Data Engineer

About The Company

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is a leading healthcare organization committed to delivering innovative, high-quality medical care, research, and education to over one million residents in British Columbia. Recognized for its excellence and dedication to community health, VCH fosters a collaborative environment that emphasizes diversity, inclusion, and continuous improvement. As a prominent part of Canada's healthcare landscape, VCH strives to integrate cutting-edge technology and data-driven solutions to enhance patient outcomes and operational efficiency. The organization values its workforce, promoting professional growth, wellness, and a culture of respect and equity. Joining VCH means becoming part of a community that is passionate about making a positive impact on health and well-being across the region.

About The Role

We are seeking a highly skilled Principal Data Engineer to join Vancouver Coastal Health’s dynamic team. In this senior leadership position, you will be instrumental in architecting, building, and operationalizing modern data products within a cloud environment, primarily utilizing Azure and Databricks. Your expertise will drive major migration projects, elevate engineering practices through AI-assisted development, and establish standards that ensure security, governance, and maintainability in an enterprise healthcare setting. You will lead the adoption of AI tools to accelerate development workflows, define best practices through an AI engineering playbook, and enable agentic workflows that enhance developer productivity. As a technical leader, you will mentor engineering teams, oversee reference architectures such as medallion/lakehouse patterns, and promote a culture of continuous improvement. Your role will also involve running mentorship programs, conducting design and code reviews, and fostering an environment aligned with VCH’s commitments to Indigenous Cultural Safety, Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, as well as Planetary Health.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in computer science, Information Systems Management, or a related data-intensive field
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience as a data engineer, with at least three (3) years in a cloud environment
• Proven project leadership and team management experience
• Hands-on expertise in designing, developing, and deploying data solutions in Azure and Databricks
• Experience utilizing AI assistants to enhance development efficiency while maintaining high code and data quality
• Strong knowledge of best practices in data engineering, including CI/CD pipelines and automation
• Experience integrating AI tools within governed environments, ensuring policy compliance and privacy considerations
• Deep understanding of coding standards and architectural patterns using SQL and Python
• Proficiency in Azure, Databricks, scripting languages, and data modeling techniques
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams
• Demonstrated leadership in teaching, coaching, and mentoring technical staff
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and quality standards
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion principles, with cultural sensitivity and awareness of Indigenous perspectives
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position
  
  

Responsibilities

• Lead the adoption and integration of AI-assisted development tools to accelerate data engineering workflows
• Establish and maintain an AI engineering playbook, including prompt patterns, review checklists, and guardrails to ensure compliance and quality
• Design, develop, and deploy scalable data solutions leveraging Azure and Databricks, including medallion/lakehouse architectures, batch and streaming ingestion pipelines
• Own reference architectures for data ingestion, transformation, and governance, ensuring best practices and scalability
• Implement and oversee CI/CD deployment pipelines, operational monitoring, and security standards
• Mentor and coach data engineering teams through structured programs, code reviews, and design discussions
• Promote a culture of continuous learning and innovation, integrating AI tools responsibly within governance frameworks
• Collaborate with stakeholders across departments to understand data needs and translate them into technical solutions
• Evaluate emerging AI and data engineering technologies, recommending their adoption to enhance capabilities
• Ensure solutions are secure, compliant, and supportable, aligning with healthcare industry standards and policies
• Foster a collaborative environment that values diversity, inclusion, and Indigenous cultural safety
  
  

Benefits

• Comprehensive health benefits package including MSP, extended health, and dental coverage
• Municipal pension plan and retirement savings options
• Employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities
• Wellness supports including counseling, critical incident stress management, and innovative wellness programs
• Award-winning recognition programs to honor staff, volunteers, and medical teams
• Access to exclusive discounts and deals for employees
• Supportive and inclusive work environment that promotes work-life balance and professional growth
  
  

Equal Opportunity

Vancouver Coastal Health is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and diverse workplace. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including Indigenous Peoples, members of racialized communities, people with disabilities, and individuals of all gender identities and sexual orientations. We believe that diversity enriches our organization and enhances our ability to serve our community effectively. We are dedicated to providing a work environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for this position.