Data Engineer I

Quick take: Axios is a growth-stage startup dedicated to providing trustworthy, award-winning news content in an audience-first format. We're hiring a Data Engineer to join our data platform team! 

Why it matters: As a Data Engineer specialized in data platform and infrastructure, you will drive forward data initiatives across mission-critical Axios products. Our cross-functional data platform team is composed of Data Engineers, Data Scientists, Analysts, Product Managers and Quality engineers who use data-driven methodologies to inform decisions and strategy, build robust scalable products and identify opportunities for innovation across the company. 

Go deeper: This Data Engineer will focus on designing, building, and maintaining the infrastructure that ensures that data flows smoothly and efficiently from various sources to users and applications that need it, supporting data-driven decision-making within an organization. In this role, you will make an impact on Axios through the following responsibilities:

• Collaborates with data team members to optimize processes to ensure data accuracy, integrity, and availability for key stakeholders and business processes.
• Participates in the design, development, and maintenance of data platform components, including our data lake, data warehouse, business intelligence tools, 3rd party integrations, CI/CD process and developer tools.
• Supports efforts to improve data platform performance to handle increasing data velocity, volume, and complexity.
• Implements data governance policies and best practices to maintain data security and compliance
• Optimizes data storage and retrieval processes for performance and cost-efficiency.
• Monitors data platform operations to ensure uptime, performance, and reliability.
• Implements CI/CD pipelines for data-related tasks to improve deployment efficiency.
• Works closely with cross functional teams and business stakeholders to understand data requirements and deliver solutions.
• Perform regular maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting of data infrastructure.
• Contributes to a culture of documentation, including data platform architecture, processes, and workflows.
• Stays updated with the latest industry trends, technologies, and best practices in data engineering and platform development.
• Evaluates and recommends new tools and technologies to improve the data platform.
• Conducts regular audits and assessments to ensure data platform security and compliance.

The details: Ideal candidate should have an entrepreneurial spirit, be highly collaborative, exhibit a passion for building technology products, and have the following qualifications:

• Experience with Agile Software Development methodologies.
• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Experience in automating data processing tasks using languages such as Bash, Python and SQL.
• Strong understanding and experience with implementing CI/CD workflows and supporting developers with tools to increase their effectiveness. 
• Proven experience using cloud data services and platforms and managing infrastructure with IAC tools.
• Strong understanding of data modeling, ETL/ELT processes, and data warehousing concepts.
• Ability to diagnose and resolve performance issues in large-scale data processing systems.
• Knowledge in designing, developing, and maintaining complex data pipelines.
• Knowledge of workflow management tools like Apache Airflow, DBT.
• Experience with performance tuning and optimization techniques for databases and data pipelines.
• Experience with data platform monitoring and observability tools.
• Experience managing relational and columnar databases/warehouses.

Starting salary for this role is in the range of $90,000 - $135,000 and is dependent on numerous factors, including but not limited to location, work experience, and skills. This range does not include other compensation benefits. Axios' compensation philosophy takes into account cost of labor differentials across the country. Because this is a remote-optional job posting, this salary range takes into account all possible locations within the United States, but candidates will only be eligible for the salary range for their location.

What Axios brings to the table besides salary:

• 401(k) with employer match
• Robust PPO and High Deductible health insurance options on the Blue Cross Blue Shield network
• Employer Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution for the high deductible health plan option
• Dental and vision coverage
• Primary caregiver 12-week paid leave
• Generous vacation policy, plus holidays
• One mental health day per quarter
• Annual learning and development stipend
• $100 monthly work-from-home stipend
• Tele-mental health services through Headspace
• OneMedical membership, including tele-health services
• Personal health advocacy resources through HealthAdvocate
• Inclusive fertility, hormonal health and family forming benefits through Carrot Fertility
• Access to the Axios “Family Fund”, which was created to allow employees to request financial support when facing financial hardship or emergencies
• Increased work flexibility for parents and caretakers
• Virtual company-sponsored social events
• A strong and positive work environment
• A commitment to an open, inclusive, and diverse work culture

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement 

Axios is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. 

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Axios makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.