Data Engineer II - QuantumBlack, AI McKinsey; Critical Industries

Your Impact

As a Data Engineer II, you will design, build, and optimize modern data platforms that power advanced analytics and AI solutions.

You’ll collaborate with clients and interdisciplinary teams to architect scalable pipelines, manage secure and compliant data environments, and unlock the value of complex datasets across industries.

• Develop a streaming data platform to integrate telemetry for predictive maintenance in aerospace systems
• Implement secure data pipelines that reduce time‑to‑insight for a Fortune 500 utility company
• Optimize large‑scale batch and streaming workflows for a global financial services client, cutting infrastructure costs while improving performance
• Develop pipelines for embeddings and vector databases to enable retrieval‑augmented generation (RAG) for a global defense client

You’ll work in cross‑functional Agile teams with Data Scientists, Machine Learning Engineers, Designers, and domain experts to deliver high‑quality analytics solutions. Partnering closely with clients—from data owners to C‑level executives—you’ll shape data ecosystems that drive innovation and long‑term resilience.

• Execute at least some work in critical industries (Government, Defense, Aerospace, Utilities, Oil and Gas)
• Serve other industries as needed

Driving lasting impact and building long‑term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You thrive in a high‑performance/high‑reward culture—doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward.

• Continuous learning: Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, helps you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development.
• A voice that matters: From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make tangible impacts by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions, upholding our commitment to ethics and integrity.
• Global community: With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 nationalities, our diversity fuels creativity and helps us achieve the best solutions.
• World‑class benefits: On top of a competitive salary (based on location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package for holistic well‑being.

• U.S. Citizenship is required for this role
• Degree in Computer Science, Business Analytics, Engineering, Mathematics, or related field
• 2+ years of professional experience in data engineering, software engineering, or adjacent technical roles
• Proficiency in Python, Scala, or Java, strong skills in SQL and Py Spark
• Hands‑on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure, Oracle) and modern data storage/warehouse solutions (Snowflake, Big Query, Redshift, Delta Lake)
• Practical experience with Databricks, AWS Glue, and transformation frameworks (dbt, Dataform, or Databricks Asset Bundles)
• Knowledge of distributed systems (Spark, Dask, Flink) and streaming platforms (Kafka, Kinesis, Pulsar)
• Familiarity with workflow orchestration tools (Airflow, Dagster, Prefect), CI/CD for data workflows, infrastructure‑as‑code (Terraform, Cloud Formation)
• Understanding of Data Ops principles, pipeline monitoring, testing, automation, and observability tools (Datadog, Prometheus, Great Expectations)
• Exposure to ML platforms (Databricks, Sage Maker, Vertex AI), MLOps best practices, GenAI toolkits (Lang Chain, Llama Index, Hugging Face)
• Willingness to travel as required
• Strong communication, time management, and resilience; ability to align technical solutions to business value

FOR U.S. APPLICANTS:
McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

FOR NON‑U.S. APPLICANTS:
McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity employer. For additional details regarding our global EEO policy and diversity initiatives, please visit our McKinsey Careers and Diversity & Inclusion sites.

Our unwavering commitment to integrity drives everything we do, guiding us to always act in the best interests of our clients, our people, and the communities we serve.

Additional information regarding essential job functions and required salary estimates for U.S. jurisdictions is provided in the complete application notes.