Lead Databricks Data Security Engineer

Accountabilities:

• • Lead the architecture and implementation of role-based access control (RBAC) and attribute-based access control (ABAC) within Databricks Unity Catalog.
  • Define scalable data access models, including data structures, permissions, tagging standards, dynamic views, row-level security, and column-level masking.
  • Establish and evolve identity governance for the Databricks environment, including service principals, workload identities, SCIM, and integration with enterprise identity providers.
  • Translate regulatory, contractual, security, and compliance requirements into practical technical controls and enforceable platform policies.
  • Develop and maintain data classification frameworks and tagging structures that enable consistent and scalable access governance.
  • Implement Databricks grants, catalogs, tags, access controls, and policies as code using Terraform and/or Databricks Asset Bundles.
  • Build automation and controls that support version management, audit readiness, repeatability, and secure deployment practices.
  • Partner with workspace administrators and platform engineers to align workspace, compute, secrets, networking, and identity controls with the overall data security architecture.
  • Create reusable guardrails, templates, and workflows that enable data engineering teams to manage access efficiently while maintaining strong security standards.
  • Provide technical leadership and guidance as the data security function evolves, balancing enterprise security requirements with usability and engineering efficiency.
  • Use Python and SQL to automate security processes, monitoring, compliance activities, and operational workflows.

  Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline with at least 8 years of experience as a Software Engineer or Data Engineer, with significant focus on data platform security and security automation; alternatively, a master’s degree with at least 6 years of relevant experience.
  • At least 2 years of hands-on experience implementing Databricks Unity Catalog security capabilities.
  • Demonstrated expertise designing and implementing RBAC and ABAC models at scale.
  • Strong practical experience with Unity Catalog grants, dynamic views, row-level filtering, column-level filtering, and data masking.
  • Fluency with identity and federation concepts, including SCIM, service principals, workload identities, and integration with enterprise identity providers such as Microsoft Entra ID.
  • Experience applying infrastructure-as-code practices to Databricks security, access, tagging, and policy management, preferably using Terraform.
  • Strong proficiency in Python and SQL for automation, monitoring, security operations, and compliance.
  • Ability to translate complex security, regulatory, and contractual requirements into scalable technical solutions.
  • Strong understanding of data classification, access governance, identity management, and security automation.
  • Ability to operate effectively across data engineering, platform engineering, security, and enterprise stakeholder groups.
  • Strong technical leadership, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills.
  • Ability to work independently while establishing engineering standards and driving security initiatives across a complex technical environment.
  • Ability to obtain a government security clearance is preferred.
  • A master’s degree is preferred.
  • Full-time onsite work in Falls Church, Virginia, is preferred, although full-time remote work is available.

  Benefits:

  • Competitive base salary range of $142,200–$213,200, depending on responsibilities, experience, education, skills, and market conditions.
  • Potential eligibility for additional compensation, including overtime, shift differentials, and discretionary bonuses, depending on position requirements.
  • Health insurance coverage.
  • Life and disability insurance.
  • Savings and retirement benefits.
  • Paid company holidays.
  • Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and personal business.
  • Flexible work arrangements, including the option for full-time telework.
  • Opportunities to work with modern cloud data, security, automation, and infrastructure technologies.
  • Exposure to complex enterprise-scale data security initiatives and cross-functional technical programs.
  • Opportunities for continued professional development and career growth.