Senior Data Engineer (Contractor – Hybrid, Houston, TX)Core Requirements:Python: Advanced proficiency for scripting, ETL/ELT, and pipeline automation.Snowflake: Hands-on experience with query tuning, security (RBAC, dynamic masking), data sharing, and cost optimization.Key Responsibilities:Design and optimize scalable data pipelines (batch/real-time) using Python, SQL, and SnowflakeBuild and manage Snowflake data warehouses/lakes, ensuring performance and governance.Implement row-level security and dynamic masking in Snowflake for PII/financial data.Monitor Snowflake credit consumption, warehouse usage, and query performance.Collaborate with data scientists/analysts to support ML/analytics initiatives (e.g., feature engineering).Develop semantic layers and data models (Star/Snowflake schemas) for analytics.Automate pipelines using CI/CD (Jenkins, GitHub) and ETL/scheduling tools (e.g., Airflow, dbt).Enable secure data sharing via Snowflake shares/reader accounts.Technical Skills:Python (ETL, scripting, automation).Snowflake (architecture, security, performance tuning).Advanced SQL (query optimization, complex transformations). ETL/ELT tools (e.g., Airflow, dbt, Informatica).Nice-to-Have:ML/AI/LLM model integration.Data observability tools (e.g., Great Expectations).Metadata management (DataHub, Collibra).Soft Skills:Strong communication to bridge technical and business teams.Problem-solving for data quality and pipeline scalability.