This listing pays about $167,500 a year. Across 35 open lead data engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $141,500 to $165,500 and the median is $155,000. That is 8% above the median, above the middle half of those listings.

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Among database architects, AI is already used for a large share of the tasks. Measured exposure for database architects: 58% (high).

Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.

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About the job

Samba is a media intelligence company. We know what the world is watching, reading, and thinking about — in real time, at scale, across every screen. Our data exists with the consent of over a billion people, organized into the most complete picture of consumer attention ever built. The biggest brands in the world use that picture to make smarter decisions. We think it’s the most interesting data asset on the planet, because it’s the most culturally relevant.

We are looking for a Lead Data Engineer to join our Revenue Operations team.This role sits at the intersection of data infrastructure and business impact - building and owning the systems that power reliable reporting, as well as leading a small team of analysts. You'll report directly to the Director of Business Intelligence and work closely with stakeholders across Sales, Finance, and Operations. This is a high-ownership role suited for someone who is comfortable being the subject matter expert on our data infrastructure while also thinking about how to present insights to executives.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Infrastructure & Data Engineering

Own and maintain our Azure-based data infrastructure, including data ingestion, transformation, and delivery

Oversee data ingestion of 100+ upstream raw data sources (Salesforce, DSPs, ad platforms) into our data warehouse

Manage our data transformation pipelines and implement best-in-class systems design - includes writing complex SQL/ Python queries, stored procedures, and pipeline logic

Implement data governance best practices and champion these across the organization

Ensure data quality, pipeline reliability, and documentation standards across the team - quality assurance is a key cornerstone of the role

Reporting & Analytics

Translate business questions from stakeholders into data models and reporting solutions

Support revenue analytics - including advertiser performance, DSP reporting, and product-level breakdowns

Own ad hoc analysis and deep-dives as needed

Cross-Team Collaboration to build and maintain a platform that serves the needs of constituents across Sales, Sales Support, Finance, Marketing and Product

Team Leadership

Manage and mentor a team of BI analysts across the globe, supporting their growth and day-to-day execution

Triage and prioritize incoming data requests alongside the Director of BI

Set and uphold standards for data governance, code quality, documentation, and project delivery

Serve as the subject matter expert for our data engineering infrastructure

WHO YOU ARE

Ownership-driven: You treat the systems you build and the team you lead as your own, and you care about getting things right. Accuracy is paramount

Technically rigorous: You go deep on infrastructure problems and don't stop at surface-level fixes

Clear communicator: You can translate complex data concepts into language that resonates with business stakeholders

Collaborative: You work well across time zones and functions, and you make your teammates better

5+ years of experience in data analytics or data engineering, owning pipelines from raw data collection to data delivery and reporting

Strong SQL skills, including window functions, complex joins, stored procedures, and performance tuning

Hands-on experience with Azure cloud services or equivalent (Synapse Analytics, Data Factory, Blob Storage)

Experience managing or mentoring junior analysts or engineers

Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders

Comfort working in a fast-paced environment with a high degree of ownership

Experience in ad tech, media intelligence, or programmatic advertising (DSPs, SSPs, audience data)

Familiarity with Salesforce as a revenue source of truth

Experience working with international teams across multiple time zones

Prior exposure to Microsoft Fabric or awareness of the Azure/Fabric roadmap

#LI-BR1

Samba is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We strive to empower connection with one another, reflect the communities we serve, and tackle meaningful projects that make a real impact.

Samba may collect personal information directly from you, as a job applicant, Samba may also receive personal information from third parties, for example, in connection with a background, employment or reference check, in accordance with the applicable law. For further details, please see Samba's Applicant Privacy Policy. For residents of the EU , Samba Inc. is the data controller.