DIRECTV · 23 hours ago
Principal Data Engineer
United States
Full-time
Remote
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$148K/yr - $268K/yr
5+ years expDIRECTV is a leading provider of digital television entertainment services, and they are seeking a Principal Data Engineer to lead the design and development of data products and solutions. This role requires a senior-level technical authority responsible for guiding junior engineers and contributing strategic insights on data analytics and engineering best practices.
Digital EntertainmentFilmMedia and EntertainmentSportsTVTV Production
Responsibilities
Interpret complex requirements for Data Analytic Use Cases and translate them into actionable technical designs
Design and architect advanced data products, interfaces, and retention models with synthesis and anonymization capabilities
Serve as the technical authority and thought leader on data engineering best practices, tools, and methodologies
Lead the evaluation and adoption of new data technologies, frameworks, and approaches to enhance organizational capabilities
Make critical technical decisions that significantly impact data architecture and business outcomes
Drive innovation in data engineering solutions to address evolving business needs
Guide and mentor junior-level data engineers and contractors in the design and build of data products
Provide technical direction and code reviews to ensure quality, scalability, and adherence to best practices
Share knowledge and expertise through documentation, training sessions, and collaborative problem-solving
Foster a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning within the data engineering team
Serve as an escalation point for complex technical challenges faced by team members
Contribute strategic insights on data analytics and visualization concepts, methods, and techniques
Collaborate with data analysts and business stakeholders to understand analytical requirements and use cases
Design data models and pipelines that enable efficient analytics and reporting capabilities
Optimize data structures and queries for performance and scalability across large datasets
Ensure data products deliver actionable insights that drive business decision-making
Work closely with CDO Policy and Security teams to create comprehensive data policy frameworks
Implement data governance standards including data quality, lineage, and metadata management
Design and implement data security measures including encryption, access controls, and anonymization techniques
Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and company policies regarding data privacy and protection
Develop retention models that balance business needs with storage optimization and compliance requirements
Partner with product managers, analysts, and business stakeholders to understand data requirements and priorities
Collaborate with infrastructure and platform teams to ensure optimal data pipeline performance
Communicate technical concepts and recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences
Lead cross-functional initiatives to improve data quality, accessibility, and utilization across the organization
Participate in strategic planning discussions regarding data platform evolution and capabilities
Handle complex and ambiguous problems with innovative and strategic solutions
Integrate knowledge across multiple disciplines including data engineering, analytics, security, and business domains
Lead projects and initiatives with broad scope, receiving assignments in the form of objectives
Identify opportunities for process improvements, cost optimization, and technical debt reduction
Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies in data engineering and analytics
Qualification
Required
5 – 7 years of progressive experience in data engineering, with demonstrated senior-level expertise
Deep technical knowledge of data engineering technologies, tools, and best practices
Proven experience designing and building complex data products, pipelines, and analytics solutions
Strong understanding of DIRECTV data technologies, platforms, and business operations
Expertise in data modeling, ETL/ELT processes, and data warehouse/lake architectures
Hands-on experience with big data technologies, cloud platforms, and modern data stack tools
Expert-level proficiency in programming languages such as Python, SQL, Scala, or Java
Advanced knowledge of data processing frameworks such as Spark, Hadoop, or similar technologies
Strong experience with cloud data platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud
Hands-on experience working with Databricks and Snowflake for large-scale data processing and analytics
Familiarity with Databricks AI/BI capabilities and Snowflake's AI and ML features (e.g., Snowflake Cortex) for accelerating insights and automation
Proficiency in data visualization tools and techniques for analytics enablement
Deep understanding of data security, privacy, and governance principles
Experience with CI/CD practices, version control, and infrastructure as code
Strong mentoring and guidance capabilities for junior resources and contractors
Excellent communication skills with ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
Proven ability to lead technical initiatives and drive consensus across teams
Experience serving as a technical authority and thought leader within an organization
Collaborative approach with ability to build effective partnerships across functions
Exceptional problem-solving abilities with creative approaches to complex challenges
Strong analytical thinking with ability to integrate knowledge across multiple disciplines
Ability to handle ambiguity and make sound technical decisions with incomplete information
Strategic mindset with understanding of how technical decisions impact business outcomes
Attention to detail with commitment to delivering high-quality, scalable solutions
Deep understanding of data analytics and visualization concepts, methods, and techniques
Knowledge of data governance frameworks, policies, and compliance requirements
Experience with data anonymization, synthesis, and privacy-preserving techniques
Understanding of data retention strategies and storage optimization approaches
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Information Systems, or related technical field required
Recognized technical authority with ability to influence technical direction and standards
Self-motivated with ability to lead projects independently with minimal oversight
Innovative thinker who brings creative solutions to complex data challenges
Strong business acumen with understanding of how data engineering supports organizational goals
Proven track record of delivering significant impact on business outcomes through technical excellence
Ability to balance technical perfection with pragmatic delivery of business value
Preferred
Familiarity with media, entertainment, or telecommunications industry data challenges
Experience working with Finance and Marketing organizations
Master's degree in relevant field
Relevant certifications in cloud platforms, data engineering, or related technologies
Company
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is an American digital entertainment services provider delivering sports, news, movies, family and local programming channels.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
DIRECTV has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (66)
2024 (52)
2023 (30)
2022 (82)
2021 (31)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
unknown2024-09-30Acquired
2013-08-29IPO
Leadership Team
Drew Groner
Senior Vice President, Head of Sales & Marketing
John Manganilla
Senior Director of Product Development, Video Content
Recent News
PCMag.com - Technology Product Reviews, News, Prices & Tips
2025-12-17
TV Technology
2025-12-11
The Hollywood Reporter
2025-12-10
Company data provided by crunchbase