Junior Data Engineer

The Junior Data Engineer role at Sentinel Group supports the development team by building, maintaining, and improving data pipelines, data services, and datasets. The position focuses on batch ETL/ELT development, data quality validation, and reliable operations, working with senior engineers during design, delivery, and release activities.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Business Analysts, Data Analysts, Software Engineers, and team peers to interpret requirements and deliver data solutions.
• Build, maintain, and enhance batch data pipelines and ETL/ELT workflows under guidance from senior engineers.
• Use SQL and scripts to extract, transform, validate, and load data from APIs, databases, files, and other sources.
• Assist in designing and maintaining datasets, tables, views, and data models that support downstream applications, reporting, and analytics.
• Implement data quality checks and reconciliation steps, including logging and monitoring to support accurate, complete, timely, and available data.
• Troubleshoot pipeline and data issues, communicate blockers clearly, and escalate risks with useful diagnostic information.
• Support modernization of legacy data processes and transition toward secure, automated, cloud-based solutions aligned with CI practices.
• Contribute to code reviews, automated tests, build pipelines, documentation, runbooks, and other practices that strengthen development and data operations.
• Support safe releases, backfills, and reprocessing by validating results and documenting changes.

Requirements

• Commitment to building secure, maintainable, testable, and observable data systems.
• Growth mindset and willingness to learn from experienced engineers, analysts, and business partners.
• Foundational programming skills for data processing, automation, and integration work.
• Working knowledge of SQL, relational databases, and data transformation concepts.
• Familiarity with Python or another scripting language used for data engineering tasks.
• Understanding of data quality, lineage, documentation, and governance as contributors to trusted data.
• Curiosity about how AI can responsibly improve engineering productivity, testing, documentation, and data quality.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Information Systems, Mathematics, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Academic, internship, project, or professional experience working with SQL, Python, databases, data analysis, or software development.
• Understanding of relational database concepts, data modeling fundamentals, and common ETL/ELT patterns.
• Experience or coursework using SQL to query, join, aggregate, and validate data.
• Familiarity with structured data formats and integrations, including CSV, JSON, and REST APIs.
• Foundational knowledge of AWS or another cloud platform, including storage, compute, and access-control concepts.
• Familiarity with version control, pull requests, automated testing, and build or deployment pipelines.
• Ability to work in a hybrid environment, with one day in the office.
• Authorized to work in the US without current or future sponsorship.

Technologies

• SQL
• Python
• CSV
• JSON
• REST APIs
• AWS
• Git

Location

Wakefield, MA (hybrid)

In-office one day per week, plus additional in-person trainings and workshops as needed.

Salary

USD 85,000 - 93,000 per year

Compensation is calibrated to geographic location, so the posted salary range may vary based on where you live.

Benefits

• PTO (vacation, sick, personal time bank)
• FTO (Flexible time off for vacation, sick and personal time) after 2 years of service
• 12 Paid Holidays (10 stated and 2 floating holidays)
• 2 Community Volunteer Days
• 5 Summer Half Days
• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Life Insurance
• LTD & STD
• Retirement Plan with 4% Employer Match
• Parental Leave

Nice to Haves

• Experience with git
• Build pipelines
• Auth
• Frontend testing