Big Data Engineer
Micro1 • Remote
Education
Master's
Type
Hourly
Pay Rate
$30–$80/hr
Actively Hiring
50 openings
Apply opens Micro1 in a new tab.
Apply Now → ⚡ Boost your chances - Optimize your resume with Rezi.aiAbout this role
From the Micro1 listing
Job Title: Big Data Engineer Job Type: Contractor Location: Remote Job Summary: In this role, you'll apply your expertise to help train next-generation AI systems. Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, build, and maintain scalable big data pipelines and architectures to support robust data solutions.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand and deliver on data requirements and business objectives.
- Implement data integration, transformation, and processing solutions using Python and relevant big data technologies.
- Develop, manage, and optimize distributed databases and storage systems for efficiency and reliability.
- Monitor, troubleshoot, and enhance data systems to ensure high availability and performance.
- Enforce data quality, security, and governance standards across all solutions.
- Document solutions and communicate complex technical concepts effectively, both in writing and verbally.
Required Skills and Qualifications
- Proven expertise in big data engineering with hands-on experience building and maintaining large-scale data pipelines.
- Advanced proficiency in Python for data processing, automation, and integration.
- Deep understanding of relational and NoSQL databases, including optimization and management techniques.
- Experience with distributed data processing frameworks (e.g., Hadoop, Spark, Flink).
- Strong foundation in data modeling, ETL processes, and data warehousing principles.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey technical ideas clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Detail-oriented, proactive, and self-motivated, thriving in remote and autonomous work environments.
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior experience in fast-paced or startup-like environments supporting global teams.
- Expertise with cloud-based big data platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure).
- Familiarity with machine learning operations and data science workflows is a plus.
Requirements
- big data
- Python
- databases
- data engineering
- Must be eligible to work in Remote
How long hiring takes
Across the AI training platforms we refer candidates to, the median gap between referral and hire is about 30 days. It varies by platform and role, so treat it as a rough guide for this one.
Interview Prep
Sample questions for a Big Data Engineer role, written in-house to help you prepare.
How do you decide between a batch processing framework and a stream processing framework for a large-scale pipeline?
The decision hinges on latency requirements and data volume patterns. Batch frameworks handle huge volumes efficiently when hourly or daily freshness is acceptable. Stream frameworks add operational complexity but are necessary when downstream systems need sub-minute freshness, like fraud detection. I avoid defaulting to streaming just because it's more capable, since it costs more to build and operate than batch.
What strategies do you use to handle data skew in a distributed processing job?
Skew usually shows up as one or two partitions taking far longer than the rest. I address it by salting the skewed key to spread it across more partitions, or by isolating and processing the heavy keys separately from the rest of the dataset. Repartitioning based on a better key, rather than the default hash, often prevents the skew from happening at all.
How do you ensure exactly-once processing semantics in a real-time pipeline that reads from a message queue?
True exactly-once is hard to guarantee end to end, so I aim for effectively-once by combining idempotent writes with offset tracking that only commits after a successful write. If the write itself is idempotent, like an upsert keyed on message ID, reprocessing after a failure doesn't create duplicates even though the underlying delivery is at-least-once.
How do you approach capacity planning for a distributed system that needs to handle unpredictable traffic spikes?
I design for elastic scaling rather than provisioning for peak load at all times, since that wastes resources most of the time. Autoscaling policies based on queue depth or processing lag, combined with backpressure so the system degrades gracefully instead of falling over under a spike, handle unpredictability better than static overprovisioning.
This listing calls for this tool directly. Prep for the technical screen:
Why this role
The Big Data Engineer role pays $30-$80 per hour for designing and maintaining large-scale data pipelines, handling integration, transformation, and processing work mostly in Python, and keeping distributed databases and storage systems running reliably. It also covers enforcing data quality, security, and governance standards across whatever system you're working in. Micro1 wants proven hands-on experience with big data engineering, strong Python skills, real depth in relational and NoSQL databases, and familiarity with a distributed processing framework like Hadoop, Spark, or Flink.
Skills and categories
Explore other opportunities in related specializations:
Related jobs
Browse All Jobs from Micro1
Discover more opportunities on Micro1 that match your skills and interests.
View All Micro1 Jobs →Verified Reviews
Community Reviews
Share your experience with Micro1
Help other candidates make better decisions by leaving a review.
Sign in to leave a reviewLeave your review
Common questions
Does Micro1 monitor your computer while you work?
On many projects, yes, through time-tracking tools that take periodic screenshots to verify active hours. Check the specific project's requirements before accepting if desktop monitoring is a dealbreaker.
What does the Micro1 application process look like?
Expect a screening interview with Zara, Micro1's AI recruiter. Prepare for it like a real video call: good lighting, clear audio, verbal answers to technical questions. A human manager reviews the recording afterward, and some roles add a short skills assessment on top.
What does task-based AI training work look like?
Practical, hands-on data work: recording short videos, categorizing images, rating text responses, or analyzing data. Tasks are designed to be short and distinct, typically 5 to 60 minutes each.
What does Software Engineering work look like for a Big Data Engineer?
Tasks here are scoped to Software Engineering, not generic labeling. As a Big Data Engineer, expect to draw on real domain judgment (evaluating outputs, correcting errors, or providing expert reasoning specific to Software Engineering) rather than following a one-size-fits-all rubric. If you don't have hands-on Software Engineering background, this is likely not the right listing to start with.
What specific skills does this listing call for?
big data, Python, databases, and data engineering are named directly in the listing. If you don't have hands-on experience with these, expect the screening process to test for them directly rather than accepting adjacent experience as a substitute.
What does the 'openings' count on this listing mean?
It's Micro1's live count of how many candidates it's still trying to place for this specific role, 50 right now, not a countdown on your individual application. A higher number signals more active demand; it doesn't lower the bar for acceptance.
How much does this specific role pay?
This listing is posted at $30–$80/hr, an hourly rate. The range reflects experience level and negotiated terms, not a placeholder, so where you land in it depends on your background and the assessment. Pay can change between when we last checked the listing and when you apply, so confirm the current number on the platform's own application page before committing time.
What happens when I click Apply on this listing?
You'll be taken to Micro1's external site to complete your application there. This listing links through a referral, but the process is identical to applying directly; the link just routes you correctly. Create an account on their site and follow their onboarding steps.
Do I need a Master's to qualify?
This role lists a master's degree as a requirement. In practice, the domain assessment is the real gate. If you can pass it, the degree is usually secondary. However, some platforms verify credentials formally, so list your actual qualifications accurately on your profile.