Data Engineering
It takes solid engineering skills to build a scalable software infrastructure to store and access your company’s data. A data engineer can help you build, maintain, and scale your data infrastructure.
So how do you hire data engineers? Here are some tips for finding top data engineers on Upwork.
How to shortlist data engineering professionals
As you’re browsing available data engineering consultants, it can be helpful to develop a shortlist of the professionals you may want to interview. You can screen profiles using criteria such as:
- Industry fit. You want a data engineer who understands your technology stack so they can build infrastructure solutions custom-tailored to your needs.
- Project experience. Screen candidate profiles for specific skills and experience (e.g., using DevOps tools such as Kubernetes for server provisioning).
- Feedback. Check reviews from past clients for glowing testimonials or red flags that can tell you what it’s like to work with a particular data engineer.
How to write an effective data engineering job post
With a clear picture of your ideal data engineer in mind, it’s time to write that job post. Although you don’t need a full job description as you would when hiring an employee, aim to provide enough detail for a consultant to know if they’re the right fit for the project.
An effective data engineering job post should include:
- Scope of work: From building scalable IT infrastructure to maintaining your servers, list all the deliverables you’ll need.
- Project length: Your job post should indicate whether this is a smaller or larger project.
- Background: If you prefer experience with certain industries, software, or technologies, mention this here.
- Budget: Set a budget and note your preference for hourly rates vs. fixed-price contracts.
Ready to build the IT infrastructure you need to process your data? Log in and post your data engineering job on Upwork today.
DATA ENGINEERS FAQ
What is data engineering?
Data engineering involves the design and configuration of databases, servers, interfaces, system architectures, and other data infrastructure. While a data scientist might use big data to solve business problems, it’s the data engineer who figures out how to physically get that data where it needs to go for data scientists to work their analytical magic.
Here’s a quick overview of the skills you should look for in data engineering professionals:
- Data engineering
- Big data tools such as Hadoop
- System architecture design
- API development
- Back-end technologies (e.g., AWS, .NET, MySQL)
Why hire data engineering specialists?
The trick to finding top data engineers is to identify your needs. Do you need help setting up a massively parallel computing system for your data analytics team (i.e., dividing a large data store into computable chunks across multiple machines)? Is your organization practicing DevOps and in need of a data engineer familiar with DevOps toolchains? The cost of your project will depend largely on your scope of work and the specific skills needed to bring your project to life.
How much does it cost to hire a data engineer?
Rates can vary due to many factors, including expertise and experience, location, and market conditions.
- An experienced data engineer may command higher fees but also work faster, have more-specialized areas of expertise, and deliver higher-quality work.
- A contractor who is still in the process of building a client base may price their data engineering services more competitively.
Which one is right for you will depend on the specifics of your project.