Data remains the lifeblood of the modern business operating in an economy dominated by eCommerce and social media. For example, companies able to glean actionable information from their masses of customer data enjoy a significant competitive advantage.
This situation created a strong demand for talented and experienced data engineers in multiple industries. RoSo if you are interested in taking advantage of this need for data engineers, it helps to understand this job role. After all, with strong demand comes lucrative salaries, helping you truly build a rewarding technology career. So what follows is a high-level overview of the data engineer. Use this information to forge a career path to success!
What Are the Roles of a Data Engineer?
What Are The Job Duties of a Data Engineer?
Data engineers typically work in tandem with data analysts. The latter job role generally focuses on finding actionable information within a business’s databases, as noted earlier. At the same time, the data engineer manages the processes used for data storage, retrieval, and distribution. The ability to design high-performance data pipelines and architectures is a must.
Ultimately, a data engineer’s skill set mixes that of a DBA with network administration chops. If you boast experience in either of those job roles, considering a switch into data engineering makes more sense. Much of this experience becomes applicable when interviewing for open data engineer positions.
What Technical Skills Do You Need as a Data Engineer?
Not surprisingly, a data engineer needs expert-level skills in the SQL programming language. Experience with database design and optimization also remains critical. Not surprisingly, these are similar requirements for any DBA position, as highlighted above.
The ability to craft usable data dashboards and reports also identifies the top candidates for this role. Since data engineers tend to work with different business departments, they also need strong verbal and written communication skills.
Note that in smaller companies, you might share similar responsibilities as a data analyst or data scientist. Keep this in mind if you hope to transition into either of those roles in the future. This career path might also lead to becoming a data architect.
What Are The Typical Salaries For a Data Engineer?
As noted earlier, data engineers enjoy relatively high salaries within the technology world. The current average annual salary comes in slightly less than $118,000. Senior level data engineers earn around $134,000 per year, while lead data engineers boast annual earnings of around $140,000.
Ready to Take on the Roles of Being a Data Engineer?
If you want to take your tech career to a higher level, contact the expert recruiters at The CERES Group. As one of the top IT staffing agencies in Boston, we know the companies looking for talented candidates. Connect with us soon!