Principal Data Engineer

Principal Data EngineerBoulder, ColoradoAbout SovrnEvery interesting company solves important problems for other people. Sovrn is a software and data business that helps open web businesses be and remain independent. We help them understand their business better, operate more efficiently, and make and keep more money.We believe in the freedom and free-flow of information.We believe the open web is the largest source of this information.We believe in helping open web businesses be and remain independent.Through software products and data solutions we help our customers:Understand their business better, so they can make better decisionsOperate their business more efficiently, so they can invest in what matters mostMake (and keep) more money, so they control their own destinyAbout the RoleWe're looking for a principal software engineer (data) with deep roots in adtech data infrastructure and a genuine conviction about what AI-native data engineering looks like in practice. This is a specialized principal-level engineering role — one that carries all the architectural ownership and technical leadership expectations of a principal software engineer, focused on Sovrn's data collective.From a generative/agentic AI capabilities standpoint, we already use LLMs and agentic tooling across our data stack and, we're looking for is someone who can help us take that from general adoption to intentional practice — who has strong opinions about where AI creates real leverage in a high-throughput adtech environment, and who can bring the rest of the engineering organization along with them.Languages/components/tools in our stack: Python, Pyspark, Kafka, Databricks, AWSWhat You'll Be DoingData Platform & ArchitectureOwn the design and evolution of data platform systems that operate at exchange scale; high throughput, real-time streaming, and always-on batch pipelinesLead architectural decisions across data infrastructure: pipeline design, data modeling, lakehouse architecture, and data services layersSpecify data platform components and configurations required for pipeline implementation; define pipeline observability to understand and improve performance at massive scaleResearch, implement, and evolve methods to process and democratize data across the organizationDrive technical standards, design reviews, and engineering best practices across a senior teamPartner with product, data science, and platform teams to ship end-to-endAI & Agentic Engineering LeadershipEstablish and champion AI engineering practices across the team, from prompt engineering and RAG patterns to agentic workflow design, LLM evaluation, and progressive implementation of agentic design patternsIdentify high-leverage opportunities to apply AI in our data stack: intelligent pipeline optimization, anomaly detection, automated data quality, forecasting, and LLM-powered data servicesLead the evolution of our existing LLM and agentic tooling from passive use to intentional, well-architected integration within our data platformSet standards for how we evaluate, trust, and operate AI-powered systems in production, including observability, fallback behavior, and model governanceHelp the broader engineering team build fluency and confidence with AI tooling, not just tolerance of itCollaboration & MentorshipProvide domain expertise across the organization to enable business growth through data services and data modelsProvide counsel to all consumers and stakeholders of data to enable efficient and impactful use of our data assetsMentor and level up engineers through code review, design collaboration, and hands-on guidance; foster a culture of innovation and continuous learningOperate with high autonomy across ambiguous, high-impact problemsA Successful Candidate Will Have10+ years of software engineering experience, with a strong data engineering and backend track record5+ years working specifically in adtech data infrastructure, SSP, DSP, exchange, or ad server environmentsDeep fluency in the programmatic ecosystem: OpenRTB, bid request/response flows, auction mechanics, supply path optimization, or similarExcellent understanding of real-time streaming and batch pipelines, big data, and data lakes; hands-on experience in distributed data processing in the AWS ecosystemStrong understanding of second-layer big data platforms such as Snowflake and Databricks, applicable use cases, best practices, implementation, and support considerationsStrong experience in structured, unstructured, and semi-structured data techniques; metadata management, data lineage, and data governanceExperience with data security and compliance (PII, CCPA, GDPR, etc.)Demonstrated experience leading AI or agentic engineering efforts in production environments; not just experimentation, but shipped, operated, and iterated onHands-on experience with LLM integration patterns: RAG, vector DBs, tool use, multi-step agentic workflows, prompt engineering, and evaluation frameworksAbility to clearly document and communicate architectural concepts at multiple levels; ability to lead problem definition, solution designs, and implementation work plansUnderstanding of DevOps and SRE practicesComfort driving technical decisions in ambiguous, fast-moving environmentsA point of view on where AI is and isn't the right tool, and the credibility to make that caseLocation: Sovrn offices are located in Boulder, CO and New York, NY. We believe collaboration and shared purpose lead to deeper relationships, more creative problem-solving, and more learning, faster. For employees located near one of our offices, working in-person is our default. We trust people to use personal agency when focused work or life circumstances call for flexibility. For exceptional candidates we would consider remote locations in these states: AZ, CA, CO, GA, MD, MA, MI, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OK, TX, UT, WA. #LI-Remote, #LI-HybridWe understand that no candidate is perfectly qualified for any job. Experience comes in different forms; many skills are transferable; and passion goes a long way. Even more important than your resume is a clear demonstration of accountability and the ability to thrive in a fluid and collaborative environment. We expect you to learn new things in this role and encourage you to apply if your experience is close to what we're looking for.Sovrn Core Values: Candid, Customer Empathy, Learning, Scrappy, Second Order ThinkingCompensation and BenefitsThe base pay range for this position is $200,000 to $240,000 annually. In addition to the base salary, the total compensation package includes bonus, equity, and benefits. Actual earnings may vary depending on the candidate's direct experience, skills, industry knowledge, and location.Sovrn offers a full slate of benefits from competitive salaries, stock options, medical, dental, and vision coverage, short and long-term disability, life insurance, 11 paid holidays, flexible vacation, commuter benefits, a 401(k) plan and match, and a paid parental leave program.Job PostingApplications will be accepted until July 1, 2026.Equal Opportunity EmployerSovrn is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, parental or pregnancy status, marriage and civil partnership, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.Recruitment AgenciesSovrn does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias or Sovrn employees. Sovrn is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.