Senior Data Engineer

UJA-Federation of New York is the largest local philanthropy in the world. For more than 100 years, we’ve brought New Yorkers together to solve some of the most pressing problems facing our community. Thanks to our network of hundreds of non-profits, we can leverage our expertise across any number of areas — including health and human services, arts and culture, and education — to care for Jews everywhere and New Yorkers of all backgrounds, respond to crises close to home and far away, and shape our Jewish future. Our reach extends from New York to Israel to nearly 70 other countries around the world, touching 4.5 million people each year.

UJA-Federation of New York is seeking a highly technical and data-driven Senior Data Engineer, to join our Data & Insights team. This is a unique opportunity to help architect and build a modern Lakehouse environment in Microsoft Fabric, shaping the future of donor intelligence and powering advanced analytics, AI, and machine learning initiatives.

The Senior Data Engineer will play a key role in migrating our existing SQL Server–based data warehouse—currently dependent on stored procedures—to a PySpark-driven Fabric Lakehouse architecture. This role will co-own ingestion and ETL/ELT development, contribute to data modeling and system design, and support the exploration of ML/AI techniques to deliver insights on donors, users, and other key audiences.

Responsibilities:

Own ingestion, normalization, entity resolution, enrichment, and delivery across the data lifecycle.

Build resilient ETL/ELT pipelines with clear contracts, lineage, and idempotency.

Influence system architecture through thoughtful, well-reasoned technical decisions.

Mentor junior engineers and contribute to engineering best practices.

Integrate and analyze data from diverse sources (Google Analytics4, Shopify, Salesforce, public records, wealth indicators, real estate data, obituaries, social media, news, etc.).

Design and implement automated processes—including prospect profile creation and biographies—for major gift officers and senior leadership.

Leverage AI tools and data platforms to identify, segment, and prioritize donor audiences.

Stay current on emerging technologies, data platforms, and ethical considerations related to AI in fundraising.

Qualifications:

5–7 years of experience in data engineering or data science.

Strong proficiency in Python with hands-on experience in PySpark.

Advanced SQL skills.

Experience with machine learning, predictive analytics, and segmentation modeling.

Experience working with warehouses. Experience with Fabric Lakehouses a plus.

Excellent analytical and writing skills; able to synthesize and communicate information clearly and concisely.

Experience with donor management systems (Salesforce NPSP preferred).

Experience with Excel and JavaScript is a plus.

Familiarity with research platforms such as iWave, WealthEngine, or Relationship Science is a plus.

Ability to translate complex data into actionable insights.

Strong attention to detail, ethical judgment, and commitment to donor privacy.

Education:

A bachelor’s degree is required, preferably in data science, statistics, computer science, information systems, or a quantitative social science discipline. A master’s degree in data science, business intelligence, applied analytics, or nonprofit management with a data focus is preferred but not required.

Reports To: Director, Technical Architect

Salary Range: $140,000 - $160,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications listed above.

Great Perks. Because We Appreciate Great Employees.

TIME OFF

We offer a generous number of vacation days and have the Jewish holidays off as well. Fridays our offices close early (October to March at 3:00 pm and April to September at 4:00 pm). All so you can relax and recharge.

HYBRID MODEL

We’re operating on a hybrid work model: three set days in the office and two days remote. So enjoy the best of both worlds — the comforts of home and the energy of the office.

HEALTH CARE

UJA provides a top-tier medical and dental plan, along with a flexible spending account. We also offer life insurance. And for a small cost you can take part in on-site yoga and exercise classes at our Manhattan office. Wellness matters to us.

PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT

UJA employees can enroll in a pension plan and tax deferred annuity.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Classes, workshops, and compelling speakers will keep you at the top of your game.

COMMUNITY

We come together as a staff to commemorate holidays (from Rosh Hashanah to MLK Day), volunteer at nonprofits, and celebrate our accomplishments together. (Our chocolate chip cookies are legendary!)

SOME MORE (YES, MORE!)

We also offer a commuter benefit plan, so you can get to work and feel good about it.