Senior Data Engineer - Healthcare AI

UT MD Anderson Cancer Center • Houston, TX

3d • Remote

About The Position

Within the Data Impact & Governance Department, the Senior Data Engineer for Healthcare Artificial Intelligence role supports the design and delivery of data infrastructure that powers advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions in healthcare. This is more than engineering—it’s an opportunity to shape the future of cancer care through responsible AI innovation. The Data Impact & Governance Department focuses on building scalable, secure, and trusted data platforms that enable innovation while maintaining compliance and governance standards. The Senior Data Engineer for Healthcare Artificial Intelligence will architect and optimize critical data systems, enable responsible AI adoption, and help advance data-driven improvements in cancer care across UT MD Anderson. The ideal candidate brings advanced technical expertise in data engineering, healthcare data management, and AI/ML enablement.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree.
• Five years of relevant information technology experience. May substitute required education with years of related experience on a one-to-one basis.
• With preferred degree, three years of experience required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Python, SQL, Spark, Azure services, Infrastructure-as-Code technologies, CI/CD workflows, healthcare data standards such as HL7, FHIR, and DICOM, HIPAA/HITRUST compliance practices, feature and vector store management, leadership experience, and the ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Master’s Level Degree
• Must obtain at least one Epic Data Model certification (Clinical, Access, or Revenue) issued by Epic within 180 days of date of entry into job.
• Any of the following: Azure Data Engineer Associate (DP-203), EPIC Cogito Certification, HIPAA Privacy & Security Certification, HL7/FHIR Certification.
• Healthcare experience in AI/ML space is a must.
• Two years of industry experience in a Senior Data Scientist role.
• Knowledge of data privacy, security, and HIPAA compliance in healthcare.

Responsibilities

• Build and Scale AI/ML Data Pipelines: Design, implement, and maintain batch and streaming pipelines for machine learning training, deployment, inference, and monitoring. Utilize Azure, Dataiku, and open-source tools to deliver scalable and reliable AI/ML data solutions.
• Data, Feature, and Vector Store Engineering: Deploy and manage raw data stores for production AI/ML workloads. Develop and maintain feature stores to support machine learning lifecycle requirements. Manage vector stores to provide fast and reliable access for production AI systems.
• Automate Infrastructure and Ensure Data Trust: Automate deployments using Infrastructure-as-Code methodologies. Implement CI/CD workflows to improve operational efficiency and deployment reliability. Establish data validation processes to improve accuracy and consistency. Implement lineage, anomaly detection, and drift monitoring capabilities for compliant and trusted data operations.
• Security, Compliance, and Operations: Enforce encryption controls across data platforms and pipelines. Implement role-based access controls, tokenization, and audit logging. Support HIPAA and HITRUST compliance requirements while enabling scalable AI operations. Manage monitoring, alerting, incident response, and continuous improvement activities. Own data pipelines and infrastructure throughout the operational lifecycle.
• Collaboration and Leadership: Partner with data engineers, machine learning engineers, data scientists, clinicians, and technology stakeholders to deliver scalable AI solutions. Mentor team members and promote data engineering best practices across the organization. Perform additional duties as assigned in support of departmental objectives.

Benefits

• Employer-paid medical coverage starting day one for employees working 30+ hours/week, plus optional group dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability insurance.
• Accruals for PTO and Extended Illness Bank, plus paid holidays, wellness, childcare, and other leave options.
• Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service and access to extensive wellness, fitness, and employee resource groups.
• Defined-benefit pension through the Teachers Retirement System, voluntary retirement plans, and employer-paid life and reduced salary protection programs.
• medical, dental, paid time off, retirement, tuition benefits, educational opportunities, and individual and team recognition.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior