[Remote] Data Platform Engineer
Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Syms Strategic Group (SSG) is seeking a Data Platform Engineer to support Veterans Affairs healthcare data platform modernization. The role will lead the migration from an MSSQL XML object store to a scalable AWS-native data architecture, while designing reporting and query layers, optimizing data services, and collaborating with stakeholders and engineering teams.
Responsibilities
- Lead the next phase of the healthcare data platform modernization
- Implement the evolution from a Microsoft SQL eXtensible Markup Language (MSSQL XML) object store toward a scalable, cloud-native AWS data architecture that enables business stakeholders and analysts to run performant, SQL-based reports and queries against healthcare data seamlessly
- Evaluate and decide the right AWS data strategy for the platform
- Evaluate and recommend the optimal AWS-native data storage and query architecture for the XML object store data, assessing options such as S3 + Athena, Aurora, DynamoDB, Redshift, and OpenSearch based on query patterns, reporting needs, cost, and scalability
- Design and build the reporting and query layer that allows business stakeholders and non-technical users to run relational SQL queries against healthcare data using familiar tooling
- Architect the migration path for XML object store data from MSSQL into the target AWS platform, defining storage formats, partitioning strategies, and data organization for optimal query performance
- Build and maintain AWS data catalog, schemas, and metadata management so that object store data is discoverable and queryable by business users
- Optimize query performance and cost across chose AWS services – partitioning, compression, file formats, and query pattern tuning
- Work directly with business stakeholders and analysts to understand reporting requirements and translate them into durable, performant data models and query patterns
- Collaborate with back-end C#/.Net engineer to ensure data flows cleanly from Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) processing pipelines into the new data layer
- Implement and maintain CI/CD pipelines for data infrastructure using AWS-native tooling (CodePipeline, CodeBuild, and CodeDeploy)
- Apply Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices using AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK), CloudFormation, or Terraform
- Document architecture decisions, data flows, and data dictionaries clearly for both technical and non-technical audiences
Skills
- 8+ years' experience in software or data engineering with a strong AWS focus
- Proven experience architecting and executing cloud data platform migrations in production enterprise or healthcare environments
- Track record of evaluating and selecting AWS data services to meet business reporting and query requirements
- Experience delivering reporting or analytics solutions that serve non-technical business users
- Deep hands-on AWS experience across data-oriented services – S3, Athena, Glue, Aurora, DynamoDB, Redshift, OpenSearch, Lambda, IAM, and Cloudwatch
- Strong SQL skills with the ability to design relational query layers over semi-structured or non-relational data (XML, JSON)
- Experience working with XML-heavy data stores – parsing, querying, and transforming XML at scale
- An ability to evaluate trade-offs across AWS data services and make architecture recommendations based on cost, performance, and business requirements
- Familiarity with AWS analytics and reporting services, including Athena, QuickSight, RedShift, or equivalent Business Intelligence (BI) tooling
- Proficiency with Git and GitHub - branching strategies, pull requests, and collaborative workflows
- Familiarity with CI/CD practices and AWS-native tooling (CodePipeline, CodeBuild, and CodeDeploy)
- IaC experience (AWS CDK, CloudFormation, or Terraform)
- Strong ability to communicate technical architecture decisions and trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders
- Experience gathering and translating business reporting requirements into technical data models
- Comfort driving ambiguous architecture decisions to resolutions with limited direction
- Experience with Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) and JIRA
- Strong documentation habits – architecture diagrams, data dictionaries, migration runbooks
- Electronic Data Interchange X.12 (EDI) Medical Claims
- X.12, Medical Claims (837, 835, 277CA, etc), Health Level (HL7), Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR)
- Familiarity with C#/.Net back-end services for integration touchpoints
- Experience with Entity Framework migration or deprecation projects
- Experience with healthcare payer/Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) systems, clearinghouses, or pharmacy operations
- Knowledge of HIPAA compliance requirements in cloud data architecture
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline; equivalent practical experience considered
- U.S. Citizenship required for this specific opportunity
- Must possess or qualify for a Public Trust (MBI)
- Applicants selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information and be able to obtain a government-granted security clearance
- AWS certifications are a bonus
Benefits
- 100% U.S. based remote position
Company Overview