Lead Data Engineer

Lead scalable data engineering efforts that empower cross-functional teams with reliable, timely, and actionable data, ensuring Launch Potato's analytics and business intelligence infrastructure fuels strategic growth., * Build and optimize scalable, efficient ETL and data lake processes that proactively catch issues before they impact the business

• Own the ingestion, modeling, and transformation of structured and unstructured data to support reporting and analysis across all business units
• Partner closely with BI and Analytics to deliver clean, query-ready datasets that improve user acquisition, engagement, and revenue growth
• Maintain and enhance database monitoring, anomaly detection, and quality assurance workflows
• Serve as the internal point of contact for reporting infrastructure-delivering ad hoc data analyses and driving consistent data integrity
• Drive adoption and advancement of Looker dashboards by ensuring robust and scalable backend data support
• Contribute to the future of Launch Potato's data team by mentoring peers and shaping a high-performance, quality-first engineering culture, Athena Aws (S3 Docker Glue Kinesis Presto) Python Spark SQL, As the first in-house Data Engineer, you will own the data infrastructure, build and maintain data pipelines, and collaborate with teams to ensure quality data access and insights., The Lead Data Engineer will develop a data service for command and control software, ensuring high-quality code and system integration while collaborating with various teams in a highly complex DoD context. Top Skills: Apache KafkaApache NifiApache PulsarBashDockerDocker-ComposeGitJavaJenkinsKubernetesMicrok8SPostgisPostgresPythonRabbitMQRke2Typescript AmeriLife

• 5+ years of experience in data engineering within fast-paced, cloud-native environments
• Deep expertise in Python, SQL, Docker, and AWS (S3, Glue, Kinesis, Athena/Presto)
• Experience building and managing scalable ETL pipelines and data lake infrastructure
• Familiarity with distributed systems, Spark, and data quality best practices
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills to support BI, analytics, and engineering teams

EXPERIENCE: 5+ years of data engineering experience in an AWS-based environment where data powers decision-making across product, marketing, and operations., * Data Engineering Mastery: Demonstrates technical excellence in building data pipelines, troubleshooting distributed systems, and scaling infrastructure using AWS and open-source tools

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Communicates clearly across technical and non-technical teams, translating business needs into robust data solutions
• Proactive Ownership: Operates with a strong sense of accountability; identifies and solves data issues independently and efficiently
• Quality-Driven Execution: Holds a high bar for data accuracy, auditability, and documentation throughout all systems and workflows
• Strategic Thinking: Anticipates how data infrastructure impacts wider company OKRs and proactively suggests improvements and innovations
• Growth Mindset: Seeks out opportunities to elevate team capabilities, mentor others, and stay ahead of evolving best practices in data engineering

Base salary is set according to market rates for the nearest major metro and varies based on Launch Potato's Levels Framework. Your compensation package includes a base salary, profit-sharing bonus, and competitive benefits. Launch Potato is a performance-driven company, which means once you are hired, future increases will be based on company and personal performance, not annual cost of living adjustments., In-Office or Remote 21 Locations 150K-175K Annually Mid level 150K-175K Annually Mid level Insurance The Lead Data Engineer will design and build scalable data pipelines on Databricks, develop ETL/ELT pipelines with PySpark, and mentor engineering teams for data transformation and analytics. Top Skills: DatabricksPysparkPythonSQL

What you need to know about the Colorado Tech Scene

With a business-friendly climate and research universities like CU Boulder and Colorado State, Colorado has made a name for itself as a startup ecosystem. The state boasts a skilled workforce and high quality of life thanks to its affordable housing, vibrant cultural scene and unparalleled opportunities for outdoor recreation. Colorado is also home to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, helping cement its status as a hub for renewable energy innovation.

Key Facts About Colorado Tech

• Number of Tech Workers: 260,000; 8.5% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
• Major Tech Employers: Lockheed Martin, Century Link, Comcast, BAE Systems, Level 3
• Key Industries: Software, artificial intelligence, aerospace, e-commerce, fintech, healthtech
• Funding Landscape: $4.9 billion in VC funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
• Notable Investors: Access Venture Partners, Ridgeline Ventures, Techstars, Blackhorn Ventures
• Research Centers and Universities: Colorado School of Mines, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Denver, Colorado State University, Mesa Laboratory, Space Science Institute, National Center for Atmospheric Research, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Gottlieb Institute

Launch Potato is a profitable digital media company that reaches over 30M+ monthly visitors through brands such as FinanceBuzz, All About Cookies, and OnlyInYourState. As The Discovery and Conversion Company, our mission is to connect consumers with the world's leading brands through data-driven content and technology. Headquartered in South Florida with a remote-first team spanning over 15 countries, we've built a high-growth, high-performance culture where speed, ownership, and measurable impact drive success.