Data Engineer (contractor)

About BiOptimizers BiOptimizers exist to help people go from baseline health to peak biological performance. We develop science-backed supplements and wellness tools that deliver measurable results. As a remote-first company, our globally distributed team focuses on clarity, autonomy, and operational excellence. Every role is designed to support the health and performance of both our customers and our organization. OVERVIEW We are looking for a Data Engineer who operates at the intersection of AI-native development and rigorous data systems thinking. This is not a traditional execution role. You will be managing and optimizing AI agents that handle significant portions of the build, designing the systems they follow, researching better approaches, and continuously improving how the pipeline is architected and maintained. The right person for this role spends as much time thinking about how something should work as they do building it. You question processes as a default, not a last resort. You check your own work before anyone asks. You think about failure modes while you're still in design. And you are comfortable working in an environment where the tools are evolving as fast as the work itself. This is a high autonomy role. You will own outcomes, not just tasks. RESPONSIBILITIES AI Agent Management & System Optimization Design, configure, and maintain AI agent workflows using Cursor and Claude Code, including structured markdown-based instruction files, slash commands, and agent workflows that implement your architecture automatically. Research and evaluate new approaches to agent orchestration, identifying where the current system can be made faster, more reliable, or more scalable. Continuously question existing processes and propose improvements. This is expected, not exceptional. Guide and review AI-generated code with a critical eye; you are the architect, the agents are the executors. Data Pipeline Architecture & Maintenance Build and maintain a RAW → Base → Data Marts pipeline using dbt Core, implementing business logic at the transformation layer. Own data pipelines end to end, from API ingestion through incremental strategy, transformation, and QA, with full accountability for architectural decisions. Write and maintain tests and documentation at every layer of the pipeline. Connect to and pull data from marketing and e-commerce APIs including Meta, TikTok, Shopify, and Klaviyo. Data Quality & Testing Build comprehensive test suites using Great Expectations or equivalent tooling. Implement business logic validation checks and automated quality monitoring across the pipeline. Manually inspect data at the table level, not only through automated scripts, before presenting any conclusions. Verify your own work as a default behavior, not a step that needs to be requested. Python Development Implement complex business logic and data validation in Python. Build ETL scripts, automation workflows, and API integration scripts. Write code that is built to scale, not just to solve the immediate problem. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Expert-level, hands-on proficiency with Cursor and/or Claude Code, used locally in a terminal to build and architect data systems (non-negotiable). 3+ years of experience in data engineering with a track record of owning pipelines end to end. Strong Python skills for data processing, API integrations, and business logic implementation. Experience building and maintaining dbt transformations in a production environment. Demonstrated ability to work independently in a remote environment, you set timelines, you deliver, you own the result. A communication style that is direct and specific, you push back when something does not make sense, and you flag problems early. US time zone availability (CT or ET zones). PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience with e-commerce and marketing platforms: Klaviyo, Meta Ads, TikTok Shop, Shopify. Experience with orchestration tools such as Dagster or Airflow. Background working in lean or startup environments where scope evolves and you adapt without losing rigor. If this description sounds like how you already work, not how you want to work, we want to hear from you. WHO YOU ARE Beyond the technical requirements, we are specifically looking for someone who brings the following to their work naturally, not because it's in the job description, but because it's how they operate. You check your own work as a default, not something you do when asked. You go deep on a problem before asking for help. You build things that scale rather than solving one problem at a time. You treat quality as a personal standard, not a box to check. You advocate for the right approach even when it's uncomfortable. When describing your work, you naturally surface edge cases and failure scenarios. You are precise with your language and don't oversell your certainty. You treat past feedback as something you learned from. Work Location This is a fully remote position. BiOptimizers has a globally distributed team and supports flexible work arrangements across time zones. Company Hours & Collaboration With team members across many countries and time zone differences of up to 16 hours, we’ve established a standard collaboration window from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST. This is not a required work schedule, but a shared time frame for meetings and team syncs. At BiOptimizers, we support flexibility — team members are encouraged to work the hours that best suit them, as long as they: Attend required meetings Communicate effectively across time zones Deliver work by agreed-upon deadlines Equal Opportunity Statement BiOptimizers is committed to diversity and inclusion and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by applicable law.