Staff / Principal Data Engineer

Job description
About Us:
Function was founded with a singular focus: empower you to live 100 healthy years. We’re doing that by using the best available technology to make sure people don't suffer or die a preventable death. Function has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2024, and is venture-backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). 130,000+ members have joined Function to take control of their health. We are growing our team and seeking out world-class talent that deeply believes in our mission to positively impact global health, has a relentless bias toward action and a growth mindset. Function fosters a collaborative and dynamic environment, where every day we are building the future.
Role:
We are seeking an experienced Staff Data Engineer to lead and contribute to the design, development, and optimization of our data infrastructure. This role requires deep expertise in GCP, data engineering, Change Data Capture (CDC), ETL, governance, and streaming technologies. You will work closely with data scientists, analysts, and software engineers to ensure seamless data ingestion, processing, and access across the organization. This is a foundational role within a growing team that requires a hands-on architect who can balance speed, excellence and pragmatism. We are open to Principal level for the right candidate.
Key Responsibilities:
• Lead the design, development, and scaling of core data infrastructure using GCP, Spark, Databricks, and Fivetran.
• Develop robust and maintainable ETL/ELT workflows that support diverse structured and unstructured data needs across the organization.
• Implement and manage Change Data Capture (CDC) pipelines to enable near real-time data replication and synchronization.
• Define and enforce data governance and compliance standards, including access control, auditability, lineage, and metadata management.
• Build and manage streaming and batch data pipelines to serve high-impact use cases across analytics, product, compliance, and experimentation.
• Act as a strategic partner to cross-functional teams (product, analytics, engineering, clinical) to ensure data is accessible, trustworthy, and impactful.
• Contribute as a hands-on engineer while mentoring team members and shaping technical best practices.
• Drive the long-term architectural vision of our data platform to support current and future business and product needs.
Qualifications/Skills:
• 8+ years of experience in data engineering, with a focus on scalable data architectures.
• Strong expertise in GCP (IAM, GCS, Pub/Sub, etc.) and hands-on experience with Spark and Databricks.
• Hands-on experience with CDC technologies like Fivetran, or equivalent.
• Proficiency in ETL/ELT tools and frameworks (dbt, Apache Airflow, Dataform, etc.).
• Deep understanding of data governance principles, including compliance and security best practices.
• Demonstrated success in collaborating across functions to deliver data solutions for analytics, experimentation, or compliance.
• A balance of IC execution and leadership skills; you’re equally comfortable rolling up your sleeves or mentoring others.
• Familiarity with streaming data architecture, real-time ingestion, and delivery frameworks.
• Proficient in SQL and Python for data processing and automation.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and technical storytelling skills — you can align technical work with business value.
Nice-to-Have Skills and Experiences:
While the core competencies are essential, the following qualifications will distinguish exceptional candidates:
• Experience with Terraform or Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) for data infrastructure automation.
• Background in HIPAA or other regulated environments with sensitivity to data privacy and compliance.
• Familiarity with the dbt Semantic Layer and modern data modeling best practices.
• Exposure to data observability platforms and practices.
• Familiarity with machine learning data pipelines.
• Exposure to multi-cloud or hybrid-cloud environments.
• Experience building scalable solutions in a 0-1 environment.
To be a strong fit, you also need:
• Bias Toward Action: Demonstrated ability to take initiative, make decisions under uncertainty, and move projects forward even in the face of ambiguity. We value individuals who are self-starters and ready to act on opportunities and challenges alike.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: Strong adaptability to changing business needs with a knack for building and optimizing processes. Your entrepreneurial mindset will be crucial in navigating the dynamic landscape of our industry, ensuring our platform remains competitive and responsive to user needs.
• Communication: Excellent communication skills, capable of explaining complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. Effective communication is vital for cross-functional collaboration and ensuring alignment across our organization.
• Remote Work Adaptability: Comfort with remote work environments, demonstrating the ability to stay productive and connected with the team irrespective of physical location.
• Continuous Improvement: A willingness to question assumptions and a commitment to continuous improvement. Your openness to feedback and dedication to personal and professional growth will contribute significantly to our collective success.
We value our team at Function and offer a competitive salary, equity and benefits package, flexible, fully-remote working hours, and a dynamic work environment where creativity and innovation are encouraged. If you are a highly motivated and experienced individual who is passionate about using technology to improve people’s lives, we would love to hear from you.
Join the Function Health team and become a part of our mission to revolutionize healthcare. Work with us to make a difference in the lives of thousands, ensuring a healthier future for all. Discover more about us and how we're changing the face of healthcare at Function Health. Read more