Team Leader Data Engineering

Data Engineering Manager

As the Data Engineering Manager, you'll serve as a servant leader responsible for building and enabling a high-performing team of Data Engineers delivering scalable, reliable, and secure data platforms and services. You will lead the development of modern data capabilities across batch and real-time processing, cloud data platforms, and enterprise data integration while fostering a culture of engineering excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.

You will partner closely with Engineering, Analytics, Product, Architecture, and Business stakeholders to deliver trusted data solutions that enable operational and strategic decision-making at scale.

About the role

• Lead and mentor an Agile team focused on data-driven experimentation, innovation, quality, and engineering craftsmanship
• Communicate and promote the culture and mission of the company
• Collaborate with leadership to align team objectives, roadmap priorities, and delivery goals with the company vision
• Provide technical leadership across data engineering initiatives while partnering with Staff Engineers and Architects on scalable platform solutions and engineering standards
• Promote thoughtful decision-making within a self-organized team and proactively remove delivery roadblocks
• Drive team performance using engineering and operational metrics such as quality, predictability, flow, velocity, reliability, and incident trends
• Coordinate response and communication for production and technology incidents and ensure root causes are identified and resolved
• Stay informed on evolving trends across technology, cloud data platforms, AI/ML, business, and regulatory landscapes
• Evaluate team structure, technical capabilities, and organizational alignment to improve delivery effectiveness and scalability
• Understand and contribute to product roadmap planning while maintaining awareness of broader technical and business changes impacting the team
• Develop short-, mid-, and long-term objectives aligned with product and engineering roadmaps
• Develop and retain technical talent through coaching, mentorship, hiring, performance management, and career development
• Promote engineering and leadership best practices across the broader engineering organization

About you

Minimum Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in Data Engineering, Software Engineering, or Platform Engineering
• 3+ years of experience in technical leadership or people leadership roles leading Data Engineering teams
• Prior hands-on experience as a Senior or Lead Data Engineer building scalable enterprise data platforms and distributed systems
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field
• Strong experience designing and supporting batch and real-time data pipelines in cloud-native environments
• Experience leading cross-functional engineering teams composed of Data Engineers and Software Engineers
• Expertise in SQL and at least one modern programming language such as Python, Java, or Scala
• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP
• Strong understanding of CI/CD, testing automation, observability, and modern software engineering practices
• Ability to contribute to architecture discussions, technical strategy, and engineering tradeoff decisions
• Experience mentoring engineers and developing high-performing technical teams
• Experience using Agile and operational metrics such as throughput, WIP, cycle time, reliability, incident trends, and defect rates to improve engineering performance
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence technical and business decisions

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing scalable distributed systems, data platforms, and integration architectures
• Experience leading engineering teams delivering scalable, reliable, and maintainable production systems
• Ability to meet delivery goals with shifting timelines, staffing, and dependencies
• Working knowledge of multiple Agile development methodologies
• Experience coordinating technology incident resolution processes
• Knowledge of people leadership practices such as change management, recruiting, hiring, performance management, corrective action, and compensation administration
• Exposure to Generative AI, LLM-based applications, or AI-enabled data engineering platforms and initiatives is considered an asset
• Experience supporting data engineering platforms and pipelines for AI/ML or Generative AI workloads is considered an asset

What you'll get

Our team members fuel our strategy, innovation and growth, so we ensure the health and well-being of not just you, but your family, too! We go above and beyond to give you the support you need on an individual level and offer all sorts of ways to help you live your best life. We are proud to offer eligible team members perks and health benefits that will help you have peace of mind.

Rocket is a Detroit-based company made up of businesses that provide simple, fast and trusted digital solutions for complex transactions. The name comes from our flagship business, now known as Rocket Mortgage®, which was founded in 1985. Today, we're a publicly traded company involved in many different industries, including mortgages, fintech, real estate and more. We're insistently different in how we look at the world and are committed to an inclusive workplace where every voice is heard. Apply today to join a team that offers career growth, amazing benefits and the chance to work with leading industry professionals.