NexlintoPrincipal Data Engineer
Company : Stryker
Location : Belvedere, CA, 94920
Job Type : Full Time / Part Time
Date Posted : 17 February 2026
Job Description
The Principal Data Engineer is a senior technical leader responsible for designing, building, and optimizing large-scale data systems and architectures that support analytics, reporting, and business intelligence initiatives. This role sets technical direction for data engineering practices, ensures data reliability and scalability, and collaborates with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality data solutions. The ideal candidate is highly experienced in data architecture, distributed systems, and modern data platforms.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design and architect scalable data pipelines, data warehouses, and data platforms
- Lead development of ETL/ELT processes for structured and unstructured data sources
- Establish data engineering standards, best practices, and governance frameworks
- Optimize performance, reliability, and scalability of data infrastructure
- Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to define data requirements
- Evaluate and implement new tools, technologies, and architectures
- Ensure data quality, integrity, security, and compliance with regulations
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams
- Troubleshoot complex data issues and implement long-term solutions
- Document data architecture, workflows, and system designs
Success Factors:
- Expert-level data engineering and system design skills
- Strong leadership and strategic thinking abilities
- Ability to translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions
- Excellent problem-solving and analytical capabilities
- Strong communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences
Required Skills:
- Advanced proficiency in SQL and programming languages such as Python, Java, or Scala
- Experience with big data technologies and distributed processing frameworks
- Strong knowledge of data modeling, warehousing, and database design
- Familiarity with cloud platforms and modern data stack tools
- Experience with workflow orchestration and pipeline automation
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or related field required
- 8+ years of experience in data engineering, data architecture, or related roles
- Proven track record of leading complex data platform initiatives
- Experience mentoring engineers or leading technical teams
- Master’s degree or relevant certifications preferred
Physical Requirements:
- Primarily sedentary work involving extended computer use
- Ability to attend meetings, technical reviews, and planning sessions
- Occasional travel may be required
Work Environment:
Professional office or hybrid environment involving collaboration with engineering, analytics, and product teams. The role may include high-impact decision-making, tight deadlines, and responsibility for mission-critical data systems.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Principal Data Engineers in Belvedere focus heavily on strategic design and leadership, overseeing complex data architectures and mentoring teams. Unlike junior or mid-level roles, they drive technical direction and ensure scalable data solutions that align with business goals in high-demand tech environments.
Mastery in building resilient ETL/ELT pipelines, deep knowledge of data modeling, and fluency in Python, Java, or Scala are crucial. Expertise with cloud platforms and workflow orchestration tools enables Principal Data Engineers to optimize performance and maintain data integrity across distributed frameworks.
Advancing requires honing leadership skills, gaining experience in architecting scalable data platforms, and mastering big data technologies. Engaging in cross-functional projects and obtaining advanced certifications can accelerate progression toward senior strategic roles in innovative tech hubs like Belvedere.
Stryker emphasizes collaboration and innovation, so Principal Data Engineers must balance technical leadership with cross-team communication. The role demands adaptability to fast-paced decision-making and delivering reliable data solutions that support the company’s healthcare and engineering initiatives.
At Stryker, this role is pivotal in translating business analytics needs into robust data infrastructure. It requires close partnership with analysts and data scientists to ensure data pipelines enable accurate reporting and support strategic healthcare technology developments.
Salaries typically range between $150,000 to $190,000 annually, reflecting the region’s competitive demand for senior data engineers. Factors like experience, cloud expertise, and leadership capabilities can push compensation toward the higher end in this tech-centric area.
Balancing remote and on-site collaboration requires strong communication and self-management. Engineers must adapt to dynamic team workflows while ensuring seamless data pipeline reliability, often coordinating across hybrid schedules common in Belvedere’s professional settings.
Certifications like AWS Certified Data Analytics, Google Professional Data Engineer, and advanced SQL or cloud platform credentials stand out. These validate expertise in modern data stacks and distributed processing, aligning well with Belvedere’s demand for scalable, secure data solutions.
The Principal Data Engineer path focuses more on architecting data systems and leading engineering teams, whereas Principal Data Scientists lean toward modeling and analysis. Engineers preferring infrastructure and technical leadership find this role better suited to their strengths.
The role demands establishing rigorous governance frameworks to ensure data security and regulatory compliance. At Stryker, this means proactively designing data architectures that meet healthcare data standards while supporting scalable, reliable analytics.