrations, escalating issues when needed
Support data quality efforts through validation checks, structured testing, and documentation updates
Learn foundational concepts of Lakehouse architecture, Delta Lake, and Databricks‑native development practice
Work with Data Platform team members to understand data consumption patterns and ensure applications present information clearly and accurately
Collaborate with Product Owners to translate business requirements into actionable development tasks and user stories
Partner with Data Architects and platform teams to ensure applications align with governance, security, and architectural standards
Engage with Technology, Security, and Legal stakeholders to ensure applications meet firm compliance and access‑control requirements
Participate in Agile ceremonies (standups, sprint planning, retrospectives) and contribute to team delivery commitments
Communicate progress, blockers, and application updates to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders
Use AI‑assisted development tools (e.g., Claude Code) to accelerate coding, documentation, and troubleshooting
Support the development of lightweight automation workflows using Databricks, low‑code/no‑code tools, or API‑based integrations
Assist in preparing structured content and data for AI‑driven tools, internal search experiences, and RAG‑style applications
Explore emerging Databricks capabilities and bring forward ideas for improving internal processes through automation or app development
Stay current on trends in web development, data applications, and AI‑assisted engineering
All other duties as assigned or required