Full-Time

Senior Data Engineer

Posted on 8/17/2026

Kunai

Kunai

51-200 employees

End-to-end product development for enterprises

No salary listed

No H1B Sponsorship

Remote in USA

Remote

Bachelor's

Category
Data & Analytics (1)
Required Skills
Kubernetes
DynamoDB
Redshift
Python
NoSQL
Apache Spark
Kinesis
ETL
Data Engineering
Docker
CloudFormation
AWS
Terraform
Data Modeling
Data Governance
DevOps
Data Analysis
Cassandra

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Requirements
  • At least 5 years of professional experience in data engineering or software engineering roles focused on data-centric solutions.
  • Expert Python programming skills focused on data processing and pipeline development.
  • Deep experience designing and implementing AWS DynamoDB solutions, including data modeling, performance tuning, and capacity planning.
  • A thorough understanding of cloud computing fundamentals, preferably AWS.
  • Solid experience building high-scale ETL/ELT pipelines and working with streaming and batch data.
  • Familiarity with distributed data processing frameworks.
  • Experience working with NoSQL databases such as DynamoDB, Cassandra, or similar.
  • Comfort with schema design trade-offs and query pattern optimization in key-value and document stores.
  • A track record of effective collaboration in cross-functional teams involving product, data science, and operations.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
  • Ability to thrive in fast-paced, evolving environments with changing requirements.
  • A bachelor's degree, or an equivalent combination of additional specialized training and progressively responsible technology work experience.
Responsibilities
  • Design, build, and maintain scalable, reliable, and high-performance data pipelines using Python and AWS DynamoDB.
  • Implement robust ETL/ELT processes for batch and streaming data workloads.
  • Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and backend engineers to ensure data accessibility and integrity.
  • Develop and optimize DynamoDB data models and indexing strategies for diverse access patterns and high-throughput requirements.
  • Leverage cloud-native data storage solutions and serverless architecture to build cost-efficient and scalable systems.
  • Contribute to implementing and tuning distributed data processing frameworks such as Apache Spark for large-scale data transformations and analytics.
  • Monitor and optimize pipeline performance, scalability, and latency.
  • Establish data validation, monitoring, and alerting mechanisms to ensure pipeline reliability and accuracy.
  • Collaborate with stakeholders on data governance, compliance, and security best practices.
  • Participate in architectural discussions and code reviews, advocating for best practices in Python development and cloud data engineering.
  • Mentor junior team members and promote knowledge sharing across the engineering organization.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with Apache Spark or other big data processing frameworks.
  • Familiarity with AWS Lambda, Kinesis, Glue, or Redshift.
  • Prior experience working with financial services or payments industry data platforms.
  • Exposure to containerized or cloud-native deployments such as Docker or Kubernetes.
  • Experience with continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines and infrastructure-as-code tools such as Terraform or CloudFormation.

Kunai is a software development partner that helps established companies and fast-growing startups turn ideas into scalable, shipped digital products. It combines engineers, designers, and product managers to take concepts from napkin sketches to live products used by millions, offering end-to-end execution and long-term partnerships. Unlike some vendors that work in silos, Kunai emphasizes enduring collaboration—evidenced by a long-term relationship with Capital One that led to a partial acquisition and a portfolio spanning four major payment networks, four top-ten US banks, seven Fortune 500 technology companies, and ten unicorn startups. The company’s goal is to turn ideas into reliable, scalable products and maintain lasting relationships that help clients grow."

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

San Ramon, California

Founded

2001

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • PwC still hires Kunai roles in 2026, signaling active demand and retained capability.
  • June 2026 PwC materials spotlight Kunai for payments, core banking, and automation work.
  • Financial institutions keep spending on legacy migration, benefiting Kunai's existing modernization pipeline.

What critics are saying

  • PwC now owns Kunai's fate; integration mistakes can erase its boutique edge.
  • Clients can replace Kunai with Accenture, EPAM, or in-house platform teams by 2027.
  • If PwC standardizes delivery, Kunai becomes a commoditized labor pool, not a brand.

What makes Kunai unique

  • PwC acquired Kunai on August 15, 2025, validating its fintech engineering niche.
  • Kunai combines payments, core banking, AI, cloud, and mobile product delivery.
  • Its 500-person workforce gives PwC instant scale in financial-services modernization.

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Benefits

Fully remote

Flexible hours & vacation time

Learning & development

Health, dental, & vision

Parental leave

Career coaching

Company News

Crowdfund Insider
Aug 12th, 2025
PwC US Acquires AI Firm Kunai

PwC US has agreed to acquire nearly all assets of Kunai, a software consultancy specializing in AI and cloud-first platforms for the financial services sector. This strategic acquisition supports PwC's commitment to enhancing client services.

PwC
Aug 6th, 2025
PwC US announces agreement to acquire Kunai

PwC US announces agreement to acquire Kunai.

Securities.io
Feb 12th, 2025
Sandeep Sood, Founder And Ceo Of Kunai – Interview Series

Sandeep Sood, Founder and CEO of Kunai, has spent the past two decades building elite software teams. In 2015, he sold his first agency, Monsoon, to Capital One, where he spent the next three years gaining firsthand experience in how financial products are developed within a large corporation. This experience now informs the work at Kunai, enabling the company to deliver even more effective solutions.Kunai develops full-stack technology solutions for banks, credit and payment networks, infrastructure providers, and their customers. Leveraging a team of skilled designers, developers, and product managers, Kunai transforms ideas from initial concepts to large-scale deployment. By focusing on modernization and emerging industry trends, the company helps clients optimize their operations and position themselves for long-term growth in the evolving financial landscape.We discuss the future of AI, fintech, and stablecoins.What inspired you to start Kunai after your experience at Capital One, and how did your time at Monsoon and Capital One shape your approach to building Kunai?At Monsoon, I spent twenty years working with financial institutions from the outside – as a vendor. After our acquisition by Capital One, I learned what it was like to sit at the other side of the table – as an executive who managed teams and vendors