About the Position

Lead Data Engineer (Onsite)

Date published: Sep 18, 2026

Location: Blaine, MN - United States

Job category: Digital

Work model: Hybrid

About the Role

The Lead Data Engineer is a senior individual contributor who serves as an engineering lead within the Technology & Data organization. This role combines deep expertise in both analytics engineering and data engineering, providing technical direction and thought leadership across teams. The Principal Data and Analytics Engineer mentors and supports analytics and data engineers, conducts code reviews, and sets high standards for technical quality. Leading through influence rather than direct authority, this position requires exceptional technical skills and the ability to guide and elevate others.

Responsibilities

Conceptual and Analytical Modeling: Design, test, and maintain both conceptual and analytical data models, including logical, physical, and dimensional (star/snowflake) schemas, to support business analytics and reporting, optimize performance through partitioning and indexing, and ensure quality and consistency via SQL best practices and peer code reviews.
Data Pipeline Orchestration and Development: Design, build, and optimize scalable, maintainable, and resilient end-to-end ETL/ELT data pipelines. Leverage orchestration tools for scheduling, dependency management, and error handling, while extracting and transforming data from source systems. Utilize platforms like dbt to ensure robust data flow, conduct UAT, and manage code releases for reliable system performance.
DevOps & Code Management: Skilled in version control systems for collaborative development and code management (i.e., Azure DevOps, GitHub).
Monitoring & Observability: Implementing logging, metrics, and alerting for data pipelines.
Strong Communication and Collaboration Skills: Collaborate with analysts, analytics and data engineers, and solution architects to align data solutions with strategic goals. Communicate effectively across technical and non-technical teams.
Agile Mindset: Actively participate in agile ceremonies and contribute to sprint goals. Apply agile principles to respond to change, iterate quickly, and continuously improve team processes and product outcomes.

Requirements

Core Skills:
- Data Build Tool
- Snowflake
- Advanced Data Modelling
Secondary Skills:
- Fivetran
- Excellent communication skills

We Offer

Salary and Other Compensation: The annual salary for this position is between $81,000 - $140,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate. This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.
Benefits:
- Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
- Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
- 401(k) plan and contributions
- Long-term/Short-term Disability
- Paid Parental Leave
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan

About the Company

Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, bridging the gap between AI investment and enterprise value by building full-stack AI solutions for our clients. Our deep industry, process, and engineering expertise enables us to build an organization’s unique context into technology systems that amplify human potential, drive tangible outcomes, and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at cognizant.ai or follow us on Twitter.

Additional Employment Information

Compensation information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

Applicants may be required to attend interviews in person or by video conference. In addition, candidates may be required to present their current state or government-issued ID during each interview.

Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. Your application and candidacy will not be considered based on race, color, sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

If you have a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening or submit an application, please email [email protected] with your request and contact information.

Lead Data Engineer

Job description