Data Engineer -Software Developer II

Lucas James Talent Partners • Chicago, IL

12h • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a mid-to-senior level Software Developer with a strong Python focus to join our engineering team. This role centers on building production-grade Python services, APIs, and ETL workflows that operate at scale across AWS. While the position interfaces closely with data pipelines and cloud infrastructure, the primary focus is software development: writing clean, maintainable Python code; designing APIs; and building reliable backend services that integrate with AWS-native tools. This is an excellent opportunity for a Python-first developer who enjoys cloud-native architecture, backend systems, and infrastructure-aware application design.

Requirements

• Strong proficiency in Python (3.x), with experience writing production-grade, testable, and maintainable code.
• Experience building APIs or backend services using Flask, FastAPI, Django, or similar Python frameworks
• Hands-on AWS experience with services like S3, Lambda, Glue, API Gateway, ECS/EKS, Step Functions, DynamoDB, and CloudWatch.
• Proven ability to write efficient, scalable, and cost-conscious code in a cloud environment.
• Experience with API development (REST/GraphQL) and integrating APIs with AWS services.
• Experience with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes on EKS).
• Familiarity with Terraform or CloudFormation for infrastructure as code.
• Solid understanding of cloud networking, IAM, and security principles within AWS.
• Knowledge of observability and monitoring (CloudWatch, Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog).
• Familiarity with ETL design patterns, data pipelines, and orchestration tools (Airflow, Prefect, Dagster, or AWS-native).
• Working knowledge of SQL and data modeling.
• Strong debugging and problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with production ML workflows (KubeFlow, MLFlow)
• Exposure to event-driven architectures (Kinesis, Kafka, SNS/SQS).
• Experience with cost optimization strategies in AWS (e.g., reserved/spot instances, right-sizing resources).
• Experience with connecting with several types of client CRMs such as Salesforce, StackAdapt, Thoughtspot
• Experience mentoring junior engineers to provide industry best practices/habits

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain Python applications and APIs that support ETL workflows.
• Integrate deeply with AWS services such as S3, Lambda, Glue, ECS/EKS, Athena, Step Functions, DynamoDB, and API Gateway to deliver scalable, cloud-native solutions.
• Write efficient, cost-aware code that optimizes performance and leverages AWS resources responsibly.
• Automate and orchestrate workflows using AWS tools (e.g., Step Functions, MWAA/Airflow) and infrastructure-as-code.
• Monitor, debug, and optimize pipelines to ensure scalability and reliability across large data volumes.
• Implement security best practices in AWS, including IAM policies, secrets management, and least-privilege access.
• Contribute to CI/CD pipelines (e.g., GitHub Actions, CodeBuild, CodePipeline) and enforce best practices for testing and deployment.
• Work closely with data engineers, analysts, and shareholders to deliver robust, cloud-native solutions.

Benefits

• Own mission-critical infrastructure in a cloud-first environment.
• Work in a modern AWS-based ecosystem with opportunities to shape architecture and best practices.
• Join a collaborative and fast-moving team where your expertise in Python and AWS will have a direct impact.
• Grow your career at the intersection of software development, cloud infrastructure, and data systems.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed