dentsu · 1 day ago
Senior Data Engineer
Detroit, MI
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$100K/yr - $166K/yr
8+ years expDentsu is a leading global marketing and advertising company, and they are seeking a Senior Data Engineer to serve as a core architect and enabler of their evolving data ecosystem. The role involves designing and scaling foundational infrastructure for global clients, optimizing data pipelines, and enabling AI-driven insights through collaboration with various teams.
AdvertisingInformation ServicesMarketing
Responsibilities
Build, scale, and maintain robust data pipelines and models using DBT, Python, PySpark, Databricks, and SQL across cloud platforms, with a focus on integrating AI-first foundations and semantic layers for consistent data interpretation
Design, develop, and manage semantic models, ontologies, taxonomies, knowledge graphs, and business glossaries using tools like DBT YAML, GitHub, Databricks Unity Catalog, Microsoft Fabric/OneLake, and Power BI to ensure unified data understanding, contextual responses, and enhanced AI reasoning
Utilize and manage low-code/no-code data transformation and visualization tools such as Trifacta (Alteryx), DBT, Power BI, Tableau, Microsoft Fabric/OneLake, and Copilot Studio to enable governed, scalable semantic layers that support natural language querying, vector search, and hybrid AI indexing
Help build the development of AI deployment pipelines, including containerized AI agents and workflow automation using Kubernetes, n8n, LangChain, Azure AI Foundry, and Microsoft Copilot Platform (MCP), to orchestrate multi-step processes like retrieval, summarization, recommendations, and proactive notifications
Strengthen AI accuracy and governance by implementing metadata, sensitivity rules, access controls, and grounding mechanisms (e.g., combining vector databases, AI search indexes, and knowledge graphs) to enable reliable, compliant responses and address "why" questions through intelligent reasoning and source citation
Design modular, reusable, and documented data models in support of analytics, reporting, AI enablement, and agentic applications, including integration with LLMs for intent parsing, routing, retrieval, and synthesis
Develop and monitor mapping tables, validation rules, lineage tracking, automated error logging, and observability mechanisms for ETL/ELT job health, row-level integrity checks, schema/version control, and real-time data quality monitoring
Collaborate with analysts, engineers, and business leads to translate raw data into governed, insight-ready datasets, leveraging tools like Adverity for multi-source integration and normalization
Work to implement agentic AI and Copilot integrations into data processes to enhance accessibility, autonomous issue resolution, and dynamic
Drive innovation across our Data Quality Suite and our roadmap, including real-time metrics monitoring, dynamic mapping interfaces, self-serve correction tools, and AI-enhanced features for scalability and ROI
Contribute to the medallion data architecture (bronze/silver/gold) and define best practices for reusable data components, semantic layer extension (e.g., indexing unstructured knowledge for RAG), and AI infrastructure across the organization
Integrate with and manage Databricks Unity Catalog, Databricks Workflows, SQL Analytics, Notebooks, and Jobs for governed analytics and ML workflows
Develop and manage data pipelines and tools with Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, Power Apps, Azure Data Lake, Azure Blob Storage, and Copilot Studio, ensuring seamless ties to GitHub, n8n, and Kubernetes for orchestration
Leverage GitHub and GitHub Copilot for version control, workflow automation, CI/CD deployments, code suggestions, and collaboration on SQL, Python, YAML, and agent development
Utilize Java or Scala to support custom processing scripts, scalable ingestion frameworks, and advanced AI actions like code execution or vector search
Qualification
Required
8+ years of experience as a Data Engineer or in a similar role building scalable data infrastructure, with at least 2-3 years focused on AI-integrated systems, semantic layers, or agentic AI deployments
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field required. Graduate or Doctorate degree preferred
Advanced expertise in SQL, Python, DBT; strong experience with PySpark, Databricks, and semantic layer tools like DBT YAML, Unity Catalog, and knowledge graphs required
Hands-on experience with ETL/ELT design tools like Trifacta (Alteryx), Adverity, Azure Data Factory, Power BI DAX, or similar, including data normalization and workflow automation
Proven experience building and extending semantic layers for AI applications, including ontologies, taxonomies, vector databases, and integration with LLMs for enhanced reasoning, accuracy, and 'why' question resolution
Deep experience in the Microsoft Tech Data Stack, including Power BI, Power Apps, Fabric/OneLake, Azure Data Lakes (ADLS Gen2), Azure Blob Storage, Copilot Studio, and Azure AI Foundry for ModelOps and intelligent actions
Experience with AI deployment and orchestration tools such as Kubernetes (via AKS), n8n, LangChain, and Microsoft Copilot Platform (MCP) for containerized agents, multi-step workflows, and governance
Strong experience in developing and managing API endpoints, integrating with external systems, and supporting LLM access for conversational AI and automation
Proficiency in Java or Scala for large-scale data processing, ingestion workflows, and custom AI integrations
Experience supporting data observability, quality frameworks (e.g., unit tests, reconciliation logic, job monitoring), and AI governance (e.g., metadata embedding, compliance rules)
Strong familiarity with Git-based development, GitHub Copilot for AI-assisted coding, and structured code collaboration in environments like DBT Cloud and GitHub Actions
Act quickly and independently, demonstrating a self-starter mindset with a proven ability to learn new tools and technologies on the fly, while delivering scalable solutions using any combination of tools in our tech stack to drive continuous improvement and impact
Preferred
Exposure to building tools in Microsoft Power Apps or other low-code platforms, including Copilot integrations for monitoring and workflows
Experience in advertising, marketing, or digital media environments, particularly with use cases like performance reporting, reconciliation automation, or brand visibility optimization
Benefits
Medical, vision, and dental insurance
Life insurance
Short-term and long-term disability insurance
401k
Flexible paid time off
At least 15 paid holidays per year
Paid sick and safe leave
Paid parental leave
Company
dentsu
We are dentsu.
10001+ employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$24.88MKey Investors
Epiris
2012-07-12Acquired
1993-11-01Private Equity· $24.88M
Leadership Team
Dawn Rowlands
CEO Sub-Saharan Africa
Nigel Sharrocks
CEO, Aegis Media Global Brands
Recent News
Morningstar.com
2025-06-13
Company data provided by crunchbase