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Senior Data Platform Engineer Jobs in Raleigh, NC

Work Schedule: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST Seeking a Senior Developer to design, build, and optimize cloud infrastructure and data platform integrations using Java-based microservices and distributed ...

The Role: * The Senior Data Architect is responsible for designing, governing, and evolving ... engineers, analytics teams, and cloud platform teams to translate business requirements into ...

Data Engineer

Raleigh, NC ยท On-site

$111K - $133K/yr

Together. Summary The Data Engineer, Solutions & Data role designs, builds, and operates data ... Data Platform & Storage * Design and implement data pipelines using Azure data technologies (e.g ...

Senior Data Engineer

Durham, NC

$102K - $139K/yr

Labcorp is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to join our team in Durham, NC. Job Responsibilities: * Design and implement end-to-end data engineering solutions by leveraging the full suite of Databricks ...

Senior Data Engineer

Durham, NC ยท On-site

$102K - $139K/yr

Labcorp is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to join our team in Durham, NC. Job Responsibilities: * Design and implement end-to-end data engineering solutions by leveraging the full suite of Databricks ...

Data Engineer

Raleigh, NC ยท On-site

$111K - $133K/yr

Experience in designing and optimizing scalable data pipelines using modern platforms like Azure Synapse, Snowflake or Databricks workflows * Programming Languages: Strong proficiency in Python or ...

Senior Data Engineer

Raleigh, NC ยท Hybrid

$91K - $163K/yr

Join the Magnus Lake House team within Optum Insight as a Senior Data Engineer. In this role, you will be a key contributor to a high-profile migration project, transitioning our legacy Cornerstone ...

Senior Data Scientist Durham or Burlington NC location Hybrid 3 days in office, 2 days remote Day ... Master's degree in Big Data Analytics, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics OR Engineering * 3 ...

Senior Data Engineer

Raleigh, NC ยท On-site

$91K - $163K/yr

Join the Magnus Lake House team within Optum Insight as a Senior Data Engineer. In this role, you will be a key contributor to a high-profile migration project, transitioning our legacy Cornerstone ...

Senior Data Scientist Durham or Burlington NC location Hybrid 3 days in office, 2 days remote Day ... Master's degree in Big Data Analytics, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics OR Engineering * 3 ...

Senior V-Force Developer VAST Data is looking to add a Senior V-Force Developer to our growing team ... Our platform is redefining what's possible in high-performance, scalable data systems, and we're ...

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Showing results 1-20

Senior Data Platform Engineer information

See Raleigh, NC salary details

$78.7K

$122.8K

$170.1K

How much do senior data platform engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior data platform engineer in Raleigh, NC is $122,801.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $103,000.00 and $140,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a Senior Data Platform Engineer typically collaborate with data scientists and analysts within an organization?

A Senior Data Platform Engineer works closely with data scientists and analysts to understand their data needs and ensure the platform supports efficient data access, processing, and analysis. This often involves designing and implementing data pipelines, optimizing data storage solutions, and ensuring data quality and integrity. Regular communication is essential to align on data requirements, troubleshoot issues, and roll out new platform features that enhance analytical capabilities. Collaboration frequently occurs through agile ceremonies, project meetings, and shared documentation to ensure all stakeholders are aligned and productive.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Data Platform Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Data Platform Engineer, you need deep expertise in data architecture, database management, ETL design, and programming languages like Python or Java, typically supported by a bachelor's degree in computer science or related field. Familiarity with cloud platforms (such as AWS, Azure, or GCP), big data tools (like Spark or Hadoop), and certifications in relevant technologies are commonly required. Strong problem-solving, collaboration, and communication skills set top performers apart in this role. These competencies are essential for building robust, scalable data systems that support business intelligence and data-driven decision-making.

What does a Senior Data Platform Engineer do?

A Senior Data Platform Engineer is responsible for designing, building, and maintaining large-scale data platforms that support an organization's data analytics and processing needs. They work with various technologies to ensure data is collected, stored, and accessible efficiently and securely. Their role often involves optimizing data pipelines, managing databases, ensuring data quality, and collaborating with data scientists and analysts to deliver reliable data solutions. In addition, they help set best practices and mentor junior engineers on the team.

What is the difference between Senior Data Platform Engineer vs Data Engineer?

AspectSenior Data Platform EngineerData Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in CS, Data Science, or related; often certifications in cloud platformsBachelor's in CS, Software Engineering, or related; certifications in data tools are common
Work EnvironmentDesigning, building, and maintaining large-scale data platforms; working with cloud servicesDeveloping data pipelines, ETL processes, and data storage solutions
Industry UsageUsed across tech, finance, healthcare, and retail for managing data infrastructureCommonly employed in similar industries for data processing and integration

The Senior Data Platform Engineer focuses on designing and maintaining scalable data platforms, often with cloud expertise, while Data Engineers primarily develop data pipelines and ETL processes. Both roles require strong technical skills and are vital in data-driven organizations, but the Senior Data Platform Engineer typically has a broader scope and more strategic responsibilities.

What are the most commonly searched types of Data Platform Engineer jobs in Raleigh, NC? The most popular types of Data Platform Engineer jobs in Raleigh, NC are:
What cities near Raleigh, NC are hiring for Senior Data Platform Engineer jobs? Cities near Raleigh, NC with the most Senior Data Platform Engineer job openings:
Senior Platform Engineer, Data & AI Infrastructure

Senior Platform Engineer, Data & AI Infrastructure

McKinney

Durham, NC โ€ข On-site

$140K - $160K/yr

Full-time

Posted 10 days ago


Job description

Purpose
We're looking for a backend-leaning, Senior, Full Stack Engineer who will build AI-powered platforms, tools, and workflows that create value for our clients and empower our creative, strategy, operations, and account teams.
You'll design and build backend services, data-centric components, and internal tools, with a strong focus on Python and modern cloud infrastructure. You will be hands-on with integrating large language models (LLMs) and other AI capabilities into real products, from early design through deployment, monitoring, and iteration.
Ideal Candidate
  • You're a strong backend-focused engineer who thinks in terms of systems, data models, and APIs.
  • You're comfortable hopping into simple frontend tasks when needed.
  • Enjoys collaborating closely with cross-functional partners.
  • You can translate requirements into scalable software that balances speed, quality, and reliability.
  • You're curious about AI and other emerging technology and excited to integrate them responsibly into real products.
  • You take ownership of products, from design through deployment and maintenance.

Responsibilities
  • Design, build and maintain backend services and APIs primarily in Python (FastAPI/Starlette), emphasizing clean design, performance, and reliability.
  • Model data and write high-quality SQL (primarily in BigQuery); use document databases (e.g., Firestore, MongoDB) where appropriate.
  • Build, harden, and operate containerized services: author Dockerfiles (multi-stage), manage image versions in Artifact Registry, and enforce container security/scanning.
  • Deploy on GCP with Cloud Run and Compute Engine; leverage Secret Manager, Artifact Registry, Cloud Build/Deploy, and Cloud Monitoring/Logging; Kubernetes familiarity is a plus.
  • Integrate LLM/AI capabilities with an agentic approach (tool/function calling, multi-step orchestration/planning, retrieval/RAG, and memory) using providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Gemini, as well as open-weight models; implement evaluation, safety, and guardrails.
  • Utilize our enterprise AI platform (Abacus.ai) that provides unified access to multiple language, image, and short-form video models, plus prompt/version management, safety, and analytics; help define reusable patterns and abstractions for it across products.
  • Collaborate with data partners on ELT pipelines; use BigQuery and Dataform for transformations and analytics use cases.
  • Define and version API contracts (REST/GraphQL); document systems and interfaces.
  • Apply security and privacy best practices (authn/z, IAM least-privilege, secret handling, input validation, rate limiting).
  • Establish observability (metrics, logs, traces) and conduct performance tuning; participate in pragmatic on-call as needed.
  • Write tests (unit/integration/e2e); maintain CI/CD pipelines; conduct code reviews; mentor junior engineers

Professional Skills
  • Strong experience building backend services and APIs in Python (any modern web framework)
  • Experience with document databases (e.g., Firestore, MongoDB).
  • Containers & CI/CD: Docker/OCI image authoring, multi-stage builds, image scanning/SBOMs, Artifact Registry; automated builds and deployments.
  • Cloud: GCP first (Cloud Run and Compute Engine; Secret Manager, Artifact Registry, Cloud Build/Deploy, Monitoring/Logging); Kubernetes familiarity welcome; equivalent AWS/Azure experience acceptable.
  • AI/LLM: Agentic architectures (tool/function use, multi-step orchestration, retrieval/RAG, planners, memory), evaluation/guardrails/safety; experience with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, and open-weight models; familiarity with enterprise AI platforms that unify access to multiple model types.
  • APIs & Services: REST/GraphQL, schema/versioning, authentication/authorization.
  • Reliability: Testing (Pytest or similar), observability, performance tuning.
  • Frontend: Able to handle simple UI needs using modern web technologies; framework agnostic.
  • Process: Git-based workflows and agile practices.

Competencies
  • Communicates and collaborates effectively with creative, operations, strategy, and data partners.
  • Outcome-oriented problem solving; balances speed, quality, and security.
  • Ownership and accountability; follows through and documents decisions.
  • Growth mindset; receptive to feedback and continuous learning.
  • Uses AI assistants responsibly with validation: evaluates outputs critically, adds tests, and adapts code to team conventions before submission.

Experience
  • 4+ years of professional software engineering with a backend focus.
  • Proven and demonstrable experience building Python (FastAPI/Starlette) services and APIs for cloud deployment (GCP preferred).
  • Hands-on SQL experience in BigQuery; document database experience; Dataform exposure is a plus.
  • Prior experience integrating LLMs in an agentic manner into production apps or adjacent ML systems.

Salary Range
Our estimated range for this role is $140k - $160k
Compensation packages are based on the skill level and experience each candidate brings to their role. There may also be a more senior or junior position available that could be a better fit with your expertise. Each level has its own compensation range.
We pride ourselves on competitive salaries, and ensuring pay equity exists across our organization. We benchmark each position against existing employee competencies and 4As compensation data which includes geographic and agency size benchmarks. We also meet with department leaders 3x/year to ensure we are supporting employees in living into their full potential. Our promotions are not limited to a specific time per year. Promotions are tied to performance.
Right To Work In The US
You must be authorized to work in the US for any employer. At this time, we are not sponsoring or providing assistance with obtaining work authorization.
McKinney is a place where everyone can grow. Studies have shown that marginalized communities such as women, LGBTQ+ and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. However you identify, and whatever background you bring with you, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come into work every day.
We are in the office Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday on a hybrid schedule. We look forward to meeting you!
About McKinney
McKinney is a creative agency that gets unfair attention for brands. In 2024, McKinney was named to Fast Company's Best Workplaces for Innovators list, as well as Ad Age's A-List and its list of Best Places to Work (2024 and 2025), reinforcing the agency's commitment to providing an exceptional workplace culture where employees thrive, and creativity flourishes. McKinney Health, the agency's Pharma and Wellness practice, launched in 2022, was named to MM+M Magazine's 2024 Agency 100 list. A Certified B Corporation, McKinney is part of the Cheil Worldwide network and has offices across the country, including Durham, New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Phoenix, and Toronto. McKinney has been recognized by Cannes Lions, Effies, The One Show, D&AD, ANDY, CLIO, LIA, the Shortys, and The Webby Awards, among others. Client partners include brands such as Popeyes, Blue Diamond Growers, Little Caesars, Pampers, Henkel, Samsung, Indivior, Sherwin-Williams, Biogen and the Ad Council. For more information, visit mckinney.com.