Data Engineering Manager | Healthcare & Startup Exp Required!

Senior Data Engineering Manager | SQL | Python | AWS | ETL | Healthcare Tech | Remote (US)Location: Remote (US-based people only)

Package: $185K – $200K + Equity (Part of a $55M-funded scale-up)

Eligibility: US-based candidates only | Visa sponsorship not availableRequired Tech Stack / Experience:SQL, Python (or Go), AWS, ETL Systems, Modern Data Tools, Lakehouse Architectures | 7+ years of hands-on Data Engineering | 3+ years as a Manager or Team Lead | Strong Data Governance & Quality Framework expertise | Experience in regulated industries (Healthcare) | Excellent cross-functional communication skills (All The Above Are Non-negotiable)

🚨 Please only apply only if you’re a true player-coach - someone who can architect, ship, and lead from the front while building a data function from scratch. This is a greenfield leadership role in a fast-growing US tech company pioneering digital transformation in the healthcare space.🚨

Must-haves:

• Experience at a highly regulated Healthcare/Healthtech Startup
• Hands-on technical contribution as a manager
• Managed at least 2 direct reports for + 3 years

🚨 Not a “slide deck” manager role - you’ll be building, scaling, and leading from the codebase up. 🚨

Optimal are partnering on this Senior Data Engineering Manager opportunity with a company we know well - a pivotal leadership role with real ownership, technical depth, and purpose.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Build and own the entire data function from day one - you’re the architect, the mentor, and the driver of all things data.
• Create scalable systems that actually power the business - from analytics and AI to revenue-critical insights.
• Lead from the front, growing a small but elite team that codes, experiments, and delivers.
• Set the blueprint for testing, validation, and governance - data that’s clean, trusted, and secure.
• Partner closely with product, growth, and ops to turn business goals into real, usable data products.
• Keep the balance between hands-on technical depth and strategic decision-making - no ivory tower managers here.

 What They’re Looking For

• Around 7+ years building data platforms, with at least 3 in a lead or management role.
• SQL, Python, AWS - proper hands-on expertise, not just buzzwords.
• Proven success scaling data systems and mentoring engineers in high-velocity environments.
• Experience in a regulated setting (healthcare, finance, or similar) would be a big plus.
• Someone who can see both the architecture and the outcome - technical rigour meets product sense.
• Excited by the idea of building something from scratch that makes a genuine difference.

This is one of those roles where you get to define the playbook - not just follow one.

If you’re a data leader who codes, mentors, and wants their work to have visible impact, this one’s got serious legs.Apply now or reach out to us at Optimal - this one’s got impact, purpose, and serious upside.