Pay
In line with similar jobs
$135K–$170K against $127K–$190K, the middle half of what similar US postings state.
From 2,133 postings in the last year. Stated ranges, not salaries paid.
Reference Data Engineer
New York, New York, United States
Live, first seen by us 36 days ago- Pay
USD 135,000–170,000/year · BaseAnnual period assumed — pay source
Base Salary Range $135,000—$170,000 USD KKR is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals seeking employment are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by applicable law.
Read the full posting- Work setting
- Not stated
- Employment
- Not stated
What you’ll work on
Full postingWe are seeking an Assistant Vice President (AVP), Software Engineering to join our Reference Data Technology team.
Design, build, and own scalable backend services and data pipelines in Python
Develop large-scale batch and near-real-time workflows with Apache Spark
Lead data modeling and schema design for reliable analytics
Build and maintain ETL/ELT workflows with data quality and lineage
Provision and manage cloud infrastructure with Terraform
From the employer’s posting
We are seeking an Assistant Vice President (AVP), Software Engineering to join our Reference Data Technology team. This role blends senior individual contribution with emerging technical leadership: you will design and deliver robust backend services and data pipelines while helping guide the technical direction of your team. The ideal candidate is a strong Python developer with hands-on experience in distributed data processing (Spark), infrastructure-as-code (Terraform), and deep data engineering fundamentals spanning data modeling, ETL, and data distribution. You will own significant workstreams end-to-end, raise the engineering bar through code reviews and design input, and mentor junior engineers as you continue to grow toward a lead or vice president level.
Design, build, and own scalable backend services and data pipelines primarily in Python.
Develop and optimize large-scale data processing workflows using Apache Spark for batch and near-real-time use cases.
Lead data modeling and schema design decisions that support reliable analytics and downstream consumption.
Architect and maintain robust ETL/ELT workflows with strong data quality, lineage, and observability.
Provision and manage cloud infrastructure using Terraform and infrastructure-as-code best practices.
What you’ll bring
All qualificationsCore experience
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and their data services.
- 4–7 years of professional software engineering experience with a strong backend focus.
- Familiarity with workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, Dagster).
- Proficiency with Terraform for infrastructure-as-code and cloud resource management.
- Experience with streaming technologies (e.g., Kafka, Spark Structured Streaming).
Qualification wording
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and their data services.
4–7 years of professional software engineering experience with a strong backend focus.
Familiarity with workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, Dagster).
Proficiency with Terraform for infrastructure-as-code and cloud resource management.
Experience with streaming technologies (e.g., Kafka, Spark Structured Streaming).
Education & alternatives
QUALIFICATIONS - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. - 4–7 years of professional software engineering experience with a strong backend focus.
Benefits in the posting
Full benefits wording- This is the expected annual base salary range for this New York-based position. Actual salaries may vary based on factors, such as skill, experience, and qualification for the role. Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus, based on factors such as individual and team performance.
- Base Salary Range
From the employer’s posting.
Posting record
Report an error- Status in our records
- Live
- First seen by us
- Sep 29, 202636 days ago
- Recorded sightings
- 48
- Last seen by us
- Nov 4, 2026
These dates show when we found the posting. Check the employer’s website to confirm it is still accepting applications.
How this job compares
Time since we first saw it
Day 36
Similar jobs usually come down between day 6 and day 54.
From 10,824 similar postings that came down. Coming down is not always a hire.
Careers at KKR is hiring
13 open jobs
Open jobs by the week we first saw them, last 12 weeks.
- Hiring has slowed
- Its jobs tend to stay up a long time
See how this role fits your experience
Add your resume and we’ll mark which of these tools you already use, and point out anything in the posting that could rule you out.
- Python
- SQL
- AWS
- Azure
- Docker
- GCP
- Kafka
- Kubernetes
- Spark
- Terraform
- Airflow
- Dagster
Where the posting names them
POSITION SUMMARY We are seeking an Assistant Vice President (AVP), Software Engineering to join our Reference Data Technology team. This role blends senior individual contribution with emerging technical leadership: you will design and deliver robust backend services and data pipelines while helping guide the technical direction of your team. The ideal candidate is a strong Python developer with hands-on experience in distributed data processing (Spark), infrastructure-as-code (Terraform), and deep data engineering fundamentals spanning data modeling, ETL, and data distribution. You will own significant workstreams end-to-end, raise the engineering bar through code reviews and design input, and mentor junior engineers as you continue to grow toward a lead or vice president level. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Design, build, and own scalable backend services and data pipelines primarily in Python. - Develop and optimize large-scale data processing workflows using Apache Spark for batch and near-real-time use cases.
- 4–7 years of professional software engineering experience with a strong backend focus. - Expert-level proficiency in Python for building production services and data pipelines. - Strong hands-on experience with Apache Spark for distributed data processing at scale.
- Deep data engineering fundamentals, including data modeling, ETL/ELT design, and data distribution patterns. - Solid command of relational and non-relational data stores and SQL. - Experience with version control (Git), CI/CD pipelines, and modern software development practices.
PPREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and their data services. - Familiarity with workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, Dagster).
- Experience with streaming technologies (e.g., Kafka, Spark Structured Streaming). - Exposure to containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes). - Prior experience in financial services or another data-intensive, regulated industry.
- Familiarity with workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, Dagster). - Experience with streaming technologies (e.g., Kafka, Spark Structured Streaming). - Exposure to containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes).
- Design, build, and own scalable backend services and data pipelines primarily in Python. - Develop and optimize large-scale data processing workflows using Apache Spark for batch and near-real-time use cases. - Lead data modeling and schema design decisions that support reliable analytics and downstream consumption.
- Expert-level proficiency in Python for building production services and data pipelines. - Strong hands-on experience with Apache Spark for distributed data processing at scale. - Proficiency with Terraform for infrastructure-as-code and cloud resource management.
- Design and implement data distribution patterns to serve data efficiently across internal systems and consumers. - Provision and manage cloud infrastructure using Terraform and infrastructure-as-code best practices. - Own delivery of significant workstreams end-to-end, from technical design through production and operations.
- Strong hands-on experience with Apache Spark for distributed data processing at scale. - Proficiency with Terraform for infrastructure-as-code and cloud resource management. - Deep data engineering fundamentals, including data modeling, ETL/ELT design, and data distribution patterns.
- Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and their data services. - Familiarity with workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, Dagster). - Experience with streaming technologies (e.g., Kafka, Spark Structured Streaming).
Your next step
Complete your application on www.kkr.com. The employer’s form will show what is required.
Applying through Greenhouse
- No account needed: the form is one page, with an “Autofill my application” option that reads your resume.
- Greenhouse doesn’t read resumes over 2.5 MB, or details placed in a header, footer, text box, table or second column. The file still attaches, but a recruiter has to type you in by hand.
Already applied? Track this application
About the role
We file this job under Data Engineer, by the work the posting describes.
Data engineers build and run the pipelines that copy data out of apps and outside services into a warehouse or lake, and fix them when a source changes or a load fails.
Expect SQL, Python, a cloud platform, a scheduler such as Airflow, and often tools for large data such as Spark or Kafka.
An analytics engineer works one step later, turning the raw data a data engineer lands into clean tables people can query.
US government figures for database architects
- Median yearly pay, May 2025
- $139,500
- Expected change, 2025 to 2035
- 9.4% more jobsagainst 3.5% for all jobs
The government has no code for data engineers, so these figures are for the closest group, database architects, which includes data integration and data warehousing specialists.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025) and Employment Projections (2025 to 2035). Occupation code 15-1243.
Job description
COMPANY OVERVIEW
KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries.
TEAM OVERVIEW
KKR's Technology organization is a group of passionate technologists and product managers, unified by a shared mission to deliver exceptional products and solutions that drive value for our stakeholders, clients, and investors. Our passion for technology and innovation fuels our commitment to creating high-quality, impactful solutions that address complex challenges and meet the evolving needs of our sophisticated businesses.
POSITION SUMMARY
We are seeking an Assistant Vice President (AVP), Software Engineering to join our Reference Data Technology team. This role blends senior individual contribution with emerging technical leadership: you will design and deliver robust backend services and data pipelines while helping guide the technical direction of your team. The ideal candidate is a strong Python developer with hands-on experience in distributed data processing (Spark), infrastructure-as-code (Terraform), and deep data engineering fundamentals spanning data modeling, ETL, and data distribution. You will own significant workstreams end-to-end, raise the engineering bar through code reviews and design input, and mentor junior engineers as you continue to grow toward a lead or vice president level.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES- Design, build, and own scalable backend services and data pipelines primarily in Python.
- Develop and optimize large-scale data processing workflows using Apache Spark for batch and near-real-time use cases.
- Lead data modeling and schema design decisions that support reliable analytics and downstream consumption.
- Architect and maintain robust ETL/ELT workflows with strong data quality, lineage, and observability.
- Design and implement data distribution patterns to serve data efficiently across internal systems and consumers.
- Provision and manage cloud infrastructure using Terraform and infrastructure-as-code best practices.
- Own delivery of significant workstreams end-to-end, from technical design through production and operations.
- Drive engineering quality through design reviews, code reviews, and clear technical standards.
- Mentor and support the growth of analysts and junior engineers on the team.
- Partner with product, data, and platform leaders to shape roadmap and translate requirements into scalable solutions.
- Lead root-cause analysis for complex production issues and drive continuous improvements in reliability and performance.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 4–7 years of professional software engineering experience with a strong backend focus.
- Expert-level proficiency in Python for building production services and data pipelines.
- Strong hands-on experience with Apache Spark for distributed data processing at scale.
- Proficiency with Terraform for infrastructure-as-code and cloud resource management.
- Deep data engineering fundamentals, including data modeling, ETL/ELT design, and data distribution patterns.
- Solid command of relational and non-relational data stores and SQL.
- Experience with version control (Git), CI/CD pipelines, and modern software development practices.
- Demonstrated ability to own complex workstreams and mentor other engineers.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate across technical and business teams.
- Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and their data services.
- Familiarity with workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, Dagster).
- Experience with streaming technologies (e.g., Kafka, Spark Structured Streaming).
- Exposure to containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes).
- Prior experience in financial services or another data-intensive, regulated industry.
- Experience with Palantir Foundry or similar data integration and analytics platforms.
KKR offers a collaborative, high-performance culture where engineers work on meaningful problems at scale. We provide competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and significant opportunities for professional growth, technical leadership, and impact.
This is the expected annual base salary range for this New York-based position. Actual salaries may vary based on factors, such as skill, experience, and qualification for the role. Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus, based on factors such as individual and team performance.
Base Salary Range
$135,000—$170,000 USD
KKR is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals seeking employment are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by applicable law.
KKR will provide reasonable accommodations as required by applicable federal, state, and/or local laws. Individuals seeking an accommodation for the application or interview process should email Benefits@kkr.com. Emails sent for unrelated issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access https://www.kkr.com/careers because of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by sending an email to Benefits@kkr.com. Only emails left for this purpose will be returned.
Massachusetts Applicants: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. This notice applies only to applicants and employees who work or will work in Massachusetts, in accordance with applicable state law.
Source details
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Source excerptsSelected passages from the saved posting. Check the full description for conditions and exceptions.
- Pay
Base Salary Range $135,000—$170,000 USD KKR is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals seeking employment are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by applicable law.
- Location & working pattern
New York, New York, United States
Working pattern and location restrictions need checking in the full posting.
- Work authorization
No clear work-authorization passage found. Eligibility is unconfirmed.