Senior Data Engineer

Versant Media is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to design, build, and scale a modern data platform that supports analytics, data science, and data products across Versant brands. This role works closely with Data Product, Data Science, Analytics, and Engineering teams to deliver dependable, high-impact data solutions.

Role Location and Work Format

• Location: North Hollywood, CA (hybrid)
• In-office expectation: Minimum of three days per week from the LA office

Compensation and Employment Notes

• Salary range: USD 140,000 to 160,000 per year
• During the selection process, candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with a VERSANT employee in New York prior to a hiring decision.
• External candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview at one of VERSANT Media’s locations prior to a hiring decision.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement lakehouse architecture using Delta Lake, including medallion pipeline patterns (Bronze/Silver/Gold), schema enforcement, and time travel
• Build and operate batch and real-time ingestion pipelines using Databricks Auto Loader, Structured Streaming, and Change Data Capture (CDC) patterns
• Implement data governance and security using Unity Catalog and RBAC, following compliance-driven practices for sensitive environments
• Optimize performance and manage costs using FinOps strategies, including cluster sizing, workload tagging, Spark tuning, and Photon acceleration
• Design, implement, and maintain CI/CD pipelines and orchestration workflows using Databricks Workflows, Delta Live Tables, and tools such as Airflow
• Collaborate with Data Science teams on ML workflows, including MLflow, feature store integration, and model lifecycle management
• Ensure data quality, observability, and lineage across media-specific datasets such as streaming logs, ad impressions, and audience metrics
• Provide technical mentorship through code reviews, pairing, and knowledge sharing

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or equivalent practical experience
• Experience: 5+ years building production-grade data pipelines in cloud environments using Spark-based platforms (e.g., Databricks, EMR, Dataproc, open-source Spark)
• Expertise in PySpark and SQL, with experience operating pipelines at scale in production
• Hands-on experience building batch or streaming production data pipelines using distributed processing frameworks (e.g., Spark, Flink) and query engines such as Presto
• Proficiency with orchestration tools such as Apache Airflow or Dagster, with hands-on experience in CI/CD, monitoring, alerting, and data quality for production systems
• Experience working with modern data architectures, including event-driven and distributed systems
• Proficiency with Git and collaborative development workflows
• Build and operate batch and real-time ingestion pipelines using Spark-based patterns (e.g., Structured Streaming, CDC), including experience with Databricks or comparable platforms
• Solid understanding of infrastructure, networking, and data security fundamentals

Technologies

• Delta Lake, Delta Live Tables
• Databricks Auto Loader, Structured Streaming
• Change Data Capture (CDC)
• Unity Catalog, RBAC
• Databricks Workflows, Airflow, PySpark, SQL, Spark
• Flink, Presto, Dagster
• FinOps, Photon acceleration
• MLflow, feature store integration, CI/CD, Git
• Lakehouse, medallion pipeline patterns (Bronze/Silver/Gold), schema enforcement, time travel
• Spark tuning, cluster sizing, workload tagging

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid leave
• Tuition reimbursement
• Company sponsored benefits and a variety of other benefits and perks

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building Lakehouse platforms and medallion pipelines in Databricks
• Familiarity with Unity Catalog, data governance, and compliance frameworks (e.g., PCI)
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines, orchestration tools, and infrastructure-as-code
• Experience with Lakeflow Spark Declarative Pipelines (SDP), MLflow, feature stores, and MLOps practices
• Background in media and entertainment data (e.g., video metadata, ad tech, audience analytics)
• Experience building data platforms within the media industry, with strong understanding of audience analytics
• Experience working with large-scale analytical datasets (e.g., event logs, clickstream data, audience metrics)
• Comfortable using AI-assisted development tools (e.g., ChatGPT)
• Databricks or cloud certifications (e.g., Databricks Certified Data Engineer)

What Sets the Role Apart

• Passion for clean, reliable, and scalable data systems
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Ability to balance near-term delivery with thoughtful technical design
• Curiosity and a growth mindset
• A team-first attitude that supports and uplifts others

Equal Employment Opportunity and Accommodation

• VERSANT Media provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.
• If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support during the application and/or recruitment process, you can request a reasonable accommodation by emailing [email protected].

Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring (LA County and City Residents Only)

• For LA County and City Residents Only: VERSANT Media will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, or arrest or conviction records, in accordance with applicable legal requirements, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act where applicable.

Pay Transparency

• VERSANT Media includes a good faith pay range for each position to comply with applicable state and local pay transparency laws and to promote equity. Actual compensation may vary based on skills, qualifications, experience, and location, and may include additional forms of compensation and benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

Recruiting Agency Policy

• VERSANT Media is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this opportunity. Resumes submitted by search firms to any VERSANT employee without a valid written Statement of Work from VERSANT Talent Acquisition will be treated as the sole property of VERSANT, and no fee will be paid if the candidate is hired.