Principal Data Engineer

Job Summary

Key Deliverables and Responsibilities As a Principal Data Engineer, you will serve as a hands-on technical leader responsible for designing, building, and optimizing Cambridge's modern data platform. You'll help define data architecture standards, lead engineering efforts, mentor team members, and drive scalable data solutions that support enterprise analytics and business initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Design, develop, and maintain scalable data pipelines supporting enterprise reporting, analytics, and business applications. Build and optimize ETL/ELT solutions using modern cloud-based technologies. Design and implement data integration solutions utilizing Azure Data Factory (ADF), Azure Functions, and other Azure services.

Develop and maintain datasets within Snowflake and Azure Data Lake Storage (ADLS) environments. Lead data platform architecture initiatives, including data modeling, ingestion, transformation, storage, and consumption patterns. Drive performance tuning and cost optimization efforts across cloud data platforms and processing workloads.

Design secure, reliable data movement solutions using batch and streaming integration patterns. Establish engineering best practices, code reviews, and architectural standards. Mentor data engineers and provide technical leadership across projects. Partner with analytics, product, and business stakeholders to deliver scalable, high-quality data solutions.

What We Are Looking For

8+ years of experience in data engineering, data architecture, or related technical roles. Strong hands-on experience with: Snowflake (SQL) Azure Data Factory (ADF) Azure Data Lake Storage (ADLS) Azure Functions Data Pipeline Development ETL / ELT Design and Implementation Performance Tuning Cloud Cost Optimization Python Strong SQL development and data modeling expertise.

Experience designing scalable data integration and analytics solutions in Azure. Knowledge of modern data architecture patterns and best practices.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with Bronze/Silver/Gold (Medallion) architecture patterns. Experience with Change Data Capture (CDC) and streaming platforms. Experience with data governance, lineage, and metadata management. Knowledge of financial services, wealth management, or highly regulated industries. Location: Phoenix, AZ, or Fairfield, IA – Hybrid in-office 3 days/week Why Cambridge?

Cambridge has competitive benefits and promotes a work/life balance to encourage individual success. Premium benefit package including medical, vision, dental, life and long-term disability insurance Vacation/sick time 401K retirement plan with company matching program Eleven paid holidays You can find more details about our comprehensive benefits package here.

Company Overview: At Cambridge, our purpose is simple: to make a difference in the lives of our financial advisors, their clients, and our associates. Founded in 1981, we have 45 years of experience supporting independent financial advisors with industry-leading tools, compliance, and transition services. Guided by our core values—integrity, commitment, flexibility, and kindness—we put financial advisors first in every decision we make.

Cambridge is an internally controlled, growth-focused independent broker-dealer, ranked among the largest and fastest-growing firms in the industry. With home offices in Fairfield, Iowa, and Phoenix, Arizona, and a nationwide reach, our 900 associates maintain a 4:1 advisor-to-associate ratio to ensure personalized service.

Our community of over 4,000 producing financial advisors includes diverse business models—RIA, corporate RIA, hybrid, fee-only, and brokerage—and offers a broad selection of investment solutions with no proprietary products. For further information about Cambridge, please visit https://www.joincambridge.com/