Senior Data Engineer

Murmuration

8h•$190,576•Remote

About The Position

You're a mission-driven data engineer with a track record of building infrastructure that delivers real impact. You're deeply curious not just about how systems work but about the messy, real-world data they must support. You've done this before: you understand what "good" looks like, you deliver high quality solutions, and you help the teams around you operate more effectively. At Murmuration, you'll work with voter files from 50 states (each with its own format and quirks), census data, polling results, geographic boundaries, election returns, and more. These data sources arrive at different cadences, anywhere from multiple times a day during early voting to once a year from the census. Your role is to bring order to this complexity by building the pipelines, data contracts, and governance that transform these disparate inputs into Atlas, our unified representation of American civic life. This role is for someone who's energized by complex data problems, comfortable with ambiguity, and motivated by the understanding that strong infrastructure and data foundations is a core part of what makes research, product development, and meaningful civic impact possible. You'll partner closely with data scientists, researchers, and product teams who rely on what you build. You also stay curious about emergent technologies, particularly AI, and apply them thoughtfully to amplify your impact and the effectiveness of the broader team.

Requirements

6+ years of relevant experience in data engineering or a related field;
Deep experience designing and operating data pipelines and orchestration frameworks (e.g., Dagster, Airflow);
Strong understanding of ELT/analytics engineering patterns (e.g., dbt, dimensional modeling, data contracts);
Hands-on experience with cloud data platforms (e.g., Snowflake) and cloud infrastructure (e.g., AWS);
Proficiency in Python, containerization (Docker), and modern deployment patterns;
Experience working in lean, cross-functional teams and operating in environments with evolving requirements; and
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical partners.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with Voter File Data;
Experience with or interest in political data;
Background in political tech, civic tech, advocacy, or mission-driven organizations;
Experience within an engineering team providing technical support to other data functions (e.g., Data Scientists, Data Managers, etc.); and/or
Experience applying AI/ML techniques to voter or political data.

Responsibilities

Own data pipelines and infrastructure: Design, implement, and evolve scalable, production-grade systems using tools such as Dagster, Airflow, Snowflake, AWS, MongoDB, and dbt. Apply a cloud-native and DevOps mindset using CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code, monitoring, and automated testing to build reliable systems. Partner with cross-functional teams to deliver solutions that meet both immediate product needs and long-term organizational strategy.
Lead data ingestion and integration: Bring in complex, high-volume datasets while ensuring strong data contracts, freshness, quality, integrity, and lineage, and build systems that empower domain experts to contribute to and maintain their own data pipelines.
Transform raw data into trusted data products: Convert raw inputs into structured, usable datasets that empower our analytical and product teams. Collaborate closely with operational data managers to ensure data models and intuitive, reliable alignment with how data is consumed in practice.
Leverage AI: Make informed judgement calls about how AI can be a force-multiplier for both your own work and the team’s and how it can’t.
Elevate the team: Mentor engineers, actively shape technical direction through architectural reviews and roadmap planning, and build team culture through documentation and knowledge sharing.

Benefits

Health, vision, and dental insurance with 100% of premiums covered for you and qualifying family members;
Retirement benefits with a 5% employer match;
A flexible unlimited PTO plan;
Generous paid parental leave;
Pre-tax commuter benefits;
A company laptop;
A flexible remote work environment;
A home office setup stipend for all new employees;
Monthly reimbursement for remote work expenses;
A yearly professional development fund;
Mental health and wellness benefits through Calm and Better Help;
Yearly in-person staff retreats; and
A welcoming culture that celebrates diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.