Cloud Data Engineer - SQL, AI Search & Observability

recruitAbility • Remote (United States) • 1d ago

As the company continues to grow and invest in AI-driven capabilities, they are seeking an experienced Cloud Data Engineer to join their team. The selected candidate will be the primary subject matter expert for data within the organization, with a focus on SQL performance, AI-powered search, and forward-looking data architecture. This role will be responsible for building, optimizing, and observing data systems that support increased scale, advanced search capabilities, and AI-enhanced applications.

The ideal candidate will combine strong SQL skills with modern search technologies, a passion for data process design, and the ability to work independently while establishing foundational protocols for future growth. This position offers the opportunity to directly influence the organization’s data strategy and help shape its next generation of intelligent applications.

What YOU get to DO at this growing company:

Manage Microsoft SQL Server workloads in production environments across both IaaS and PaaS models in Azure.
Design, build, and tune AI search and ElasticSearch clusters, pipelines, and relevance models for keyword and semantic search.
Collaborate with development teams to architect retrieval pipelines for LLM-powered applications, including vector indexing, embeddings, and prompt metadata enrichment.
Establish observability practices for monitoring search relevance, query performance, and AI pipeline health.
Optimize SQL queries and indexing strategies using Query Store, DMVs, and execution plans.
Implement secure data access practices including encryption, private endpoints, and RBAC.
Automate operational tasks using scripting (PowerShell/Python) and CI/CD pipelines in Azure DevOps.
Create and maintain technical documentation, runbooks, and protocols for long-term operational success.
Serve as the go-to resource for data strategy, performance tuning, and AI search integration.

What you NEED to SUCCEED in this challenging role:

3–5 years of experience managing Microsoft SQL Server in production environments (Azure IaaS and PaaS).
Strong experience with full-text and semantic search using Azure Cognitive Search and/or ElasticSearch.
Experience with RAG/LLM architectures, including vector stores, embedding generation, and retrieval APIs.
Proven ability to optimize SQL performance, troubleshoot bottlenecks, and implement indexing strategies.
Familiarity with observability tools and practices (OpenTelemetry, Grafana, APM solutions, etc.).
Experience automating workflows with PowerShell or Python.
Proficiency with Infrastructure-as-Code (Bicep, Terraform, ARM templates).
Strong sense of ownership and the ability to work autonomously while setting data governance and process standards.
Forward-thinking mindset with a path toward data architecture leadership.

What's in it for YOU?

Opportunity to establish and own the organization’s data foundation.
Lead AI and search initiatives that will shape the company’s future growth.
Be the go-to expert for all things data, with visibility across the organization.
Fully remote role with flexibility in work location (U.S.-based).

INDSJ