Lead Data Engineer - AWS

Lead Data Engineer

Vaco is actively seeking an experienced Lead Data Engineer for a direct‑hire role with a stable and technology‑focused organization in Memphis.

This role serves as the senior technical resource within a structured data engineering team, partnering with architects and stakeholders to translate requirements into execution, distributing work across the team, and guiding developers on strategy, tooling, and coding best practices while remaining hands‑on with complex engineering challenges.

• Guide team of data engineers through technical direction, code analysis, and delivery execution while also performing routine senior engineering functions.
• Design, build, and maintain scalable data pipelines and platforms within AWS, ensuring reliability, performance, and maintainability.
• Develop and optimize pipelines using AWS‑native services including S3, Glue, Lambda, and Event Bridge.
• Act as a connective layer between data engineering and business stakeholders, translating requirements into practical, production‑ready solutions.
• Own data workflows end‑to‑end including ingestion, transformation, orchestration, and exposure via APIs or downstream systems.
• Implement infrastructure as code (IaC) using Terraform, contributing to repeatable and scalable delivery.
• Monitor pipeline health, troubleshoot issues, and enforce data quality, governance, and security standards within a highly regulated sector.
• Mentor engineers through code reviews, design discussions, and hands‑on collaboration, continuously raising the overall team competency.

• Prior experience in a lead or managerial role with the ability to influence without direct authority.
• Extensive skills within the AWS ecosystem with a focus S3, Glue, Lambda, and Event Bridge.
• Advanced experience with Python and SQL in complex production environments.
• Experience with infrastructure as code, preferably Terraform.
• Comfort working across the full data stack from infrastructure through consumption layers.
• Strong understanding of data modeling, ETL/ELT processes, and pipeline orchestration concepts and best practices.
• Previous experience in finance, banking, wealth, or similar is desirable.
• Skilled with API development and exposing data services within structured environments.
• Experience implementing or scaling Snowflake environments is a plus.
• Demonstrated communication skills and the ability to translate stakeholder business needs into technical solutions.

• Employment Type:
  
  Direct‑Hire with Client
• Primary
  
  Schedule:
  
  Monday - Friday / 8a - 5p
• Location:
  
  Germantown, TN
• Cadence:
  Onsite
• Target Total Compensation: $180k - $230k
• Relocation:
  Assistance is available
• Engagement Status:
  Applicant must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment‑based sponsorship, now or in the future, including: H‑1B, L‑1, TN, O‑1, E‑3, H‑1B1, F‑1, J‑1, OPT, CPT, or any other employment‑based visa programs.

Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign‑born residents, and veterans to apply.

Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.

Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable…