How to apply for Senior Data Engineer

About ICON

ICON is pioneering the use of 3D printing to construct homes, aiming to revolutionize the building industry for a sustainable, low-carbon future. Working here means being at the forefront of additive manufacturing in construction, combining cutting-edge technology with environmental impact.

About the role

As a Senior Data Engineer, you'll design and maintain the data infrastructure that powers ICON's machine learning and robotics systems, enabling efficient 3D printing of homes. Your work will directly support the company's mission by ensuring high-quality datasets and robust pipelines for data labeling and model training.

A typical day

You might start the day reviewing pipeline health dashboards, then collaborate with ML engineers to design a new data ingestion system for printer telemetry. After lunch, you'd write Python code to optimize a data transformation step, and end the day documenting a new data schema for the team.

Who ICON is looking for

• Has 8+ years of software development with deep Python expertise and 6+ years managing large datasets, ideally in a startup or high-growth environment.
• Experienced with cloud data services (e.g., AWS, GCP) and storage technologies like PostgreSQL, S3, or data lakes, with a focus on scalability and reliability.
• Proven track record of building data pipelines for machine learning workflows, including data labeling and review systems.
• Passionate about sustainability and construction innovation, with the ability to thrive in a remote, fast-paced team.

Tips for this application

• Highlight specific projects where you designed data pipelines for ML, especially if they involved 3D printing or robotics data.
• Quantify your impact: e.g., 'Reduced data processing time by 40%' or 'Managed 10TB of sensor data'.
• Tailor your resume to emphasize Python and cloud data services (AWS/GCP) – list exact tools and versions.
• Show interest in construction or sustainability by mentioning relevant personal projects or readings in your cover letter.
• Include a link to your GitHub or portfolio with examples of data engineering work, especially pipeline code.

What to cover in your cover letter

["Express enthusiasm for ICON's mission to address housing and climate challenges through 3D printing.", "Detail your experience with data pipelines for ML, emphasizing how you've ensured data quality and scalability.", 'Mention your proficiency in Python and cloud services, with specific examples of technologies used.', "Explain why you're drawn to remote work and how you stay productive and collaborative in a distributed team."]

Research before applying

• Read about ICON's 3D printing technology (e.g., the Vulcan printer) and how data drives its operation.
• Look into ICON's sustainability goals and recent projects (e.g., community housing, lunar construction).
• Understand the types of data generated in 3D printing (sensor logs, design files, material properties) and their challenges.
• Check out ICON's engineering blog or tech talks for insights into their data stack.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Design a data pipeline for ingesting sensor data from 3D printers (e.g., temperature, pressure) and storing it for ML.
• How would you ensure data quality and handle missing or corrupted data in a labeling pipeline?
• Discuss your experience with data storage technologies – when would you choose a relational DB vs. a data lake?
• How do you handle scalability and cost optimization in cloud data services?
• Describe a time you had to balance speed vs. data integrity in a pipeline.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Don't submit a generic resume – must show specific data engineering for ML and cloud experience.
• Avoid focusing only on software development without emphasizing data management and pipeline work.
• Don't neglect to mention remote work experience or strategies – ICON is fully remote.