Staff Data Engineer

Denver, CO
Full Time
Engineering
Experienced

TL;DR Kharon is seeking a full-time Staff Data Engineer to join our team in Denver, CO. This role requires in-office attendance at least 4 days a week.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Design and help build large-scale distributed automated data processing systems and data lakes, while optimizing for both computational and storage efficiency on AWS Databricks.
  • Design and create batch and realtime data pipelines, infrastructure, and overall workflow orchestration to pull data from a diverse set of data sources into the Kharon Data Lake.
  • Design and build systems to track, monitor and validate the quality of data coming into or going out of Kharon Data Lake.
  • Collaborate with engineering, architects, data science, and product teams to ensure data architecture aligns with strategic goals and operational needs.
  • Lead the adoption and integration of LLM-related tooling and vector databases into Kharon’s data platform.
  • Define and champion best practices in data modeling, ETL, data governance, and system design.
  • Mentor engineers in data engineering principles, architecture design, and technical decision-making.

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
  • 9-12+ years of experience in software or data engineering, with 4+ years in a senior or staff-level technical leadership role.
  • Deep expertise in building scalable data architectures and distributed data systems.
  • Proven track record of leading technical teams, providing mentorship, and fostering professional growth among engineers.
  • Strong programming skills in Python, SQL, PySpark, and Notebooks.
  • Hands-on experience with cloud based infrastructure like AWS, GCP, or Azure.
  • Strong background in data warehousing and lakebase technologies such as Databricks, Snowflake, Clickhouse, or Athena.
  • Proven ability to collaborate across functions and translate complex requirements into scalable technical solutions.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills.

NICE TO HAVE:

  • Experience with LLM tools and vector databases (e.g., Langchain, FAISS, Pinecone).
  • Experience working with or data modelling for graph databases like Neo4J, Neptune, etc.
  • API experience using FastAPI, Flask, Spring Boot or equivalent.
  • Interests or experience in Geopolitics, Sanction Compliance, or Financial Risk.

Kharon is a highly disruptive and incredibly innovative organization that navigates risk at the intersection of global security threats + international commerce.

What does that mean? Great question.

Operating at the nexus of global security, Kharon is on a mission to revolutionize the current landscape. We take really complex data as it relates to global security and empower our clients to not only understand the risk associated with their potential business relationships but to operationalize that data so that they can make the best and most informed decisions possible. From financial crimes and sanctions to export controls and threat identifications, our tools optimize protection against the types of risks that could otherwise be incredibly dangerous and excessively costly to any business. Serving many of today’s leading global financial and multinational institutions, Kharon products are the most powerful in the space with a precision and depth that is absolutely unparalleled. 

When you look at any major global crisis event, we’re providing intelligence that’s at the heart of those circumstances. We connect the dots in a way that’s meaningful. Now, we’re experiencing unprecedented growth. As the world continues to evolve in complexity, so too does the demand for our products. Given the significance of our work and the increasing global reliance on our insights, we are looking for a Staff Data Engineer to join us as we work to shape the way businesses perceive and navigate global risks. 

Reporting to the Associate Director of Engineering, this role is critical to driving the evolution of the data infrastructure that underpins our intelligence platform. In this senior technical role, you will lead the design and implementation of scalable systems and resilient ETL pipelines that support a growing suite of analytic products. You’ll own architecture, tooling, and best practices that ensure structured and unstructured data is ingested, transformed, and delivered reliably, securely, and at scale. This position is ideal for an experienced data engineer who thrives on solving foundational technical challenges, shaping data strategy, and mentoring multiple engineers in building systems that are precise, performant, and built for the future.

To the right person, this will be the perfect kind of challenge. Our mission is compelling, our product is powerful, and we’re growing at a rate that makes us unstoppable. If you’re looking to be surrounded by people who will inspire you to think and challenge you to grow then look no further. Our team is made up of some of the most visionary and uncompromising individuals you will ever encounter. We don’t take ourselves seriously but we’re serious about the work we do and there is absolutely no slowing us down.  

To keep that momentum going, we do our very best to make sure that each and every team member is completely taken care of. We’re nothing without our people and we strive to offer a package that reflects that. As a Kharon team member, you can expect:

  • Fully sponsored medical, dental, and vision 
  • FSA program for both medical and dependent care
  • 401k + Roth with matching and immediate vesting
  • Paid time off + 11 paid holidays 

Interested? Please apply by visiting our website and navigating to our careers page! We do our best to respond to each application we receive. Be on the lookout for an email from [email protected]!

The base salary range at Kharon is set between $230,000 - $280,000. Please note that this figure does not necessarily include potential bonuses, commissions, benefits, or equity that may be part of the overall compensation package.

Kharon is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Kharon is committed to cultivating and maintaining a workplace that is free from harassment and discrimination.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or identity, neurodiversity, appearances, age, protected veteran status, or status as a qualified individual with disability. 

If you are an individual with disabilities who needs accommodation or you are having difficulty using our website to apply for employment, please contact [email protected]
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