Data Engineer

Sallie Mae•Sterling, VA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

When you join Sallie Mae, you become a champion for all students. We’re on a mission to power confidence as students begin their unique journey. To help them plan their higher education, successfully finish, and prepare for life after school. To help them Start smart. Learn big. Students need guidance navigating this important time in their life. They need someone who acknowledges that their education path is unique. They need a partner willing to evolve and not only meet but surpass their expectations. We’re changing. Because students need a better way. We’re looking for people who are excited to drive this transformation. To break barriers and think of new ways to adapt, help, and create better experiences for students—and for each other. This is where diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives matter. It’s where you’re empowered to bring your authentic self to work. Feeling your best allows you to do your best. Our benefits take care of the whole you—from physical and mental to financial and professional. You’ll get opportunities to further your education and career, support for you and your family (including your pets!), paid time off to volunteer for the things that matter to you, and more. We’re obsessed with impact and making a real difference. For us, that means putting relationships first, asking “why not?” when tackling challenges, and continuously learning new skills. Come do more than join something, change something. For students, for future generations, for the future of education. What You'll Contribute An Data Engineer will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining robust data pipelines and integration solutions to support enterprise data platforms and analytics initiatives. This role focuses on ensuring data accuracy, reliability, and efficiency across various systems by leveraging modern ETL tools, cloud technologies, and best practices in data engineering. What You'll Do

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in computer science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent work experience).
Experience with SQL, Python and data modeling concepts (star schema, normalization, etc.).
Proficiency with at least one ETL tool (Informatica, AWS Glue, DataStage, Talend, dbt, or equivalent).
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking skills.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Detail-oriented with a focus on quality and accuracy.

Nice To Haves

0 -1 years of experience in software engineering or a related technical role.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and optimize ETL/ELT pipelines to extract, transform, and load data from multiple source systems into data lakes/data warehouse.
Implement data ingestion frameworks for batch and real-time data processing.
Collaborate with data architects, analysts, and business stakeholders to understand data requirements and translate them into scalable solutions.
Develop data quality, reconciliation, and error-handling frameworks to ensure data integrity.
Build and maintain metadata-driven and parameterized pipelines for automation and reusability.
Work with cloud data platforms such as Snowflake and AWS for data storage and processing.
Implement ETL processes using tools like Snowflake OpenFlow, dbt/Snowpark, Informatica.
Optimize SQL and data transformation logic for performance and scalability.
Participate in code reviews, peer design sessions, and production support for ETL jobs.
Document data flows, transformations, and dependencies.
Help shape technical decisions and ensure alignment with business needs.
Take end-to-end ownership of projects or features, from initial planning to deployment and monitoring in production.
Drive best practices in coding, testing, and CI/CD.
Identify opportunities to improve engineering processes and system reliability.

Benefits

Competitive base salaries
Bonus incentives
Generous PTO, Floating Holidays and 12 Federal Holidays observed
Support for financial-well-being and retirement
401k with employer match
Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance and more
Employer paid short-term/long-term disability and basic life insurance
Flexible hybrid working arrangements.
Paid parental leave and adoption reimbursement programs
Free access to on-site staffed fitness centers (in Delaware) and gym subsidy (for locations outside Delaware)
Confidential counseling support (EAP), Health Advocacy services and Wellness program with financial incentives
Tuition Reimbursement and Family Scholarship Programs
Career development and training opportunities