Lead Data Engineer - Data Migration & Lakehouse

Description
You thrive on turning decades of legacy complexity into clean, modern data architecture. You feel at home navigating undocumented mainframes, tangled schemas, and ambiguous specs — and you know how to translate that chaos into a clear technical path forward. If you love owning complex migrations end-to-end, building trust with stakeholders through clarity and honesty, and shaping how data moves from legacy into the lakehouse era — this is for you.
Your tasks
Migration Ownership:
Lead large-scale migration projects from legacy systems (ranging from SQL over ERP to mainframes) into modern cloud/lakehouse targets, taking full technical responsibility.
Databricks Architecture:
Design and implement robust pipelines using Spark, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Lakeflow Declarative Pipelines, and Databricks Asset Bundles for CI/CD-style deployment.
Data Modeling & Reconciliation:
Own data modeling, schema mapping, and reconciliation across heterogeneous systems, resolving structural mismatches independently.
Discovery & Assessment Leadership:
Reviewing source documentation, interviewing SMEs, producing gap analyses, and translating ambiguous or outdated specs into concrete technical requirements.
Data Quality & Validation:
Establish data quality frameworks and automated validation as team standards.
Stakeholder Communication:
Proactively surface risks — documentation gaps, structural mismatches — clearly and early to non-technical stakeholders, representing SQUER with confidence.
Your qualifications
Must-Haves
Migration Track Record:
5+ years in data engineering, with several large-scale legacy-to-cloud/lakehouse migrations led independently.
Databricks Depth:
Hands-on mastery of the Databricks ecosystem — Spark, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Lakeflow Declarative Pipelines, and Asset Bundles for CI/CD-style deployment.
Data Modeling & Reconciliation:
Strong command of data modeling and schema mapping across heterogeneous systems, from mainframes to legacy ERPs.
Discovery Experience:
Experience in discovery/assessment phases end-to-end — interviewing SMEs, identifying gaps between legacy systems and target architecture, turning ambiguity into concrete requirements.
Data Quality Rigor:
Practical experience with data quality frameworks and automated validation (e.g., Great Expectations, dbt tests, custom reconciliation tooling).
Communication & Risk Ownership:
Ability to break down complex topics and surface risks early and clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
AI-Assisted Workflows:
Comfort using AI/LLM-assisted tooling in a data pipeline context.
Nice-to-Haves
Experience with legacy system archaeology (undocumented COBOL/mainframe systems, EDI, proprietary ERPs)
Exposure to agentic AI
Metadata management or data catalog tooling beyond Unity Catalog
Experience building or evaluating LLM-based mapping/matching tools (schema matching, entity resolution)
Your Benefits
Why You'll Love Working at SQUER:
Ownership & Responsibility:
at SQUER, we believe in empowering our team. In our flat hierarchies, your ideas and actions matter more than titles. Take the reins, make an impact and grow with us.
Learn & Grow:
Tap into a € 5.000 annual training budget to sharpen your skills and take advantage of our in-house Leadership Academy. Join and be part of our active tech community through meetups, hackathons and training sessions. Get up to 40h/year additional time off for your personal education.
Exciting Challenges & Real Impact
: Dive into diverse projects where your work truly makes a difference – for our clients and for SQUER.
Flexibility for Performance:
Benefit from hybrid work options, flexible hours, workations within the EU, and additional vacation days – giving you the freedom to perform at your best.
Tailored Tools for Success
: Choose your preferred hardware configuration and leverage our suite of AI tools and licenses (Anthropic, OpenAI, and more) to suit your working style.
We Value You
: Beyond perks and benefits, we offer a competitive annual salary to recognize your exceptional contributions.
Be Part of a Thriving Team Culture:
At SQUER, collaboration and connection are at the heart of what we do. Through open communication, shared successes, and meaningful team events – including our annual SQUER offsite – we cultivate a culture where everyone feels valued and inspired to grow together.
A Perks-Packed Workplace
: Work in a central office near Ostbahnhof and enjoy meal vouchers, EGYM Wellpass membership, a free Deutschland-Ticket, JobRad, referral bonuses, Corporate Benefits, and Pluxee employee gifts for special occasions.
We believe in transparent and fair compensation. For this role, the annual gross salary ranges between € 81.000 and € 103.000 – the exact placement depends on the seniority level we assess together during the process.