Senior Data Engineer

About the job

At Sytac, we build high-performing engineering teams for leading organizations. We combine a pragmatic, people-first culture with technical craftsmanship—giving engineers autonomy in real production environments.

For one of our key clients in the Netherlands, we are looking for a Senior Data Engineer who treats data pipelines like high-quality software. We aren't just looking for someone to move data; we want an engineer who comes from a Software Engineering background—someone who prioritizes clean code, scalability, and robust automation over manual configuration.

What you’ll do

• Apply software engineering best practices, such as modular design, version control, and testing, to complex data architectures.
• Develop robust ETL/ELT workflows using Python, PySpark, and SQL, ensuring they are as maintainable as any production application.
• Design scalable environments using Medallion architecture (Bronze, Silver, Gold) and Star Schema modeling within Azure and GCP.
• Use Terraform or Bicep for Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and manage containerized deployments via Docker and Kubernetes.
• Leverage AI-assisted development (Copilot, Cursor) to build smarter pipelines and integrate LLM capabilities where they add value.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement using CI/CD (Azure DevOps/GitHub Actions) and Apache Airflow for orchestration.
• Work closely with stakeholders to translate business logic into high-quality technical specs, acting as a technical lead for the data domain.

What we’re looking for

• A strong background in software development, with at least 6 years of experience and an HBO/WO level of thinking.
• Expert-level Python and SQL (PostgreSQL, MS SQL, Oracle). You write code that is clean, tested, and reusable.
• Deep experience with Apache Spark and PySpark for distributed data processing.
• Hands-on experience with Azure (Databricks, Synapse) and/or GCP (BigQuery, Dataflow).
• Solid experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and Apache Airflow.
• Strong proficiency in Git and building automated CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience with Data Lake/Lakehouse environments and dimensional modeling.

Tooling: Python, SQL, PySpark, Azure, Databricks, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, Apache Airflow, Git.

Nice to have

• Experience with Scala, Java, or Kotlin is a huge plus given your software background.
• Knowledge of Kafka or Kafka + Debezium.
• Experience with dbt, pandas/polars, or FastAPI.
• Proficiency in Dutch is highly valued.

Life at Sytac

Working at Sytac means joining a community that prioritizes your growth. Our benefits package is designed for flexibility, learning, and adventure:

• Unlimited Growth Days: Enjoy your professional development with Sytac activities! 📚
• The Best Gear: Pick a private laptop (<€4,000) with 50% paid by us, plus a tech budget. 💻
• Invest in You: A €2,400 annual growth budget for training and conferences. 🌿
• Future Proof: We contribute 3.75% to your pension.
• Legendary Trips: Join our annual ski trips, beach BBQs, and epic parties! ⛷️