Staff Data Engineer

Job description

** This role is not eligible for sponsorship AND is four days onsite hybrid at our N. Scottsdale office ** Who are we looking for? Choice Hotels has an exciting new opportunity as a Staff Data Engineer in the SkyTouch Technology division . SkyTouch Technology, is an independently operated division of Choice Hotels that provides the most widely used cloud-based (SaaS) hotel property management system. As a key member of our SkyTouch Software Engineering - Data, you will drive enterprise-wide impact by shaping scalable, reliable data architectures and standards that enable teams to deliver trusted data, accelerate innovation, and support long-term business strategy. Are you a systems-level data engineer who thinks beyond individual pipelines to shape enterprise-wide data architecture and standards? Do you thrive on influencing technical direction and enabling multiple teams to succeed at scale? The #SkysTheLimit when you #MakeItYourChoice ! We encourage you to apply today! Your Responsibilities Define and evolve the long-term data architecture and technical standards across teams and platforms Design and oversee highly scalable, resilient, and cost-efficient data systems using cloud technologies (e.g., AWS) Make principled tradeoffs between AWS-managed services and open technologies (e.g., Spark, Flink, Iceberg) to ensure long-term scalability and maintainability. Lead complex, cross-domain data initiatives that span multiple teams, systems, and business functions Serve as a technical authority and escalation point for complex data engineering challenges and architectural decisions Establish best practices for data quality, reliability, observability, security, and governance across the organization Drive alignment on data modeling, batch and real-time integration patterns, and platform usage to reduce duplication and technical debt Partner with engineering, analytics, and business leaders to translate strategic goals into technical data solutions Mentor senior engineers and influence technical growth through design reviews, architecture forums, and technical guidance Use an AI-first approach to mitigate systemic risks, improve engineering productivity focusing on automation and operational efficiency Balance near-term delivery with long-term platform health, scalability, and sustainability Your Experience, Skills & Competencies Bachelor's degree in related field Computer Science, Information Systems, Computer Engineering or equivalent experience Minimum of 8+ years of experience in data engineering, software engineering, or platform engineering roles. Proven experience designing and evolving large-scale, cloud-based data platforms in AWS. Experience leading cross-team, multi-system data initiatives with long-term architectural impact Demonstrated ownership of mission-critical production data systems Experience influencing technical direction across teams without direct people management Expert-level knowledge of cloud data architectures and AWS data services Advanced data modeling and data warehousing design expertise. Acts as a trusted technical authority, guiding architectural decisions, mentoring senior engineers, and influencing outcomes across teams. Strong programming skills (Python, SQL, and/or Spark) Deep understanding of distributed systems, performance tuning, and scalability Infrastructure-as-code, CI/CD, and automation expertise. Ability to design scalable, fault-tolerant, and cost-efficient data architectures Strong understanding of distributed systems, data partitioning, and performance tuning Expertise in data quality, observability, and reliability practices Knowledge of data governance, security, and compliance best practices Strong debugging and root-cause analysis skills across data pipelines and cloud infrastructure. Designing for reliability, observability, fault tolerance, and cost efficiency at scale Implementing organization-wide standards for data quality, security, and governance Identifying and reducing technical debt across data platforms Experience applying AI/GenAI in production to engineering workflows, automation, data quality, or developer productivity Demonstrates key competencies to include managing complexity, valuing differences, and cultivating innovation Your Team This is an individual contributor role that will report to the Manager of Software Engineering - Data . You will have 14 peer teammate s and collaborate with cross functional departments on a regular basis. **This role is not eligible for sponsorship** Choice prioritizes our associate wellbeing by offering a comprehensive benefits program that is both competitive and flexible to help you achieve your wellbeing goals - here are just a few: Competitive compensation and benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage Leave and paid time-off for holidays, vacation, personal, family, volunteer, sick, jury duty, bereavement, military, and religious observance Financial benefits for retirement and health savings Employee recognition programs Discounts at Choice hotels worldwide About Choice Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. With 7,500 hotels in 45+ countries and territories, we offer a range of high-quality lodging options in the upper upscale, upper midscale, midscale, extended stay, and economy segments. We’re the hotel company for those who choose to bet on themselves — the striver, the dreamer, the entrepreneur — because that’s who we are, too. At Choice, we are united by the simple belief that tomorrow will be even better than today — for associates, our company, and our franchisees. At our worldwide corporate headquarters in North Bethesda, Maryland, at our technology center in Scottsdale, Arizona, and through our associates around the globe, every voice is heard and every idea is listened to, no matter what area of the company they come from. We are united in supporting the entrepreneurial dreams of our thousands of franchise owners, which propels us forward — giving our work at Choice a purpose larger than our business. Our corporate office locations: North Bethesda, MD — Located at Pike & Rose , our worldwide headquarters is less than 15 miles from Washington, D.C., one block away from the North Bethesda Metro station, with easy access to I-495, complimentary parking, electronic charging stations, restaurants and retail. Scottsdale, AZ — Located at the northwest corner of Loop 101, the Scottsdale office is home to our technology, eCommerce and customer service organizations, with easy access to complimentary parking, electronic charging stations, restaurants and retail. Minneapolis, MN — Select roles are based in our Minneapolis office on Highway 394, near the intersection with Highway 100, only five minutes from downtown. Field/Remote — Select roles designated as field/remote will require associates to work from a home office, connecting virtually with Choice team members and leadership on Zoom, with possible required travel depending on the role. Choice’s Cultural Values Welcome and Respect Everyone | Be Bold | Be Quick | Listen | Be Curious | Show Integrity Choice’s Leadership Principles Act with Intention | Lead with Authenticity | Grow & Deliver