Lead DataOps / MLOps

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Alabama, +1 more state.

📋 Description

• Take ownership of the DataOps/MLOps platform and operating model, encompassing paved paths, automation, and tooling for data and ML engineers.

• Spearhead CI/CD standards and Azure DevOps pipelines for data pipelines and ML models.

• Construct, test, release, promote, and audit deployments across various environments.

• Standardize orchestration using Dagster, which includes reusable assets, scheduling, backfills, dependency management, and run observability.

• Operationalize dlt ingestion and dbt transformation with automated testing and CI checks.

• Establish MLOps foundations utilizing MLflow model registry, Databricks Model Serving, deployment automation, monitoring, drift detection, and retraining triggers.

• Implement data and model observability to monitor freshness, quality, lineage, latency, drift, and cost, complete with alerting and SLAs/SLOs.

• Administer and govern the Databricks Lakehouse on Azure, focusing on workspace configuration, Unity Catalog, access controls, and policy automation.

• Manage infrastructure as code and ensure reproducible development, testing, and production environments.

• Oversee reliability and incident management practices, including on-call duties, runbooks, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Promote FinOps cost visibility and optimization across compute, storage, and model serving.

• Automate governance and compliance controls such as audit logging, inventories, approval workflows, and evidence collection.

• Offer technical leadership and mentorship to engineers on operational excellence and platform standards.

⛳️ Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in data, ML, or platform engineering, or in SRE/DevOps, with several years of managing production data and/or ML systems.

• Proven technical leadership capabilities, including establishing standards, creating paved paths, and automating processes while mentoring engineers.

• Strong expertise in CI/CD with Azure DevOps (ADO), comprising build/release pipelines, environment promotion, and automated testing.

• Experience with Git-based workflows.

• Hands-on experience with orchestration tools like Dagster or similar alternatives.

• Familiarity with dlt (dltHub) ingestion and dbt modeling.

• Proficient in Databricks Lakehouse and Delta Lake.

• Experience in MLOps, including MLflow model registry, model deployment/serving, monitoring, drift detection, and retraining automation.

• Knowledge of infrastructure-as-code and administration of the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, covering compute, storage, identity, and networking fundamentals.

• Experience with Terraform or equivalent tools.

• Strong skills in Python and SQL.

• Familiarity with observability/monitoring tools and SRE practices, including SLAs/SLOs, alerting, and incident management.

• Commitment to security, access control, and the secure and compliant handling of sensitive data.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.

• Preferred: Experience in financial services or insurance platforms; understanding of model risk and regulatory audit expectations.

• Preferred: Knowledge of Databricks administration, Unity Catalog, cluster policies, Mosaic AI, and Azure Machine Learning.

• Preferred: Familiarity with Docker, Kubernetes, Azure AKS, or Container Apps.

• Preferred: Experience with data-quality/observability tools such as Great Expectations or Monte Carlo.

• Preferred: Knowledge of responsible AI and model governance automation.

• Preferred: Relevant Databricks or Microsoft Azure certification.

🏝️ Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Mental health benefits.

• Employee assistance program.

• Paid time off.

• Paid parental leave.

• Short-term disability.

• Cultural observance day.

• Contributions to healthcare accounts.

• Pension plan.

• 401(k) plan with company matching.

• ProHealth Rewards wellness platform offering cash rewards.

• Annual incentive based on individual and company performance.

• Remote work arrangement.