Head of Data Engineering & Platform

Mercury
San Francisco +1 more
Remote

Who this role is best for

Aimed at mid-level data engineering leaders who have experience building and scaling data platforms in fintech, with a focus on creating reusable, trusted data infrastructure and fostering cross-functional collaboration.

Best fit for

  • Mid-level leaders with 10+ years of experience in data infrastructure and team leadership in fintech
    — “Bring 10+ years of relevant experience, including 5+ years leading data or engineering teams
  • Candidates who have shaped data platform strategies for analytics and AI systems
    — “Define and execute Mercury's long-term data platform strategy, building the architecture, tooling, and reusable data products that power analytics, AI, machine learning, and operational systems
  • Individuals with strong cross-functional collaboration skills, especially with security and compliance teams
    — “Have experience partnering with Security, Legal, Compliance, and Privacy teams to ensure data platforms meet the privacy, security, and regulatory standards expected of a regulated financial institution

Things to consider

  • The role requires deep expertise in data modeling, orchestration, and governance practices
    — “Bring deep expertise in modern data infrastructure, including data modeling, orchestration, streaming, storage systems, metadata, and governance
  • Candidates must be prepared to balance long-term platform investments with short-term product demands
    — “Demonstrate the technical judgment and organizational influence to evolve data architecture through periods of rapid growth, balancing long-term, well-governed platform investments with near-term product needs

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience in building semantic models and metadata systems that improve data reuse
    — “Build a platform that makes Mercury's data easy for both people and AI systems to discover, understand, and use, investing in semantic models, metadata, and developer tooling that make trusted data reusable across the company
  • Emphasize leadership in creating engineering cultures and setting high technical standards
    — “Build, lead, and develop a high-performing team of senior data and analytics engineers responsible for Mercury's core data infrastructure, setting a high technical bar and cultivating a strong engineering culture
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · CompanyLevel · Lead

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • build and lead data engineering team
  • define and execute data platform strategy
  • build trusted data platform
  • partner with cross-functional teams
Typical background
data engineeringdata sciencecloud computing

Skills & requirements

Required

Data InfrastructureData ModelingData GovernanceData QualityData PrivacyData SecurityData ComplianceTeam LeadershipData Platform Strategy

Preferred

AIMachine LearningCloud Computing

About the role

Original posting from Mercury via Greenhouse

In the early 1970s, Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie built Unix around a deceptively simple idea: create small, composable tools that work well together. That philosophy went on to shape modern operating systems, developer tooling, cloud infrastructure, and much of the software we rely on today—not because any individual tool was revolutionary, but because the platform made everyone else more productive.

We're looking for a Head of Data Engineering & Platform who can build the data platform that gives Mercury that same leverage—creating a foundation where trusted data is easy for both people and AI systems to discover, understand, and work with.

In this role, you'll lead and grow a high-performing team of data engineers responsible for Mercury's core data infrastructure. You'll shape the architecture, tooling, and engineering practices that enable reliable analytics, accelerate product development, and enable the next generation of AI-powered products and internal tools.

  • Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.

Here are some things you’ll do on the job:

Build, lead, and develop a high-performing team of senior data and analytics engineers responsible for Mercury's core data infrastructure, setting a high technical bar and cultivating a strong engineering culture

Define and execute Mercury's long-term data platform strategy, building the architecture, tooling, and reusable data products that power analytics, AI, operational systems, and self-service across the company

Build a platform that makes Mercury's data easy for both people and AI systems to discover, understand, and use, investing in semantic models, metadata, and developer tooling that make trusted data reusable across the company

Establish the foundations for a trusted, resilient data platform by driving best practices for reliability, observability, data quality, governance, privacy, security, and regulatory compliance

Partner closely with Engineering, Product, Data Science, Security, and Infrastructure leaders to ensure Mercury's data platform accelerates product development, business operations, and decision-making

You should:

Bring 10+ years of relevant experience, including 5+ years leading data or engineering teams

Have architected modern data platforms at scale, building the data foundations, semantic layers, metadata, and platform capabilities that power analytics, AI, machine learning, and operational systems

Demonstrate the technical judgment and organizational influence to evolve data architecture through periods of rapid growth, balancing long-term, well-governed platform investments with near-term product needs

Bring deep expertise in modern data infrastructure, including data modeling, orchestration, streaming, storage systems, metadata, and governance

Have experience partnering with Security, Legal, Compliance, and Privacy teams to ensure data platforms meet the privacy, security, and regulatory standards expected of a regulated financial institution

The total rewards package at Mercury includes base salary, equity (stock options/RSUs), and benefits.

Our salary and equity ranges are highly competitive within the SaaS and fintech industry and are updated regularly using the most reliable compensation survey data for our industry. New hire offers are made based on a candidate’s experience, expertise, geographic location, and internal pay equity relative to peers.

Our target new hire base salary ranges for this role are the following:

US employees: $289,700-$362,100

Canadian employees (any location): CAD $273,800-$342,200

Mercury values diversity & belonging and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All individuals seeking employment at Mercury are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process for applicants with disabilities or special needs. If you need assistance, or an accommodation, please let your recruiter know once you are contacted about a role.

#LI-RA1

Source: Mercury careers (Greenhouse)

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