Tech Lead (Python)

<h2>Tech Lead</h2> <h3>Company</h3> <p>Orcrist builds the Orcrist Intelligence Platform (OIP), a secure, Kubernetes-native system that powers open-source intelligence collection and analysis for defense and public safety customers.</p> <h3>Role</h3> <p>Lead the technical architecture of our data platform. You'll design and build the lakehouse infrastructure (Hudi, Trino, Kafka, NiFi, PySpark) that powers all downstream AI and analytics products, while mentoring a team of Data Engineers.</p> <h3>What you'll do</h3> <ul> <li>Own the architecture of our data lakehouse—make build-vs-buy decisions, create technical designs, and lead implementation.</li> <li>Write production Python code for critical data pipelines and infrastructure components (PySpark, Kafka, NiFi).</li> <li>Set engineering standards for code quality, testing, observability, and documentation.</li> <li>Mentor Data Engineers through code reviews, 1:1s, and technical guidance.</li> <li>Partner with Product to translate requirements into scalable technical solutions.</li> <li>Design data governance systems for lineage, cataloging, and compliance with government security standards.</li> </ul> <h3>About you</h3> <ul> <li>6+ years in data engineering with 2+ years leading technical teams or architecture.</li> <li>Expert Python (PySpark, pandas) and SQL; deep understanding of lakehouse patterns and data modeling.</li> <li>Experience with streaming (Kafka), batch processing (Spark), and modern table formats (Hudi, Iceberg, or Delta).</li> <li>Track record of building and operating large-scale data platforms in production.</li> <li>Eligible to work in Germany; EU/NATO citizenship preferred for export-control work.</li> </ul> <h3>Nice‑to‑haves</h3> <ul> <li>German language (B1+)</li> <li>Experience with defense/government data environments</li> <li>Graph databases, or ML infrastructure.</li> </ul> <h3>What We Offer</h3> <ul> <li>Modern stack (Hudi, Ozone, PySpark, Trino, Kafka, Kubernetes)</li> <li>Mission-driven impact</li> <li>Remote-first in Germany</li> <li>Berlin meetups</li> <li>30 days vacation</li> <li>Equipment &amp; learning budget</li> </ul>