Snowflake Data Engineer (Snowflake Optimization)

Role SummaryThe Senior Snowflake Optimization Engineer will lead the assessment, re‑architecture, and optimization of PGE’s Snowflake data platform. This role will act as the technical lead and primary onsite interface for Snowflake optimization initiatives, working closely with PGE stakeholders, data engineering teams, and Matillion pipelines.Experience Level8–12+ years in data engineering / cloud data platforms3–5+ years of focused Snowflake optimization experiencePrior experience in onsite consulting or lead roles preferredKey ResponsibilitiesSnowflake Cost & Performance OptimizationAssess current Snowflake warehouse usage, sizing, auto‑scaling, and auto‑suspend configurations.Identify cost drivers across Matillion jobs, ad‑hoc analytics, and background workloads.Optimize warehouse strategies (multi‑cluster usage, workload isolation, resource monitors).Analyze query history and execution plans to reduce compute inefficiencies.Architecture & Re‑engineeringReview existing Snowflake schemas, tables, tasks, and pipelines for architectural improvements.Recommend and implement Snowflake‑native optimizations (dynamic tables, tasks, result caching where appropriate).Evaluate opportunities for hybrid compute (external tables, Iceberg, Spark/EMR) where cost‑effective.Advise on data lifecycle, retention, and archival strategies to reduce storage footprint.Matillion & Pipeline OptimizationReview Matillion ELT jobs for Snowflake best practices (push‑down transforms, avoiding row‑by‑row logic).Improve pipeline execution efficiency and runtime SLAs.Define reusable optimization patterns and templates.Governance & Cost ControlHelp establish cost governance, monitoring, and guardrails.Support chargeback / show‑back models if required by PGE.Provide recommendations to ensure savings are sustainable post‑engagement.Stakeholder & Delivery LeadershipAct as the onsite technical lead, coordinating with PGE architects, developers, and business users.Lead technical workshops, optimization reviews, and recommendations walkthroughs.Provide documentation, implementation guidelines, and knowledge transfer to PGE teams.Support stabilization and post‑implementation tuning. Required Skills & ExperienceTechnical SkillsStrong hands‑on experience with Snowflake architecture, performance tuning, and cost optimizationDeep understanding of:Snowflake warehouses, clustering, caching, tasks, dynamic tablesQuery profiling and execution plansExperience with Matillion ELT on SnowflakeSolid knowledge of AWS (S3, security, cost considerations)SQL performance tuning and data modeling experience Good to HaveExperience with Iceberg / external tables / Spark or EMRExposure to Snowflake Cortex or advanced Snowflake featuresCI/CD for data platforms (GitHub/GitLab/Jenkins)Data governance and cost management frameworks.