Principal Data Modeler

Empower

Principal Data Modeler designing governed Snowflake schemas, semantic definitions, and data contracts. Supporting Empower’s financial services data products through governance, performance optimization, and model-as-code practices.

Posted 8/7/2026full-timeRemote • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $138,000 - $200,100 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in designing and implementing enterprise-wide data models on Snowflake, including governance, performance optimization, and data product contracts. Proficient in translating business needs into structured schemas while ensuring compliance with privacy practices and metadata management.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Snowflake Data ModelingConceptual, Logical, And Physical ModelsData Governance And Privacy PracticesSQL And dbt Tooling ExperienceData Contracts And CDE Management

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Data ModelingStar/Snowflake SchemasData Vault3NF StructuresMicro-PartitioningMaterialized ViewsSearch OptimizationClustering HygieneModeling ToolsSemantic Definitions

Soft Skills

Strong Communication SkillsMentoring

Tools & Technologies

SnowflakeSQLDbtCI/CDModeling/Diagram ToolsCatalog/Lineage Platforms

Certifications & Qualifications

Snowflake SnowProDbt CertificationCDMP/DCAM Familiarity

Industry Keywords

Data GovernanceCritical Data Elements (CDEs)Data ContractsMetadata ManagementBusiness Architecture

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

SQLVault

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Design enterprise-wide data modeling standards, including conceptual, logical, and physical models for governed, performant, reusable data products on Snowflake
Translate business concepts, Critical Data Elements (CDEs), and analytics needs into structured schemas and semantic definitions
Define and maintain canonical entities, conformed dimensions, and metric definitions aligned to the glossary/ontology
Implement physical data models on Snowflake, including star/snowflake schemas, Data Vault, and 3NF structures where appropriate
Optimize Snowflake implementations using micro-partitioning, materialized views, search optimization, and clustering choices
Document design decisions such as SCD handling and surrogate keys
Define and maintain data product contracts, including schemas, SLAs/SLOs, versioning, and change policies
Ensure models are discoverable and governed with complete metadata, lineage, and ownership in the catalog
Classify and tag CDEs/PII and enable tag-based masking and row-access policies, including evidence for attestations
Publish modeling standards and runbooks supporting performance and reliability goals, including BI latency targets under 10 seconds where required
Provide guidance on warehouse strategy, result caching, and model refactoring
Specify validation rules and profiling thresholds tied to CDEs and integrate tests into CI/CD and stewardship workflows
Create model diagrams, semantic definitions, and consumer guides
Partner with stewards and analysts to drive adoption and deprecate redundant reports and datasets
Work model-as-code using Git-based CI/CD and testing while designing for privacy and performance
Mentor junior data modelers as needed

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Data/Information Management, or a related field
10+ years of data modeling and warehouse design experience
Proven delivery of conceptual, logical, and physical models consumed at scale
Hands-on Snowflake data modeling experience with star/snowflake schemas and 3NF/Data Vault where appropriate
Experience with Snowflake performance patterns including materialized views, search optimization, and clustering/micro-partition hygiene
Experience designing data contracts and working with CDEs, including schemas/SLOs, versioning, and glossary, lineage, and stewardship integration
Experience applying governance and privacy practices, including object tags, classification/retention alignment, tag-based masking, and row-access
Tooling experience with SQL and dbt or equivalent for model-as-code, tests, documentation, and CI/CD
Experience with modeling/diagram tools and catalog/lineage platforms
Strong communication skills, including reconciling competing narratives and converging on trusted, reusable semantics
Experience mapping business architecture and ontology to data models, including metric layers and semantic models for BI
Exposure to data fabric concepts, including automation of tagging/metadata and policy propagation
Snowflake SnowPro, dbt certification, and CDMP/DCAM familiarity are helpful
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.; employment visa sponsorship, including CPT/OPT, is unavailable
Reliable high-speed internet with a wired connection and a minimally disruptive home workspace for remote work

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
Retirement savings – 401(k) plan with generous company matching contributions (up to 6%), financial advisory services, potential company discretionary contribution, and a broad investment lineup
Tuition reimbursement up to $5,250/year
Business-casual environment that includes the option to wear jeans
Generous paid time off upon hire – including a paid time off program plus ten paid company holidays and three floating holidays each calendar year
Paid volunteer time — 16 hours per calendar year
Leave of absence programs – including paid parental leave, paid short- and long-term disability, and Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)
Business Resource Groups (BRGs) – BRGs facilitate inclusion and collaboration across our business internally and throughout the communities where we live, work and play. BRGs are open to all.
Non-sales positions have the opportunity to participate in a bonus program
Reliable high-speed internet with a wired connection and a suitable home workspace required for remote work
Other necessary computer equipment will be provided