Senior Data Engineer (Applied ML / Analytics)

<p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The Brattle Group, a privately held, global economics consulting firm, is looking for a <strong>Senior Data Engineer </strong></span><strong>(Applied ML / Analytics)</strong><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong> </strong>to join our<strong> Boston, MA </strong>office. The Senior Data Engineer </span>(Applied ML / Analytics)<span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> at Brattle has a dual role, spanning both client-facing delivery and internal research and development. &nbsp;The role sits at the intersection of data engineering and data science, with data engineering as the primary discipline and applied data science informing analytical decisions. &nbsp;Senior Data Engineers translate client questions and messy data into workable analytical approaches and exercise judgment about when new tools or methods are needed. &nbsp;On client work, they own project definition and key implementation decisions. &nbsp;In research and development, they identify gaps in existing capabilities then design and test proof-of-concept solutions to address them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We are looking for a Senior Data Engineer (Applied ML / Analytics) with strong grounding in data science and applied machine learning who can evaluate and contrast modeling approaches, articulate trade-offs, and guide decisions across both classical methods and newer techniques. &nbsp;The role works directly with Brattle Principals, clients, and junior data engineers to explain technical decisions, structure workstreams, and transition prototypes into scaled solutions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">This role emphasizes modeling judgment, feature engineering, and evaluation rather than routine pipeline construction, building on Brattle’s existing data engineering and generative AI work (e.g., Python-based ML, vector search, LLM-driven workflows).</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Some of the day-to-day responsibilities of this role include:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Define and lead technical workstreams for client and internal projects, including analytical approach, technology selection, scope definition, and estimation.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Triage and assess incoming client data from a wide range of sources and maturity levels, determining data readiness, required normalization, and appropriate analytical paths.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Exercise independent judgment in ambiguous situations, evaluating modeling approaches and technical trade-offs, and articulating clear recommendations to project teams, principals, and clients.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Bridge data engineering and data science by translating client questions and messy data into appropriate analytical methods, and determining when classical ML, generative AI, or simpler approaches are warranted.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Identify gaps in existing capabilities and research, prototype, and evaluate new tools or methods to address them.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Develop proof-of-concept solutions and structure handoff plans for junior engineers to implement and scale.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Review code submitted by engineers, providing technical feedback and guidance on design, modeling choices, and maintainability.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Write reproducible Python-based scripts for data analysis, unstructured text processing, and exploratory modeling as needed.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Contribute to internal training and documentation, sharing approaches, lessons learned, and recommended practices.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Coordinate with IT as needed on software licensing and deployment of new technologies.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong><u>THE CANDIDATE</u></strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field; advanced degree is a plus.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">4–6 years of professional development experience, with a focus on data engineering or related fields.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Proven track record in delivering complex data engineering projects on time and within scope.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Demonstrated ability to research, pilot, and implement new technologies or methodologies.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Expert-level proficiency in Python for data processing, automation, and scripting</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Deep familiarity with machine learning concepts (e.g., predictive modeling, classification, generative AI, vector search).</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Solid experience with SQL and performance optimization (indexing, query tuning).</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Experience with Azure (or comparable cloud platforms) for data storage, pipelines, and services.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Familiarity with modern data formats (e.g., CSV, Parquet, JSON) and associated transformations.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Hands-on experience with version control (Git) and CI/CD pipelines.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Ability to assess project requirements and select the most appropriate data engineering tools, and identify gaps or limitations where no suitable tool or approach exists.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Strong mentorship and coaching skills, including reviewing code and providing feedback to junior team members.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Able to translate complex technical concepts into actionable solutions.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Communicate complex limitations or risks proactively and with polish, ensuring stakeholders have confidence in proposed approaches.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Ability to manage multiple parallel workstreams in a fast-paced environment.</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Flexible mindset to adapt to changing project priorities and client needs.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><em>Brattle offers a competitive benefits package, base salary, and bonus program for eligible roles based on individual and firm performance. The anticipated base gross salary range for this position in Boston, MA is $105,000 - $120,000 annually.&nbsp; Actual salary will depend on a variety of factors, including experience and training.</em></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><em>This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship.</em></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>EQUAL OPPORTUNITY</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The Brattle Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer.&nbsp; All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity and expression, age, height, weight, domestic partner status, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or HIV status (AIDS/HIV status), genetic information, sexual orientation, disability (where the applicant or employee is qualified to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation), marital status, veteran status, political affiliation, drug or alcohol abuse or alcoholism, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We encourage all applicants to click <a href="https://www.brattle.com/equal-opportunity-employer-statement/" target="_blank">here</a> to review our full Equal Employer Opportunity Statement.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p><div class="content-conclusion"><p><strong>THE EMPLOYER</strong></p> <p>The Brattle Group answers complex economic, finance, and regulatory questions for corporations, law firms, and governments around the world. We are distinguished by the clarity of our insights and the credibility of our experts, which include leading international academics and industry specialists. Brattle has 500 talented professionals across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. For more information, please visit brattle.com​.​​​​​</p> <p>&nbsp;</p></div>