Senior QA Lead - Data Engineering & Analytics Testing

Senior QA Lead – Data Engineering & Analytics TestingRemote (U.S.) | Contract Opportunity | Potential for Long-Term ExtensionCompensation: $60-$70/hour DOEEmployment Type: W2 Contract OnlyEligibility: No Corp-to-Corp (C2C), Third-Party Vendors, or SubcontractorsAbout the OpportunityJoin a globally recognized retail and mobility organization undergoing a large-scale enterprise data transformation. This position will support a strategic Data Platform modernization initiative focused on migrating and validating critical business data across modern cloud-based platforms.We are seeking a Senior QA Lead – Data Engineering & Analytics Testing to drive quality assurance efforts across data engineering and analytics projects. This role is heavily focused on backend data testing (85-90%), including ETL/ELT validation, data reconciliation, transformation testing, and data quality assurance.This is a unique opportunity to join a new project pod from inception, helping define testing strategy, validation frameworks, and quality standards while providing leadership to a small team of QA professionals.What You'll Be DoingData Validation & Quality Assurance

• Lead testing efforts for enterprise data engineering and analytics initiatives.
• Validate complex data transformations, calculations, aggregations, and business rules.
• Perform end-to-end ETL/ELT testing, including source-to-target reconciliation.
• Ensure data integrity across cloud-based platforms and large-scale migration efforts.
• Validate data across Bronze, Silver, and Gold layers within Medallion Architecture environments.
• Develop and execute SQL-based test cases against large and complex datasets.
• Build and maintain cross-system data reconciliation processes using source-to-target mappings.

QA Strategy & Leadership

• Define and execute comprehensive testing strategies, plans, and test cases.
• Establish quality standards and QA best practices across projects.
• Review test cases, Jira tickets, and defect documentation for quality and completeness.
• Mentor and guide junior QA team members.
• Ensure edge cases and complex business scenarios are adequately tested before release.
• Partner with Data Engineers, Architects, Product Owners, Scrum Masters, and Business Analysts throughout the development lifecycle.

Automation & Continuous Improvement

• Support the transition from manual testing toward automated testing capabilities.
• Help design and implement reusable automation frameworks for data validation.
• Contribute to automation initiatives leveraging modern tools and Snowflake-native capabilities.
• Participate in Agile ceremonies, sprint planning, reviews, retrospectives, and daily standups.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in:*
  • Quality Assurance
  • Data Warehouse Testing
  • ETL/ELT Testing
  • Data Quality Validation
• Strong hands-on experience with:*
  • Snowflake
  • SQL
  • Databricks
  • Azure Data Factory (ADF)
  • Azure Data Lake
• Advanced SQL skills with the ability to independently write and execute test queries.
• Extensive experience with data reconciliation and source-to-target validation.
• Experience validating complex business rules and data transformations.
• Strong understanding of data warehousing concepts and modern cloud data platforms.
• Experience working within Agile/Scrum environments.
• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous QA Lead or Test Lead experience.
• Python and PyTest automation experience.
• Experience building or supporting test automation frameworks.
• Experience with Streamlit or similar automation and workflow platforms.
• Knowledge of Snowflake Data Quality Monitoring and Data Metric Functions (DMFs).
• Exposure to Power BI or reporting validation.
• Experience with Azure DevOps and CI/CD pipelines.
• Knowledge of Data Governance and Data Quality frameworks.
• Experience supporting enterprise data migration initiatives.

Leadership ExpectationsThis role is approximately:

• 70% Hands-On Individual Contributor
• 30% Team Leadership

You will:

• Lead and mentor 2-3 junior QA professionals.
• Review testing artifacts and ensure quality standards are met.
• Provide guidance on defect management and validation approaches.
• Serve as the senior QA authority for your project team.
• Participate in business-facing discussions and support release readiness activities.

What Makes a Strong Candidate?Successful candidates typically have experience with:

• Snowflake Testing
• Data Warehouse Testing
• ETL/ELT Validation
• Data Quality & Reconciliation Testing
• Source-to-Target Mapping Validation
• SQL & Database Testing
• Data Migration Projects
• Automation Framework Development
• QA Leadership & Mentoring

Work Environment

• Fully remote position within the United States.
• Team operates on Eastern Time.
• Daily collaboration begins around 8:00 AM ET.
• Candidates outside Eastern Time must be able to support the team schedule.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills are essential in this highly visible role.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Join a major enterprise data modernization initiative from the ground floor.
• Work on large-scale cloud data platforms and migration programs.
• Gain visibility with Data Engineering, Architecture, and Analytics leadership.
• Long-term engagement with an expected initial duration of approximately 18 months.
• Strong potential for extension based on project needs and performance.
• Opportunity to influence quality standards for business-critical data platforms used at global scale.

If you have deep experience in Snowflake testing, SQL, ETL/ELT validation, and data quality assurance and are ready to lead while remaining hands-on, we'd love to speak with you.