AWS Data Engineer - II

About the role

Syms Strategic Group (SSG) is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer (AWS Data Engineer) – II for a remote, full‑time position supporting the Veterans Affairs healthcare data platform modernization.

Responsibilities

• Lead the next phase of the healthcare data platform modernization
• Implement the evolution from a Microsoft SQL eXtensible Markup Language (MSSQL XML) object store toward a scalable, cloud‑native AWS data architecture
• Evaluate and decide the right AWS data strategy for the platform
• Evaluate and recommend the optimal AWS‑native data storage and query architecture for the XML object store data, assessing options such as S3 + Athena, Aurora, DynamoDB, Redshift, and OpenSearch based on query patterns, reporting needs, cost, and scalability
• Design and build the reporting and query layer that allows business stakeholders and non‑technical users to run relational SQL queries against healthcare data using familiar tooling
• Architect the migration path for XML object store data from MSSQL into the target AWS platform, defining storage formats, partitioning strategies, and data organization for optimal query performance
• Build and maintain AWS data catalog, schemas, and metadata management so that object store data is discoverable and queryable by business users
• Optimize query performance and cost across chosen AWS services – partitioning, compression, file formats, and query pattern tuning
• Work directly with business stakeholders and analysts to understand reporting requirements and translate them into durable, performant data models and query patterns
• Collaborate with back‑end C#/.Net engineer to ensure data flows cleanly from Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) processing pipelines into the new data layer
• Implement and maintain CI/CD pipelines for data infrastructure using AWS‑native tooling (CodePipeline, CodeBuild, and CodeDeploy)
• Apply Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices using AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK), CloudFormation, or Terraform
• Document architecture decisions, data flows, and data dictionaries clearly for both technical and non‑technical audiences

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship required
• Must possess or qualify for a Public Trust (MBI) security clearance
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline; equivalent practical experience considered
• 8+ years’ experience in software or data engineering with a strong AWS focus
• Experience with healthcare payer/Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) systems, clearinghouses, or pharmacy operations is desired
• Familiarity with EDI X.12 medical claims (837, 835, 277CA, etc), HL7, FHIR
• Experience with C#/.Net back‑end services for integration touchpoints
• Experience with Entity Framework migration or deprecation projects
• Knowledge of HIPAA compliance requirements in cloud data architecture

Skills

• Proven experience architecting and executing cloud data platform migrations in production enterprise or healthcare environments
• Track record of evaluating and selecting AWS data services to meet business reporting and query requirements
• Experience delivering reporting or analytics solutions that serve non‑technical business users
• Deep hands‑on AWS experience across data‑oriented services – S3, Athena, Glue, Aurora, DynamoDB, Redshift, OpenSearch, Lambda, IAM, and CloudWatch
• Strong SQL skills with the ability to design relational query layers over semi‑structured or non‑relational data (XML, JSON)
• Experience working with XML‑heavy data stores – parsing, querying, and transforming XML at scale
• Ability to evaluate trade‑offs across AWS data services and make architecture recommendations based on cost, performance, and business requirements
• Familiarity with AWS analytics and reporting services, including Athena, QuickS