Data Engineer III - Job Opportunity at First Canadian Insurance Corporation

Sherwood Park, Canada
Full-time
Senior
Posted: July 10, 2025
Hybrid
CAD 95,000 - 120,000 per year. This estimate reflects the senior-level nature of the role, the comprehensive technical requirements including modern cloud technologies and leadership responsibilities, and the competitive Canadian insurance market in Alberta. The salary range accounts for the 5-7 years of required experience, technical leadership expectations, and the current high demand for data engineers with Azure and Databricks expertise.

Benefits

Employee assistance program providing comprehensive mental health and wellness support, positioning the company as employee-centric in the competitive insurance market
On-site gym with free weekly classes and qualified trainer, demonstrating significant investment in employee wellness beyond standard healthcare benefits
Tuition reimbursement and educational assistance programs supporting continuous learning and career advancement
Group Retirement Savings Plan with employer matching, providing competitive long-term financial security
Hybrid work model available post-probation, offering flexibility that has become essential in attracting top data engineering talent
Early Friday dismissal policy creating improved work-life balance and employee satisfaction
Earned Time-Off Program providing flexible vacation arrangements beyond standard PTO
Health and Wellness spending account offering additional healthcare coverage flexibility
Employee discount programs providing cost-of-living relief
Ergonomic workspace with newly renovated facilities demonstrating investment in employee comfort and productivity
Dedicated Culture Team focused on diversity and inclusion, showing commitment to modern workplace values
Employee recognition and appreciation events fostering positive company culture
French bilingualism bonus of 5% salary increase recognizing valuable language skills in Canadian market

Key Responsibilities

Lead enterprise-wide data architecture transformation initiatives, directly impacting organizational decision-making capabilities and competitive advantage through scalable cloud-based solutions
Drive strategic data governance implementation establishing organizational data standards that ensure regulatory compliance and operational excellence across all business units
Execute comprehensive lifecycle management of data warehouse and lakehouse environments, ensuring high-availability systems that support critical business operations and analytics
Foster organizational data literacy and analytics adoption, enabling data-driven culture transformation that directly contributes to business growth and operational efficiency
Provide technical leadership and mentorship to Information & Reporting teams, building organizational data engineering capabilities and ensuring knowledge transfer for sustainable growth
Research and recommend emerging technologies and industry innovations, positioning the organization at the forefront of data engineering best practices and competitive advantage
Collaborate cross-functionally to translate complex business requirements into scalable technical solutions that drive operational efficiency and strategic insights

Requirements

Education

IT Certification, Diploma, Degree or equivalent is required

Experience

5–7 years of progressive, hands-on experience as a data engineer in the design, development, and support of enterprise-scale data warehouses or lakehouses is required

Required Skills

In-depth experience with lakehouse technologies such as Delta Lake, Databricks, and associated modern data architectures Proven ability to develop and maintain ETL/ELT processes, real-time data ingestion frameworks, and batch-processing pipelines Demonstrated expertise in data modeling, schema design (3NF/star/snowflake), metadata management, and data governance practices Proficiency in programming languages and frameworks such as SQL, Python, Spark, or similar technologies for data transformation and analytics 3–5 years of experience in developing robust data integration workflows, building scalable data platforms, and managing structured and unstructured data pipelines Minimum of 2–3 years of project coordination or technical leadership experience in implementing cloud-based data warehouse/lakehouse solutions Proven experience working with Azure cloud services, including Azure Data Factory, Azure Data Lake, or Azure Synapse Proficiency with Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, Power Apps, and/or Azure Synapse Familiarity with Snowflake platform, including its architecture and advanced features Hands-on experience with managing and optimizing both on-premise and cloud-based databases (e.g., MS SQL, IBM DB2) Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Fluent in English with strong verbal and written communication skills

Certifications

IT Certification, Diploma, Degree or equivalent is required
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Sauge AI Market Intelligence

Industry Trends

The insurance industry is experiencing significant digital transformation with increased focus on data-driven underwriting, risk assessment, and customer analytics, creating high demand for senior data engineers who can architect scalable solutions. Cloud-first strategies are becoming mandatory as insurance companies modernize legacy systems to compete with insurtech startups and improve operational efficiency. Canadian insurance companies are increasingly adopting lakehouse architectures to handle the growing volume of structured and unstructured data from IoT devices, telematics, social media, and regulatory reporting requirements. This shift from traditional data warehouses to modern data platforms requires experienced professionals who understand both legacy systems and cutting-edge technologies. Regulatory compliance requirements in the Canadian insurance sector, including PIPEDA and provincial insurance regulations, are driving demand for data engineers with strong governance expertise. Companies need professionals who can implement data lineage, privacy controls, and audit trails while maintaining high-performance analytics capabilities. The rise of real-time analytics and AI/ML applications in insurance for fraud detection, pricing optimization, and customer personalization is creating a premium market for data engineers with modern streaming and cloud platform expertise, particularly those skilled in Azure and Databricks ecosystems.

Role Significance

Likely leading a team of 3-5 data engineers and analysts within the broader Information & Reporting department, while collaborating with cross-functional teams across multiple business units. The role involves both hands-on technical work and coordination of complex data initiatives requiring stakeholder management across the organization.
This is a senior individual contributor role with significant technical leadership responsibilities and strategic impact on organizational data capabilities. The position requires mentoring junior team members while driving enterprise-wide data architecture decisions that affect multiple business units and long-term competitive positioning.

Key Projects

Enterprise data warehouse to lakehouse migration projects involving legacy system modernization and cloud platform implementation Real-time data pipeline development for fraud detection and risk assessment applications Data governance framework implementation ensuring regulatory compliance and data quality standards Advanced analytics platform development supporting actuarial modeling and business intelligence initiatives Master data management initiatives consolidating customer, policy, and claims data across business units

Success Factors

Deep technical expertise in modern data architecture patterns combined with strong understanding of insurance industry data requirements and regulatory constraints. Success requires balancing technical innovation with operational stability and compliance requirements. Exceptional communication and leadership skills to drive cross-functional collaboration and influence technical decision-making across multiple business units. The ability to translate complex technical concepts into business value propositions is crucial for stakeholder buy-in. Proven ability to mentor and develop junior team members while maintaining hands-on technical contributions. Success requires building team capabilities while delivering on complex technical initiatives and maintaining system reliability. Strategic thinking capability to anticipate future data needs and technology trends while making pragmatic decisions about current architecture investments. The role demands balancing cutting-edge technology adoption with practical business constraints and timelines.

Market Demand

High demand with limited supply of qualified candidates. The specific combination of insurance industry experience, modern cloud data platforms, and technical leadership skills creates a competitive hiring environment where companies must offer comprehensive benefits packages and flexible work arrangements to attract top talent.

Important Skills

Critical Skills

Azure cloud platform expertise is absolutely essential as the company's data infrastructure is built on Microsoft's ecosystem, making this knowledge fundamental to success in the role. Experience with Azure Data Factory, Data Lake, and Synapse directly correlates with the ability to design, implement, and maintain the company's core data architecture. Databricks and Delta Lake proficiency represents the cutting edge of data engineering and is crucial for implementing modern lakehouse architectures that can handle the insurance industry's complex data requirements. This expertise enables the advanced analytics and machine learning capabilities that drive competitive advantage. Data governance and compliance knowledge is critical in the highly regulated insurance industry where data privacy, security, and regulatory reporting requirements are non-negotiable. The ability to implement robust governance frameworks directly impacts the company's ability to operate legally and maintain customer trust. Leadership and mentoring capabilities are essential for this senior role that requires guiding junior team members and influencing cross-functional stakeholders. Technical expertise alone is insufficient without the ability to drive organizational change and build team capabilities.

Beneficial Skills

Snowflake platform knowledge provides additional flexibility and career options as many enterprises adopt multi-cloud strategies, making candidates with diverse platform experience more valuable in the competitive data engineering market Insurance industry experience, while not explicitly required, would significantly accelerate onboarding and effectiveness by providing context for data sources, business processes, and regulatory requirements specific to the sector Python and Spark programming skills enhance the ability to implement complex data transformations and analytics workflows, providing greater technical flexibility and problem-solving capabilities Power BI and Microsoft Fabric expertise aligns with the company's Microsoft-centric technology stack and enables end-to-end data solution development from ingestion through visualization and reporting

Unique Aspects

The combination of insurance industry domain expertise with cutting-edge data engineering technologies creates a unique value proposition for professionals seeking both technical growth and industry specialization
The hybrid work model post-probation, combined with early Friday dismissal and comprehensive wellness programs, offers exceptional work-life balance in a traditionally conservative industry
The 5% salary premium for French bilingualism reflects the Canadian market dynamics and provides additional earning potential for qualified candidates
The focus on knowledge transfer and mentoring suggests strong opportunities for professional development and leadership skill building within a growing organization
The emphasis on modern cloud technologies (Azure, Databricks) within the insurance sector provides exposure to high-impact digital transformation initiatives

Career Growth

2-4 years to advance to management or principal technical roles, depending on leadership development and business growth. The insurance industry values deep domain expertise, making internal promotion common for high-performing technical leaders.

Potential Next Roles

Senior Data Architect or Principal Data Engineer roles focusing on enterprise-wide data strategy and technology roadmap development Data Engineering Manager or Analytics Manager positions combining technical leadership with people management responsibilities Chief Data Officer or Head of Data Engineering roles in mid-size insurance companies or related financial services organizations Technical consulting roles specializing in insurance industry data transformation and modernization projects

Company Overview

First Canadian Insurance Corporation

First Canadian Insurance Corporation is a established national insurance provider experiencing significant growth and modernization. The company appears to be investing heavily in technology transformation and employee experience, suggesting a transition from traditional insurance operations to a more digitally-enabled organization competing in the modern insurance marketplace.

As a national organization with significant growth trajectory, First Canadian appears to be a mid-to-large tier insurance company with established market presence and financial stability. The substantial investment in employee benefits, modern facilities, and technology infrastructure suggests strong financial performance and commitment to long-term competitiveness.
The Alberta location positions this role at a significant regional hub for the company's operations, likely serving Western Canada markets. Sherwood Park's proximity to Edmonton provides access to a skilled technology workforce while maintaining lower operational costs than major metropolitan centers like Toronto or Vancouver.
The company emphasizes long-term employee retention, comprehensive benefits, and work-life balance, suggesting a mature organizational culture that values stability and employee development. The presence of a dedicated Culture Team and focus on diversity and inclusion indicates progressive HR practices and commitment to modern workplace values.
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