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Perficient

Lead Data Engineer

Contract · In Office · Saint Paul, Minnesota (USA)

Posted Jun 17, 2026

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  • We are seeking a Senior Data Engineer (open to Principal level) to lead the modernization and ownership of a critical data pipeline within a large-scale healthcare analytics environment. This role will focus on transitioning legacy SAS-based pipelines to modern Python/PySpark on Databricks, while driving engineering best practices and scalable data solutions.
  • This is a hands-on engineering role with a strong emphasis on development capabilities. Candidates with application development experience and exposure to AI/automation technologies will stand out.
  • Key Responsibilities
  • Lead the modernization of data pipelines from SAS to Python/PySpark on Databricks
  • Own and evolve a mission-critical HEDIS data pipeline used for performance measurement and reporting
  • Design, build, and optimize scalable data pipelines in a distributed environment
  • Collaborate with SMEs during an initial knowledge transfer period, with eventual full pipeline ownership
  • Develop, schedule, and automate end-to-end data workflows
  • Ensure data quality, reliability, and performance across large datasets
  • Partner with cross-functional teams and analytics vendors to deliver high-quality data outputs
  • Contribute to best practices in version control, CI/CD, and agile development workflows
  • Required Qualifications
  • Strong development/engineering background (core requirement)
  • Hands-on experience with Python (scripting and application development)
  • Expertise in building and managing data pipelines and ETL workflows
  • Experience processing large-scale datasets in distributed environments
  • Proficiency with Databricks (notebooks, workflows, cluster management)
  • Solid experience with AWS services including S3, Lambda, Glue, and EC2
  • Strong SQL skills for complex transformations and data extraction
  • Experience with pipeline orchestration and automation
  • Familiarity with version control systems (Git) in a collaborative environment
  • Experience managing work via issues, epics, and agile tooling
  • Preferred / Nice-to-Have
  • Experience with AI, machine learning, or automation frameworks
  • Exposure to healthcare data (e.g., HEDIS)
  • Background in transitioning legacy systems to modern data platforms
  • What are we Looking For (Priority Order)
  • Strong development engineering capabilities (must-have)
  • Application development experience, especially Python scripting
  • Expertise in AI or automation (highly desirable bonus)

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Lead Data Engineer

Perficient

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