1

Data Engineer Contract Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

Sr Data Engineer

Des Moines, IA · On-site

$117K - $146K/yr

Translate business needs into durable technical designs (including data contracts and SLAs) and ... Engineer Secure-by-Design Data Solutions and Ensure Compliance * Implement and enforce secure data ...

Sr Data Engineer

Des Moines, IA · On-site

$117K - $146K/yr

Translate business needs into durable technical designs (including data contracts and SLAs) and ... Engineer Secure-by-Design Data Solutions and Ensure Compliance * Implement and enforce secure data ...

Sr Data Engineer

Des Moines, IA

$111K - $134K/yr

Translate business needs into durable technical designs (including data contracts and SLAs) and ... Engineer Secure-by-Design Data Solutions and Ensure Compliance * Implement and enforce secure data ...

Sr Data Engineer

Des Moines, IA

$111K - $134K/yr

Translate business needs into durable technical designs (including data contracts and SLAs) and ... Engineer Secure-by-Design Data Solutions and Ensure Compliance * Implement and enforce secure data ...

Senior Data Engineer

Cedar Rapids, IA · On-site

$95K - $115K/yr

Summary The Senior Data Engineer will support creation of the Book of Record by building AWS-based ... This is not a contract of employment nor for any specific job responsibilities. The Company may ...

New

Senior Data Engineer

Cedar Rapids, IA · Hybrid

$95K - $115K/yr

Summary The Senior Data Engineer will support creation of the Book of Record by building AWS-based ... This is not a contract of employment nor for any specific job responsibilities. The Company may ...

New

Propose engineering documents for clients' approval, on-site installation and hands-on monitoring ... Shall be responsible for preparing all necessary reports as specified in the contract's documents ...

Providing engineering support such as consultation and advice, preparation of contracts, and management and inspection of construction projects. Duties include: reviewing data to determine material ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Data Engineer Contract information

See Iowa salary details

$41.8K

$121.8K

$166.7K

How much do data engineer contract jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 17, 2026, the average yearly pay for data engineer contract in Iowa is $121,838.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $107,500.00 and $129,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a Data Engineer on a contract basis?

As a Data Engineer contractor, your day-to-day tasks often include designing, building, and maintaining data pipelines, implementing ETL processes, and preparing datasets for analytics or machine learning teams. You may be asked to collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and other engineers to understand data requirements and resolve technical issues. Contractors also frequently assess data quality, optimize performance, and document their work for seamless team integration. The role is fast-paced and may require you to quickly adapt to new projects or technologies, making it ideal for those who enjoy dynamic, project-based environments.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Data Engineer Contract position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Data Engineer Contract, you need expertise in data modeling, ETL processes, and proficiency with programming languages such as Python or SQL, often supported by a degree in computer science or related field. Familiarity with big data platforms like Hadoop or Spark, experience with cloud services (AWS, GCP, or Azure), and certifications in relevant technologies are highly valued. Strong problem-solving skills, effective communication, and the ability to work independently are crucial soft skills. These abilities ensure data engineers can efficiently design scalable pipelines, troubleshoot issues, and collaborate across teams to support data-driven decision-making.

What is a Data Engineer Contract job?

A Data Engineer Contract job is a temporary or project-based role where a data engineer is hired for a specific duration to design, build, and maintain data pipelines and infrastructure. Contract data engineers often work with big data technologies, ETL processes, and cloud platforms to ensure data is efficiently processed and accessible. These roles can be short-term (a few months) or long-term (a year or more), depending on the project's needs. Contractors may work independently or as part of a larger data team, and they are typically paid hourly or per project rather than receiving a fixed salary and benefits like full-time employees.

What are the most commonly searched types of Data Engineer jobs in Iowa? The most popular types of Data Engineer jobs in Iowa are:
What are popular job titles related to Data Engineer Contract jobs in Iowa? For Data Engineer Contract jobs in Iowa, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities in Iowa are hiring for Data Engineer Contract jobs? Cities in Iowa with the most Data Engineer Contract job openings:
Infographic showing various Data Engineer Contract job openings in Iowa as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 63% Full Time, 20% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 15% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 17% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $121,838 per year, or $58.6 per hour.
Sr Data Engineer

$117K - $146K/yr

Full-time

Posted 20 days ago


Berkshire Hathaway Energy rating

6.5

Company rating: 6.5 out of 10

Based on 18 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description


As a Sr Data Engineer, you will design, build, and maintain scalable data pipelines and data infrastructure that support analytics, reporting, and data science initiatives. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure data is accessible, reliable, and secure across the organization, while contributing to the ongoing improvement of data engineering practices.
Responsibilities
Architect, Design, and Deliver Scalable Data Pipelines
  • Lead the design and implementation of scalable ingestion and transformation frameworks on Azure, enabling efficient processing of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data across enterprise platforms.
  • Build, standardize, and maintain robust ETL/ELT pipelines using Azure Data Factory and Azure Databricks, including reusable patterns, error handling, and automated testing.
  • Own complex integrations across on-premises systems, cloud storage, APIs, and streaming platforms, ensuring reliability, scalability, and clear interface contracts.

Lead Databricks Engineering and Platform Optimization
  • Develop, review, and optimize Databricks notebooks and workflows using PySpark and SQL; establish engineering standards for readability, maintainability, and reuse.
  • Implement and govern Delta Lake patterns for efficient storage, versioning, and ACID transactions, including retention, compaction, and schema evolution strategies.
  • Leverage and administer Databricks capabilities (Unity Catalog, job orchestration, cluster policies) to balance security, performance, and cost across environments.

Define Data Architecture, Modeling Standards, and Lakehouse Patterns
  • Design and evolve enterprise data models (star/snowflake and lakehouse-oriented models) to support analytics, reporting, and self-service consumption.
  • Partner with data/solution architects to define lakehouse architecture, reference patterns, and design reviews that improve scalability, resilience, and maintainability.
  • Lead implementation and optimization of Medallion Architecture (Bronze/Silver/Gold), defining SLAs, data contracts, and layering conventions for scalable, governed processing.

Establish Data Quality, Observability, and Governance Controls
  • Implement automated data validation, profiling, and cleansing routines; define quality rules, thresholds, and exception workflows aligned to business-critical datasets.
  • Ensure adherence to governance policies by implementing lineage, metadata, and cataloging practices; partner with governance stakeholders to close gaps and drive adoption.

Drive Performance Engineering, Monitoring, and Incident Resolution
  • Monitor and optimize Spark jobs and data pipelines, applying performance and cost tuning (cluster sizing, partitioning, caching, and query optimization).
  • Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for latency, failures, and resource constraints; implement preventative fixes and improve runbooks/alerts to reduce recurrence.

Provide Technical Leadership and Stakeholder Partnership
  • Partner with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to shape data strategy, clarify requirements, and prioritize delivery based on value, risk, and dependencies.
  • Translate business needs into durable technical designs (including data contracts and SLAs) and guide implementation to ensure solutions are scalable, maintainable, and supportable.

Engineer Secure-by-Design Data Solutions and Ensure Compliance
  • Implement and enforce secure data access patterns (RBAC/least privilege), encryption, secrets management, and secure network configurations across the data platform.
  • Ensure solutions meet applicable regulatory and internal compliance requirements (e.g., NERC CIP, GDPR, HIPAA where applicable) through controls validation, audit support, and documentation.

Advance Best Practices, Documentation, and Mentorship
  • Maintain clear documentation of data flows, architecture decisions, and operational procedures; create runbooks and knowledge transfer artifacts to support production operations.
  • Promote engineering excellence through code reviews, version control, automated testing, and CI/CD; mentor junior engineers and drive continuous improvement across the team.

Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in information systems, computer science or related technical field or equivalent work experience. (Typically four years of additional related, progressive work experience would be needed for candidates applying for this position who do not possess a bachelor's degree.)
Eight or more years of experience with advanced knowledge of data architecture, cloud platforms (especially Azure), and enterprise data solutions.
Advanced proficiency with data engineering platforms and tools, particularly Azure Data Factory and Azure Databricks.
Advanced knowledge of core data engineering practices, including data modeling, ETL/ELT pipeline development, and performance tuning for enterprise-scale applications.
Experience across the data technology lifecycle, including solution design, development, optimization, administration, and licensing considerations.
Prior experience in the utility industry, with exposure to relevant data domains and operational environments.
About Us
MidAmerican Energy Company, a Midwest utility, provides regulated electric and natural gas service to more than 1.6 million customers in Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. The company owns and operates a portfolio of power-generating assets, approximately 61% of which is wind generation.
About the Team
MidAmerican Energy Company is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion or religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status (except as required by law), gender (including gender identity and expression), sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, familial or parental status, marital status or any other category protected by applicable local, state or U.S. federal law. Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without an accommodation.

What Berkshire Hathaway Energy employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom