Database Technology Manager

We are looking for a Database Technology Manager to join a Contract engagement in Dublin, Ohio. This role is suited to a senior data leader who combines deep engineering expertise with the ability to evaluate technical talent, guide best practices, and connect business needs to scalable data solutions. The ideal candidate brings strong judgment across modern data platforms and can assess both technical execution and communication effectiveness in candidate and stakeholder interactions.

Responsibilities:
• Lead the evaluation of senior data engineering and architecture talent by conducting structured, scenario-driven interviews that measure real-world problem-solving ability.
• Assess technical depth across distributed data processing, cloud-scale data platforms, and modern lakehouse technologies, with a focus on practical application rather than memorized responses.
• Develop and apply consistent interview frameworks that allow fair comparison across candidates while maintaining strong time management throughout the process.
• Probe candidates on how they would investigate data pipeline failures, performance issues, and data integrity concerns within large-scale Spark and Databricks environments.
• Review whether candidates can translate ambiguous business objectives into clear source-to-target mappings and implementation-ready data requirements.
• Evaluate data quality, governance, lineage, and metadata management knowledge to ensure alignment with enterprise data standards.
• Partner with hiring stakeholders to identify candidates who can clearly explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences and work effectively across functional teams.
• Provide informed feedback on candidates’ strengths in Python, SQL, data lake architecture, and scalable analytics solution design.
• Support assessment activities related to governance approaches such as federated or data-mesh models, particularly in regulated or compliance-focused settings.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in data engineering, data architecture, or a closely related senior technical role.
• Hands-on expertise with Apache Spark, Databricks, and Delta Lake in production data environments.
• Strong programming capability in Python and advanced proficiency in SQL.
• Demonstrated understanding of data lake design, data quality controls, and core data governance principles such as lineage, metadata, and cataloging.
• Experience working alongside business analysts or performing requirements-focused analysis that connects business questions to technical data solutions.
• Proven ability to distinguish between theoretical knowledge and direct hands-on delivery when assessing technical candidates.
• Strong interviewing and communication skills, including the ability to ask layered follow-up questions and evaluate explanation clarity.
• Prior experience in federal, defense, or other highly regulated environments is a plus, as is familiarity with federated governance or data-mesh operating models.