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Data Engineering Lead (Hybrid)

Rewards NetworkChicago, IL Product & Data Science
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Salary
$190K - $220K USD
Job type
Full-time
Posted
22 Jul 2026
Status
Open · checked 7d ago

About this role

The Data Engineering Lead at Rewards Network is a hybrid position located in Chicago, IL, requiring an in-office presence three days a week from Tuesday through Thursday. This role is ideal for an experienced technical leader who can drive modern data architecture while providing guidance across data engineering and data science teams.

Role Overview

This position acts as a hands-on player-coach to help establish a modern data engineering foundation while the organization navigates a mid-migration phase. The professional in this role will evaluate the current infrastructure, make strategic decisions on legacy versus new builds, and temporarily manage the data science team. Responsibilities include setting technical direction, clearing roadblocks, and fostering an environment of accountability and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Establish and enforce architecture standards to ensure consistent designs and repeatable results across projects.
Assess current data infrastructure to determine what requires refactoring or replacement, then execute the plan.
Lead the continued expansion of the modern data stack, including ELT pipelines, stream ingestion, storage, compute, and transformation logic.
Hire, mentor, and develop data engineering talent while conducting code reviews and enforcing technical leadership.
Define and manage the data model RFC process to maintain boundary discipline and canonical layer integrity.
Directly lead the data science team by setting priorities, managing workstreams, and translating business objectives into scoped projects.
Oversee pipeline monitoring and observability, implementing alerting, data quality checks, and rapid incident response.
Provide senior leadership with regular updates regarding team progress, architectural decisions, and risk management.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
6 to 10 years of professional experience working in data engineering or a closely related discipline.
Minimum of 2 years of experience working in a technical lead or staff-level individual contributor capacity.
Familiarity with data science workflows, MLOps concepts, and the machine learning model lifecycle.
Deep expertise in data engineering covering model design, testing strategies, incremental patterns, and layer boundary governance.
Demonstrated ability to establish data modeling standards and guide a team through mentorship and documentation.
Experience with CI/CD for data pipelines using tools like GitLab, including automated testing and deployment workflows.
Experience implementing data observability and monitoring for pipeline failures and freshness SLAs.
Strong decision-making skills under ambiguous circumstances with the ability to move forward and course-correct.
Clear communication skills capable of explaining technical tradeoffs to non-technical stakeholders.

Nice to Have

Advanced degree in a technical field of study.
Prior professional background at an organization that has completed a similar legacy-to-modern data warehouse migration.
Previous experience managing or mentoring data engineers.

Skills and Tools

Python
Apache Airflow
Apache Kafka
Cloud data warehouses such as Redshift, Google BigQuery, or Databricks
CI/CD and data observability tools

Salary and Benefits

The base salary range for this full-time exempt position in Chicago is $190,000 to $220,000 annually, determined by experience, skills, and additional factors. The position includes an annual bonus target of 15%, bringing total target compensation to $218,500 to $253,000. Comprehensive benefits include flexible PTO, 11 company holidays, parental leave, dining reimbursements at restaurant clients, a 401(k) plan with company match, two medical plan options, dental and vision plans, flexible spending accounts, pre-tax commuter benefits, disability insurance, company-paid life insurance, and an Employee Life Assistance Program.

About the Company

Rewards Network has spent 41 years helping restaurants grow revenue, boost customer traffic, and increase customer engagement through marketing services, financial offerings, and dining rewards programs. The company collaborates with powerful loyalty programs to connect diners with fantastic local restaurant experiences by leveraging advanced technology and data analytics.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should visit the official Rewards Network careers page to submit an application for this hybrid Data Engineering Lead position.

Skills and tech stack

PythonMLOpsKafkaAirflow

Questions candidates ask

What is the location and work arrangement for the Data Engineering Lead?

This is a hybrid position based in Chicago, IL, requiring employees to work from the office three days a week from Tuesday through Thursday.

What is the salary range for this role?

The base salary ranges from $190,000 to $220,000 annually, depending on experience and skills, with an additional 15% annual bonus target bringing total target compensation to $218,500–$253,000.

What technical skills are required?

Candidates must have technical expertise in Python, Apache Airflow, Apache Kafka, and cloud data warehouses such as Redshift, Google BigQuery, or Databricks.

How many years of experience are required?

Applicants need 6 to 10 years of experience in data engineering or a closely related discipline, including at least 2 years in a technical lead or staff-level individual contributor role.

Does the role involve managing other teams?

Yes, the Data Engineering Lead will hire and develop data engineering talent and initially manage the Data Science team directly by setting priorities and clearing roadblocks.

Ready to apply?

The application is on the official Rewards Network careers page.

Apply on company site