Why USAA?
At USAA, our mission is to empower our members to achieve financial security through highly competitive products, exceptional service and trusted advice. We seek to be the #1 choice for the military community and their families.
Embrace a fulfilling career at USAA, where our core values – honesty, integrity, loyalty and service – define how we treat each other and our members. Be part of what truly makes us special and impactful.
The Opportunity
We are seeking a highly skilled and dedicated Lead Data Engineer to join our Data & Analytics team. This is a meaningful role that will drive our next-generation data engineering initiatives—focusing on GenAI-powered automation, real-time streaming analytics, and cloud-native cost optimization strategies. As the organization transitions toward a modern, scalable, and intelligent data architecture, this role offers a phenomenal opportunity to work on high-impact projects involving ground breaking technologies across cloud, AI, and data platforms.
Data Engineers (DEs) are engaged in all phases of the data management lifecycle. This includes gathering and analyzing requirements, collecting, processing, storing, securing, and archiving data. Develop and maintain technical systems for data reporting and technical solutions utilizing emerging technologies. Partner with the business to ensure data management solutions aligned to business objectives.
We offer a flexible work environment that requires an individual to be in the office 4 days per week. This position can be based in one of the following locations: San Antonio, TX, Plano, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Charlotte, NC. Relocation assistance is not available for this position.
What you'll do:
Leads, in the domain of their responsibility, in designing, testing and implementing the most complex technical solutions for data reporting and analytic systems utilizing innovative architectural concepts, new methodologies and emerging technologies.
As a subject matter expert, provides guides team in designing, building and managing data pipelines for data structures that encompass data transformation, data models, schemas, metadata, data quality, and workload management.
Leads all aspects of design reviews with collaborators and multi-functional partners. Breaks down business features into technical stories and approaches on the most complex concepts to ensure delivery of efficient design solutions.
Helps develop, maintain, and enforce the company’s data development tools and standards. Conduct code reviews on a regular basis to improve quality and ensure compliance
Creates and/leads all aspects of the development of data pipelines, extracting data from our various applications (internal & external sources) into the Data Platform.
Proactively identifies and re-engineers data processes to improve overall efficiency and business value.
Creates proof of concepts and prototypes on the most complex solutions identified and presents to Senior leadership to deliver on vision for solution. Influences leadership on design solutions.
Creates and implements efficient defect management, root cause analysis, and resolution processes.
Ensures that team builds processes that support effective data management, metadata management, and good data quality.
Manages projects within team and work effectively with multi-functional teams. Keeps leadership and senior leadership informed on status of ongoing projects.
Provides guidance and works with team members to ensure successful completion of tasks and serves as a mentor and coach for team members.
Ensures risks associated with business activities are effectively identified, measured, monitored, and controlled in accordance with risk and compliance policies and procedures.
What you have:
Bachelor’s degree; OR 4 years of related experience (in addition to the minimum years of experience required) may be substituted in lieu of degree.
8 years of data engineering, data analysis or software development experience implementing data solutions to include 3 years demonstrated technical leadership experience and/or leading teams.
3 years of data engineering or data management experience.
Deep experience with multiple technologies and product lines across a company.
Experience with end to end delivering of data solutions that includes building, managing, and optimizing data pipelines across cloud environments; curating and modeling the data for various types of consumers/products and their pattern of usage to include data marts, data lake, and operational analytic applications.
Expert knowledge of the agile principles and ability to apply them. Extensive Experience in SQL and Relational Databases.
Expert knowledge of Cloud technologies and tools.
What sets you apart:
Experience with developing scalable data pipelines using Python, SQL, and cloud tools like S3/ADLS/GCS, Lambda, and Glue.
Experience implementing GenAI solutions for data automation using RAG, LangGraph, LangChain, and LangSmith.
Experience architecting real-time data processing solutions with Apache Flink, Kafka Streams, Azure EventHub.
Proficiency in Python, SQL, Snowflake, DBT, Databricks and data modeling is crucial.
Experience modeling data across OLTP, OLAP, and NoSQL databases such as DynamoDB/MongoDB and Neptune.
Provision infrastructure using Terraform and manage CI/CD for data workflows.
Support test data management and production observability initiatives.
Requires expertise in AWS services including ECS, EKS, IAM, CloudFormation, Athena, and Redshift.
Compensation range: The salary range for this position is: $143,320 - $273,930
Compensation: USAA has an effective process for assessing market data and establishing ranges to ensure we remain competitive. You are paid within the salary range based on your experience and market data of the position. The actual salary for this role may vary by location.
Employees may be eligible for pay incentives based on overall corporate and individual performance and at the discretion of the USAA Board of Directors.
The above description reflects the details considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job and should not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be performed in the job.
Benefits: At USAA our employees enjoy best-in-class benefits to support their physical, financial, and emotional wellness. These benefits include comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans, 401(k), pension, life insurance, parental benefits, adoption assistance, paid time off program with paid holidays plus 16 paid volunteer hours, and various wellness programs. Additionally, our career path planning and continuing education assists employees with their professional goals.
For more details on our outstanding benefits, visit our benefits page on USAAjobs.com.
Applications for this position are accepted on an ongoing basis, this posting will remain open until the position is filled. Thus, interested candidates are encouraged to apply the same day they view this posting.
USAA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
