Senior Data Engineer

Rockstar Games is seeking a Senior Data Engineer to join a team building a cutting-edge game analytics platform. This role involves designing, building, and owning real-time and batch data pipelines in Azure Databricks using Spark and Airflow. The engineer will collaborate with Data Scientists, Analysts, and ML Engineers to deliver data-driven insights and applications, focusing on reliability and performance to enhance player experience across titles.

Must Have

• Design, build, and own real-time and batch data pipelines in Azure Databricks using Spark, Airflow, and modern orchestration and build tools.
• Drive engineering excellence by implementing robust testing practices (unit, integration), code review standards, and CI/CD automation.
• Architect Data Models for massive-scale MPP engines (Databricks/Spark, SQL, Snowflake) that balance performance, maintainability, and analytical flexibility.
• Collaborate with Data Scientists, Analysts, and ML Engineers to gather requirements, understand use cases, and deliver reliable data products.
• Identify and implement improvements to our data platform, pipelines, and development processes with autonomy to POC new approaches and technologies.
• Mentor, elevate, and learn with the team by sharing insights, maintaining documentation, and establishing engineering best practices.
• Own projects end-to-end, from gathering requirements and technical design through implementation, testing, and production support.
• 5+ years of work experience with designing and development of modern data pipelines.
• 4+ years of experience with Python for data engineering (building maintainable, testable code) and Spark for large-scale data processing.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals – design patterns, testing strategies (unit, integration) code review practices, system design thinking.
• Expert-level SQL and deep understanding of query optimization, data structures, and performance tuning.
• Track record of building and optimizing terabyte or petabyte-scale data warehouses.
• Ability to work independently on loosely-defined projects – gathering requirements, making architectural decisions, and following through completion.
• Experience building Real-Time and/or Near-Real-Time data pipelines.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to tailor communication style to technical and non-technical audiences.

Good to Have

• Databricks platform experience (Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Workflows).
• Experience with Data warehouses (such as data modeling and technical architectures) and infrastructure components.
• Containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience with Java or Scala.
• Experience with CI/CD (TeamCity, Octopus).
• RESTful API design, usage, and consumption.
• Gaming industry experience or passion for games.
• Experience in Machine Learning pipelines and popular libraries.

We create world-class entertainment experiences.

Become part of a team working on some of the most rewarding, large-scale creative projects to be found in any entertainment medium - all within an inclusive, highly-motivated environment where you can learn and collaborate with some of the most talented people in the industry.

We are seeking a Senior Data Engineer to join a team building a cutting-edge game analytics platform and tools to better understand our players and enhance their experience across our titles.

The ideal candidate will be skilled in developing complex ingestions and transformation processes with an emphasis on reliability and performance. In collaboration with other Data Engineers, Machine Learning Engineers, and Software Engineers, the candidate will empower the team of Analysts and Data Scientists to deliver data driven insights and applications across the company.

This is a full-time, in-office position based out of our new state-of-the-art game development studio.

WHAT WE DO

• The Data Engineering team provides insights and actionable results to a wide variety of teams across the organization in support of their decision making.
• We work with petabyte-scale data in Azure and Databricks, building both real-time and batch pipelines that power analytics, machine learning, and player experience improvements.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, build, and own real-time and batch data pipelines in Azure Databricks using Spark, Airflow, and modern orchestration and build tools.
• Drive engineering excellence by implementing robust testing practices (unit, integration), code review standards, and CI/CD automation.
• Architect Data Models for massive-scale MPP engines (Databricks/Spark, SQL, Snowflake) that balance performance, maintainability, and analytical flexibility.
• Collaborate with Data Scientists, Analysts, and ML Engineers to gather requirements, understand use cases, and deliver reliable data products.
• Identify and implement improvements to our data platform, pipelines, and development processes with autonomy to POC new approaches and technologies.
• Mentor, elevate, and learn with the team by sharing insights, maintaining documentation, and establishing engineering best practices.
• Own projects end-to-end, from gathering requirements and technical design through implementation, testing, and production support.

REQUIREMENTS

• 5+ years of work experience with designing and development of modern data pipelines.
• 4+ years of experience with Python for data engineering (building maintainable, testable code) and Spark for large-scale data processing.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals – design patterns, testing strategies (unit, integration) code review practices, system design thinking.
• Expert-level SQL and deep understanding of query optimization, data structures, and performance tuning.
• Track record of building and optimizing terabyte or petabyte-scale data warehouses.
• Ability to work independently on loosely-defined projects – gathering requirements, making architectural decisions, and following through completion.
• Experience building Real-Time and/or Near-Real-Time data pipelines.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to tailor communication style to technical and non-technical audiences.

PLUSES

Please note that these are desirable skills and are not required to apply for the position.

• Databricks platform experience (Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Workflows).
• Experience with Data warehouses (such as data modeling and technical architectures) and infrastructure components.
• Containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience with Java or Scala.
• Experience with CI/CD (TeamCity, Octopus).
• RESTful API design, usage, and consumption.
• Gaming industry experience or passion for games.
• Experience in Machine Learning pipelines and popular libraries.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply with a resume and cover letter demonstrating how you meet the skills above. If we would like to move forward with your application, a recruiter will reach out to you to explain next steps and guide you through the process.

We are committed to creating a work environment that promotes equal opportunity, dignity and respect. In line with this commitment, we will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants with disabilities during the recruitment process in order for such applicants to be considered for the position for which they are applying, as well as to qualified employees to enable them to perform the essential functions of their roles. If you need more information about our reasonable accommodation policies or process, or need to request an accommodation, please notify your recruiter during the interview process.

If you’ve got the right skills for the job, we want to hear from you. We encourage applications from all suitable candidates regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, belief, race, or any other protected category.

#LI-

The pay range for this position in San Diego at the start of employment is expected to be between the range below* per year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations.

Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an "at-will position" and the company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation or benefit program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

*San Diego Base Pay Range

$121,400 - $161,800 USD