Senior Data Engineer

Remote from: Spain
Annual salary: Undisclosed
Salary information is not provided for this position. Check our Salary Directory to estimate the average compensation for similar roles.
Department: Data Science & Analytics
Employment type: Full Time,
Job posted: 18 May 2026
Apply before: 18 Jun 2026
Experience level: Senior
Views / Applies: 13 / 2

Transforming ideas into digital solutions with cutting-edge technology.

Actively Hiring

AI Summary

This Senior Data Engineer role at Plain Concepts involves designing and developing data solutions using Spark, Python/Scala, and cloud platforms like Azure or AWS. You will build scalable pipelines, implement ETLs, and work with tools like Snowflake and DBT. The company offers a flexible, remote-friendly environment with a focus on agile methodologies and team ownership. Ideal candidates have 4+ years of experience, strong coding skills, and a collaborative mindset. Benefits include flexible compensation, health insurance, training budget, and more.

Job Complexity

Easy Hard

AI Insight The role requires 4+ years of experience, expertise in Spark, cloud platforms, and multiple data tools, indicating a high skill level. The need to work independently and collaboratively on complex projects adds to the difficulty.

Salary Analysis

AI Insight The job posting does not specify a salary range, but for a Senior Data Engineer with 4+ years of experience and cloud/Spark expertise, the US market median is around $135,000. The offered compensation is likely competitive, especially with additional benefits like flexible hours, remote work, and training budget.

Key Skills

Python Scala Apache Spark Azure AWS Snowflake DBT Data Pipelines CI/CD SQL

Cover Letter Sample

I am excited to apply for the Senior Data Engineer position at Plain Concepts. With over 4 years of experience in data engineering, I have developed strong expertise in Python, Spark, and cloud platforms like Azure and AWS. I have built scalable ETL pipelines and worked extensively with Snowflake and DBT, ensuring clean, reusable code and best practices.

I am particularly drawn to Plain Concepts' commitment to technical excellence and agile, multidisciplinary teams. Your focus on custom solutions and cutting-edge projects aligns perfectly with my passion for innovation and problem-solving. I thrive in collaborative environments where I can take ownership of projects and contribute to impactful outcomes.

I am proficient in CI/CD, testing, and infrastructure as code, and I am eager to bring my skills to your international team. I value flexibility and am comfortable working remotely, which makes this role an ideal fit. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how I can contribute to Plain Concepts' success.

Possible Interview Questions

Can you describe a complex data pipeline you built from scratch using Spark? What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

I built a real-time data pipeline for a financial client using Spark Structured Streaming. The main challenge was handling late-arriving data and ensuring exactly-once semantics. I implemented watermarking and used Kafka as a source with checkpointing to manage state. I also optimized Spark jobs by tuning shuffle partitions and caching intermediate results.

How do you ensure data quality and testing in your ETL processes?

I implement unit tests for each transformation using PySpark's test utilities and integration tests with a test dataset. I also use DBT for data transformation, which allows me to define tests on models (e.g., uniqueness, not null). Additionally, I set up CI/CD pipelines that run these tests before deployment.

Explain your experience with cloud platforms like Azure or AWS in a data engineering context.

I have used Azure Data Factory for orchestration, Azure Databricks for Spark jobs, and Azure Synapse for analytics. On AWS, I've used S3 for storage, Glue for ETL, and Redshift for warehousing. I also have experience with IaC using Terraform to manage cloud resources.

How do you approach optimizing a slow-running Spark job?

First, I analyze the Spark UI to identify bottlenecks like data skew, shuffle spills, or inefficient joins. I then consider repartitioning, broadcasting small tables, or using bucketing. I also adjust configurations like spark.sql.shuffle.partitions and spark.executor.memory. I might rewrite the logic to use more efficient transformations.

Describe a time you had to collaborate with a cross-functional team to deliver a data project. How did you handle conflicting priorities?

In a previous role, I worked with data scientists and product managers on a recommendation system. We had conflicting priorities on feature importance. I facilitated a meeting to align on business goals and used data to show the impact of each feature. We agreed on a phased approach, delivering the highest-impact features first.

🚀 We’re Growing Our Data Dream Team!

Titles? Meh, we’re not big on them, but let’s call this one Data Engineer 😉

As part of our international Data squad, you’ll craft tailor-made solutions that wow our clients. We’re hunting for a passionate Data Engineer with a solid technical background. Your mission? Train, deploy, and put groundbreaking developments into action — and that’s just the beginning.

Here’s the deal:

You’ll tackle the unique challenges of Data-powered software alongside a team of brilliant minds.
You’ll dive into cutting-edge projects using the latest tech to push boundaries and make an impact.
Whether you prefer working from home or vibing with us at our offices, the choice is yours.
AGILE isn’t just a buzzword here — it’s how we roll. Multidisciplinary teams? Check. Full ownership of projects? Double check.

Ready to take on projects that matter, with a team that’s as passionate as you are? Let’s make it happen! 😊

You will be responsible for:

Participating in the design and development of Data solutions for challenging projects.
Develop projects from scratch with minimal supervision and strong team collaboration.
Be a key player in fostering best practices, clean, and reusable code.
Develop ETLs using Spark (Python/Scala).
Work on cloud-based projects (Azure/AWS).
Build scalable pipelines using a variety of technologies.

Requirements

At least 4 years of experience in data engineering.
Strong experience with Python or Scala and Spark, processing large datasets.
Solid experience in Cloud platforms (Azure or AWS).
Experience working with Snowflake.
Hands-on experience building data pipelines (CI/CD).
Experience with testing (unit, integration, etc.).
Experience with DBT (Data Build Tool) for data transformation and modelling. Implement data transformation workflows using DBT (core/cloud).
Bonus points for experience with IaC (Infrastructure as Code).
Knowledge of SQL and NoSQL databases.
Bonus points if you speak fluent English.
A strong team player mindset.

Benefits

Salary determined by the market and your experience 🤑
Flexible schedule 35 Hours / Week 😎
Fully remote work (optional) 🌍
Flexible compensation (restaurant, transport, and childcare) ✌
Fully free health insurance, with a co-payment for dental services 🚑
Individual budget for training or equipment and free Microsoft certifications 📚
English lessons 🗽
Birthday day off 🌴🥳
Monthly bonus for electricity and Internet expenses at home 💻
Discount on gym plan and sports activities 🔝
Plain Camp (annual team-building event) 🎪
Extra perks: events attendance and speakers, welcome pack, baby basket, Christmas basket, discount portal for employees ➕ The pleasure of always working with the latest technological tools!

Will you let us know you better?

The selection process: Simple, just 3 steps.

Phone screen
2 interviews with the team 🤘

What is Plain Concepts?

Plain Concepts is a global company of over 500 people passionate about technology and innovation. Since our founding, we have grown through technical proficiency and confidence in ideas that others might consider risky, creating custom solutions for our clients. With offices in more than 6 countries, our mission is to continue to drive cuttingedge projects around the world.

We are highly committed to technical excellence. We are known for developing highly customized projects, offering specialized technical consultancy and training.

Thanks to the great work of our technicians, we have been recognized for our ability to lead innovative projects that generate value, from artificial intelligence to blockchain, driving solutions that help companies optimize their performance.

What we do at Plain Concepts?

We pride ourselves on being a 100% technical team, dedicated to crafting custom projects from scratch, offering expert technical consultancy, and providing top-tier training.

Our approach goes beyond traditional outsourcing; we focus on creating value together with our clients.
Our teams are diverse and multidisciplinary, operating in a flat, collaborative structure.
We live and breathe AGILE principles, ensuring flexibility and efficiency in everything we do.
Knowledge-sharing is at our core: from supporting each other internally to contributing to the broader tech community through conferences, events, and talks.
Innovation drives us — even the boldest ideas are welcome here.
Transparency underpins all our relationships, fostering trust and long-term partnerships.

Want to learn more?

Check out our website! ➡ https://www.plainconcepts.com/

At Plain Concepts, we certainly seek to provide equal opportunities. We want diverse applicants regardless of race, colour, gender, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Apply now >