Senior Data Engineer Enterprise Data Frameworks (Java Spark Focus)

## Role Summary

The Enterprise Data Frameworks team is seeking a Senior Java focused software engineer who builds and maintains large scale data processing systems using Java, Apache Spark, and Kafka. This role is intended for experienced backend engineers with strong core Java fundamentals who apply traditional software engineering practices to data intensive platforms and distributed systems.

The ideal candidate has hands on experience developing production grade Java applications using modern frameworks and Intelli. J based development workflows, paired with practical experience building Spark based processing pipelines and Kafka driven data ingestion services. In this role, you will contribute to the core components of enterprise data frameworks, working closely with senior engineers and architects while remaining deeply involved in design and implementation.

This role requires strong Java engineering skills, the ability to debug and optimize complex Spark applications, and comfort operating in regulated environments where stability, data quality, and reliability are critical.

### What you'll do and the skills you'll use

You will design, build, and maintain Java based data processing pipelines using Apache Spark for batch and streaming workloads and develop and support Java based backend services and APIs that orchestrate data workflows and framework components. Applying solid object oriented design principles to distributed data processing systems is expected, along with optimizing Spark applications for performance, reliability, and cost efficiency across cloud and on premises environments. You will collaborate with architects and senior engineers on technical design and framework evolution, and partner with frontend and platform teams to integrate backend data services where applicable.

You should be prepared to translate business and technical requirements into scalable, well structured engineering solutions, participate in code reviews, contribute to shared standards, and mentor junior engineers. Ensuring solutions align with data governance, security, and change management standards is part of the role, as is participating in Agile ceremonies and supporting continuous improvement of engineering practices.

### Experience, tools, and environment

Required: 7+ years of experience as a software engineer or data engineer with strong emphasis on Java backend development. Strong hands on proficiency in Java, including object oriented design, debugging, and performance optimization, is essential. Experience building Spark applications in Java for large scale data ingestion and transformation and practical experience with Apache Kafka and event driven data architectures are called out explicitly. Experience developing Java based services using frameworks such as Spring Boot is required, as is a solid understanding of distributed systems concepts and data processing architectures.

Familiarity with data lake technologies, columnar storage formats such as Parquet or Iceberg, and metadata driven frameworks is expected. You should have experience using Git based workflows, CI CD pipelines, and modern development practices. Exposure to cloud environments, with preference for AWS based data platforms such as S3, EMR, Lambda, or API Gateway, is noted, and experience working in regulated or enterprise environments with strong data governance requirements is important.

Preferred experience includes collaborating with UI or platform teams to integrate backend data services, containerization and orchestration tools such as Docker or Kubernetes, exposure to additional JVM or scripting languages such as Scala or Python in a data context, and experience with developer productivity or automation tooling.

### Education and work details

Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.

Hours per Week: 40. Location: Hybrid, 4 days on site from a Citizens corporate office, 1 day remote. Schedule: Monday through Friday.

### Compensation and additional information

The salary range for this position is $105,000-158,000 per year, plus an opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Actual pay is based on various factors including but not limited to the work location, and relevant skills and experience.

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more. Note, Citizens’ paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory, paid sick or paid time-away policy of very local and state jurisdiction in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits.

#LI

- Citizens1

Citizens provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to categories protected by federal, state and/or local laws. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the candidate successfully passing a background check, which may include initial credit, motor vehicle record, public record, prior employment verification, and criminal background checks.