Principal Data Engineer

Principal Data Engineer

Overview
Mastercard is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to join our team in Pune. This is a principal-level architect role setting technical direction across multiple teams and platforms. It will appeal to you if you are a recognized technical authority who shapes enterprise data architecture and multiplies the impact of engineers across the organization.

You will define the technical strategy for our data platforms, driving architecture and standards that span multiple teams. Our teams are small, agile, and focused on the needs of the high growth fintech marketplace, and you will influence engineering direction broadly across Mastercard.

Key Responsibilities
Set technical direction and architecture for data platforms across multiple teams.

Define enterprise standards for Databricks, Spark, dbt, DataOps, CI/CD, and data observability.

Lead cross-team architecture decisions and platform strategy, including the Databricks platform, Unity Catalog, and Delta Lake.

Evaluate and introduce new technologies, owning build-vs-buy and other high-impact technical decisions.

Resolve the most complex, cross-cutting technical problems across the data landscape.

Mentor leads and senior engineers, multiplying technical capability across the organization.

Partner with leadership on technical strategy and the long-term platform roadmap.

Govern platform-wide deployment, migration, scalability, and cost strategy.

Required Qualifications
Bachelors or Masters degree in computer science or a related technical field.

10+ years of data engineering experience, including principal or architect-level scope.

Recognized expert in Databricks architecture, Spark, and distributed systems.

Deep experience defining enterprise data platform strategy across multiple teams.

Strong ability to influence without authority and drive alignment across organizations.

Track record of high-impact architectural decisions on large-scale data platforms.

Excellent communication with technical and executive stakeholders.

Ideally you have experience in banking, e-commerce, credit cards or payment processing and exposure to both SaaS and premises-based architectures. In addition, you have a post-secondary degree in computer science, mathematics, or quantitative science.