Lead Data Engineer

OverviewLead AI Data Engineer (P4)Upwork is the world's human and AI-powered work marketplace that connects businesses with highly skilled, AI-enabled independent talent from across the globe.

Upwork's platform enables businesses to scale, innovate, and build agile teams for the age of AI and beyond.As a Lead AI Data Engineer on our Data Platform & Services (DPS) team, you will bridge deep data engineering expertise with emerging AI capabilities to build production-grade AI-powered systems.

You'll design and deploy agentic frameworks, natural language querying (NLQ) capabilities, and prompt / LLM evaluation strategies that unlock insights at scale across Upwork.

This is an opportunity to deliver tangible impact, enabling faster decision-making, democratizing data access, and empowering analysts and stakeholders throughout the company.ResponsibilitiesDesign and implement scalable agentic frameworks that coordinate multiple AI agents to deliver accurate and reliable outcomes.Build and optimize natural language query solutions that provide compliant, intuitive, and self-service access to enterprise data.Develop and maintain evaluation frameworks for LLMs and prompts, driving measurable improvements in accuracy, scalability, and resilience.Partner with data engineering peers to integrate AI orchestration with Python, SQL, and Snowflake pipelines.Contribute to AI-powered summarization and explanation tools that enhance reporting, insights, and executive reviews.Collaborate cross-functionally with product, analytics, and business teams to ensure solutions meet measurable business goals.What it takes to catch our eyeProven experience delivering AI-powered data systems in production, including hands-on expertise with LLMs and prompt engineering.Strong foundation in modern data engineering, with proficiency in Python, SQL, and platforms such as Snowflake.Demonstrated ability to design agentic orchestration frameworks that scale across diverse business scenarios.A collaborative problem-solver with strong communication skills, able to align stakeholders and create clarity across teams.Growth mindset—excited to learn, iterate, and deliver measurable business outcomes through applied AI.Compensation and benefitsAnnual Base Compensation $151,500 — $215,500 USDWe offer benefits that go beyond the basics, including comprehensive medical coverage for you and your family, unlimited PTO, a 401(k) plan with matching, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Visit our Life at Upwork page to learn more about our values, working principles, and the overall employee experience.EEO and privacyUpwork is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce.

We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics under federal, state, or local law.

A criminal background check may be required after a conditional offer.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in accordance with applicable law, including the California Fair Chance Act.To learn more about Upwork's data privacy during the application process, please review our Global Job Applicant Privacy Notice.

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