Senior AI-First Data Engineer

**This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Senior AI-First Data Engineer based in Switzerland.** This role offers the opportunity to shape the future of data engineering within an AI-driven environment. You will help build a next-generation cloud data platform designed to make business data accessible, intelligent, and actionable for both people and AI systems. Working at the intersection of data engineering, automation, and artificial intelligence, you will create the foundations that power smarter decision-making and agent-driven workflows. You will contribute to modernizing data architecture, moving from legacy systems toward scalable, streaming-first solutions. The position combines hands-on technical leadership, innovation, and collaboration across engineering, product, analytics, and business teams. You will play a key role in creating an AI-native data ecosystem within a fast-growing global technology environment. ### Accountabilities: As a Senior AI-First Data Engineer, you will be responsible for designing, evolving, and scaling modern data infrastructure while enabling AI-powered business capabilities. - Build and evolve a scalable, cloud-native data platform that supports AI applications, analytics, automation, and business operations. - Lead the transition from traditional batch processing architectures toward near real-time and streaming data systems. - Improve data platform reliability, observability, governance, security, and performance through engineering best practices. - Develop data products and foundations that allow AI agents, analytics systems, and business users to access and leverage trusted information. - Create semantic layers, metadata structures, and knowledge frameworks that make data more discoverable and actionable. - Enable AI-driven reporting, forecasting, and business intelligence capabilities by transforming static analytics into dynamic operational systems. - Use AI tools to accelerate engineering workflows, including development, testing, documentation, debugging, and monitoring. - Design systems that allow AI agents to safely query, understand, and interact with business data. - Evaluate emerging AI technologies and identify opportunities to improve productivity across data teams. - Improve accessibility and adoption of BI solutions while maintaining strong governance and data quality standards. - Provide technical leadership through architecture guidance, code reviews, mentorship, and knowledge sharing. - Partner with engineering, product, analytics, and business stakeholders to align technical investments with strategic goals. ## Requirements: The ideal candidate is an experienced data engineering professional with a strong background in building scalable platforms and applying AI-driven approaches to modern data workflows. - 6+ years of experience in data engineering, analytics engineering, or a related technical field. - Proven experience designing, implementing, and operating modern cloud-based data platforms. - Experience working in high-growth SaaS or technology environments. - Strong ability to manage complex projects from technical design through successful delivery. - Experience collaborating with both technical teams and business stakeholders. - Hands-on expertise with Databricks, dbt, Airflow, Python for data engineering, SQL, and data modeling. - Strong understanding of data warehousing architectures, orchestration, integration, quality frameworks, and governance practices. - Experience with streaming architectures, event-driven systems, BI platforms, product analytics tools, CRM data platforms, or customer data platforms. - Demonstrated AI-first mindset, including experience using AI-powered development workflows and automation tools. - Ability to leverage AI for debugging, testing, documentation, architecture exploration, and productivity improvements. - Curiosity about agentic systems…