Senior Data Engineer

ABOUT PERFORMANT:

At Performant, we’re focused on helping our clients achieve their goals by providing technology-enabled services which identify improper payments and recoup or prevent losses due to errant billing practices. We are the premier independent healthcare payment integrity company in the US and a leader across several markets, including Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial Healthcare. Through this important work we accomplish our mission: To offer innovative payment accuracy solutions that allow our clients to focus on what matter most – quality of care and healthier lives for all.

If you are seeking an employer who values People, Innovation, Integrity, Fun, and fostering an Ownership Culture – then Performant is the place for you!

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY:

Job Description

Are you passionate about building innovative data solutions that drive business transformation? We're looking for a Senior Data Engineer to join our growing team during a pivotal time in our company’s technology modernization journey. This role is more than just maintaining pipelines—it's about designing and building the future of our data architecture, a critical component of our success in the healthcare industry. We're working with cutting-edge cloud technologies and data automation, leveraging tools like Snowflake, DBT, Notebooks, and modern orchestration platforms to unlock the potential of complex healthcare data. If you thrive in a collaborative, high-energy environment and are eager to shape the future of data engineering, this is the place for you.

The ideal candidate is excited to dive into not only data engineering tools but also upstream infrastructure and automation through to downstream data analytics and machine learning. You will be involved in all aspects of our data stack, from infrastructure automation to advanced analytics, enabling high-impact data solutions that directly influence our business outcomes.  

Key Responsibilities to include:

• End-to-end data engineering: Build robust, scalable data pipelines that enable advanced analytics, machine learning, and data-driven decision-making.

• Automation and optimization: Develop automated data flows that ensure maximum data quality, availability, and performance, leveraging cutting-edge technologies like DBT, Snowflake, and modern orchestration platforms.

• Infrastructure to data science: Collaborate with infrastructure engineers and data scientists to ensure seamless integration between upstream automation and downstream data applications.

• Strategic initiatives: Help shape the strategic data roadmap, contributing to our continuous modernization efforts and participating in exciting POCs with modern orchestration tools like Dagster or Prefect.

• Stakeholder collaboration: Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to implement data-driven solutions that maximize the value of our complex healthcare data.

• Growth potential: This role is ideal for someone looking to take their career to the next level, with opportunities to grow into a lead engineer, full-stack engineer, or architect.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Needed:

• Possesses a strong analytical aptitude with ability to data trends and patterns

• Excellent attention to detail

• Excellent communication skills can translate complex technical lingo into plain English and also communicate verbally with clients and other engineers well.

• Takes part in continuing education to keep abreast of new research and ideas, technology & market trends.

• Is creative can think of new and innovative ways to develop new products and make existing products work more efficiently.

• Think logically with ability to make sense of complex systems and leverage strong problem solving skills to discover root causes.

• Able to develop mathematically complex calculations of varying difficulty and work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical reference.

• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems and develop solutions

• Team player – collaborates effectively within the department and cross functionally.

• Excellent technical knowledge understands a variety of computer programs and other systems that are commonly used during an engineering project

Required and Preferred Qualifications:

Required:

• 5+ years of experience with modern data processing stacks (e.g., DBT, Snowflake, AWS, Azure)

• Strong to advanced SQL skills

• Strong to advanced Python skills

• DBT modeling expertise

• Proven ability in data wrangling

• Experience with GIT source control

• Development experience with Pythonic Notebooks (Jupyter, Snowflake, etc.)

• Experience with data orchestration tools (Dagster, Prefect, or similar)

• High School Diploma or GED is required

Preferred:

• Expertise in Snowflake and/or Azure

• SQL query optimization and data processing best practices

• Experience with machine learning or AI pipelines

• Familiarity with CI/CD (especially GitHub Actions)

• Experience with event-driven orchestration

• Familiarity with data visualization tools (e.g., ThoughtSpot, Tableau)

• Knowledge of data governance, security, and compliance best practices

• Healthcare data experience is a plus

• Familiarity with Terraform

• Relevant cloud certifications (e.g., Azure, Snowflake, DBT)

• Advanced Training/Education

WHAT WE OFFER:

Performant offers a wide range of benefits to help support a healthy work/life balance. These benefits include medical, dental, vision, disability coverage options, life insurance coverage, 401(k) savings plans, paid family/parental leave, 11 paid holidays per year, as well as sick time and vacation time off annually. For more information about our benefits package, please refer to our benefits page on our website or ask your Talent Acquisition contact during an interview.

Physical Requirements & Additional Notices:

If working in a hybrid or fully remote setting, access to reliable, secure high-speed Internet at your home office location is required.  Proof of such may be required prior to an offer being made.  It is the Employee’s responsibility to maintain this Internet access at their home office location.

The following is a general summary of the physical demands and requirements of an Office/Clerical/Professional or similar job, whether completed remotely at a home office or in a typical on-site professional office environment. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of requirements, as physical demands of each individual job may vary.

• Regularly sits at a desk during scheduled shift, uses office phone or headset provided by the Company for phone calls, making outbound calls and answering inbound return calls using an office phone system; views a computer monitor, types on a keyboard and uses a computer mouse.

• Regularly reads and comprehends information in electronic (computer) or paper form (written/printed).

• Regularly sit/stand 8 or more hours per day.

• Occasionally lift/carry/push/pull up to 10lbs.

Performant is a government contractor and subject to compliance with client contractual and regulatory requirements, including but not limited to, Drug Free Workplace, background requirements, and other clearances (as applicable). As such, the following requirements will or may apply to this position:

• Must submit to, and pass, a pre-hire criminal background check and drug test (applies to all positions).   Ability to obtain and maintain client required clearances, as well as pass regular company background and/or drug screenings post-hire, may be required for some positions.

• Some positions may require the total absence of felony and/or misdemeanor convictions. Must not appear on any state/federal debarment or exclusion lists.

• Must complete the Performant Teleworker Agreement upon hire and adhere to the Agreement and all related policies and procedures.

• Other requirements may apply.

All employees and contractors for Performant Financial may and/or will have access to Sensitive, Proprietary, Confidential and/or Public data. As such, all employees and contractors will have ownership and responsibility to report any violations to the Confidentiality and Integrity of Sensitive, Proprietary, Confidential and/or Public data at all times.  Violations to Performant’s policy related to the Confidentiality or Integrity of data may be subject to disciplinary actions up to and including termination.

Performant is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with our commitment, Performant will take the steps to assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. Accordingly, if you believe a reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the position, and/or to receive all other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Performant’s Human Resources team to discuss further.

Our diversity makes Performant unique and strengthens us as an organization to help us better serve our clients. Performant is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, physical or mental disability, genetic characteristics, medical condition, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, political belief status, or any other consideration made unlawful by law.

THIRD PARTY RECRUITMENT AGENCY SUBMISSIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTED