Data Architect

Role Description

At Cheesecake Labs, our data engineers don’t just move data from one place to another. We’re usually brought in when companies are scaling their data operations, modernizing infrastructure, connecting fragmented systems, or preparing their platforms for AI-driven products and analytics. Many of our client engagements start with strategic conversations and evolve quickly into active projects. That’s why we maintain a network of strong contractor specialists we can engage quickly when the right projects come in. This is not a traditional long-term internal role. It’s a contractor opportunity designed for people who enjoy working across different products, clients, technologies, and business challenges in fast-moving environments.

We’re looking for a Data Engineer (Contractor) who combines strong data engineering fundamentals, systems thinking, and ownership across scalable modern data ecosystems.

Engagement details

• Contractor / project-based engagement
• Paid in USD/hour
• Remote-first
• Flexible allocation depending on project availability and fit
• Opportunities may vary in duration, scope, and weekly commitment depending on client needs

Some opportunities may start immediately. Others may become active as new projects enter our pipeline.

What this role actually looks like

This is not a “just build pipelines” type of role. On a typical project, you might:

• Build and evolve scalable modern data platforms, pipelines, and workflows
• Work closely with team members to figure out what should actually be built
• Implement end-to-end data architectures focused on scalability, analytics, and AI-readiness
• Define and improve data modeling strategies, ingestion processes, transformations, and orchestration workflows
• Collaborate with software engineers, AI engineers, product teams, and business stakeholders to align technical decisions with business goals
• Work across cloud-native data platforms, relational and non-relational databases, and modern data stack tools
• Participate in technical and strategic discussions with international clients and multidisciplinary teams

Some projects will focus heavily on infrastructure and pipelines. Others will involve broader architecture, AI integration, analytics, and modernization initiatives. Most are a mix of both.

What tends to work well here

We’ve seen that people who thrive in this type of engagement usually:

• Have strong experience building scalable data architectures and modern data engineering solutions
• Feel comfortable working with modern data stack technologies such as Snowflake, Databricks, dbt, or equivalent tools
• Possess strong knowledge of data modeling, ETL/ELT workflows, orchestration, and distributed data systems
• Feel comfortable navigating relational and non-relational databases, cloud-native data platforms, and enterprise-scale architectures
• Adapt well to ambiguity, evolving business requirements, and fast-changing technical contexts
• Feel totally confident working in English with international clients and teams (calls, discussions, async) — at least advanced level
• Already use AI as part of their day-to-day workflow — whether for automation, query generation, documentation, workflow acceleration, or operational support

Experience with Spark, Kafka, Delta Lake, AI integration initiatives, or distributed data systems is a strong plus.

This probably won’t be your thing if

Just to be transparent:

• You’re looking for a highly stable long-term internal role with fixed scope and predictable allocation
• You prefer highly structured environments with rigid processes and very defined requirements
• You’re uncomfortable navigating ambiguity or evolving technical and business contexts
• You’d rather avoid collaboration with engineering, product, or business stakeholders
• You dislike context-switching between technologies, projects, and data challenges

There’s nothing wrong with any of that — it’s just not how these engagements usually operate.

One last thing

To participate in this selection process, you must:

• Have a valid business registration in your country (CNPJ, VAT, EIN, or equivalent)
• Have a bank account eligible to receive USD payments
• Be able to issue invoices accordingly

These requirements are necessary for contractor engagement and payment processing.