Forward Deployed Data Engineer

About Us Abacus Insights is transforming how data and AI work for health plans. Our mission is simple: make healthcare data usable, so the people responsible for care and cost decisions can act faster, with confidence. As the AI and Data Platform for Payer Intelligence, we help health plans break down data silos to create a single, trusted data foundation. That foundation powers better decisions—so plans can improve outcomes, reduce waste, and deliver better experiences for members and providers alike. Backed by $100M from top investors, we're tackling big challenges in an industry that's ready for change. Our platform enables GenAI use cases by delivering clean, connected, and reliable healthcare data to support automation, prioritization, and decision workflows—and it's why we are leading the way. Our innovation begins with people. We are bold, curious, and collaborative—because the best ideas come from working together. We embrace the thoughtful use of AI and automation to drive innovation and efficiency, and we look for individuals who are curious and adaptable—those excited to leverage emerging technologies to enhance how we work—while keeping human insight, connection, and our clients at the center of every decision. Ready to make an impact? Join us and let's build the future together. About the Role Abacus Insights is expanding what we do for health plans, and we’re looking for a Forward Deployed Data Engineer to help us do it. As we launch new and expanded service offerings, we’re putting multidisciplinary teams directly alongside our clients—pairing healthcare subject matter experts, AI and product engineers, and forward-deployed data engineers, each bringing a distinct and essential skill set—to solve their hardest data challenges and deliver value faster than ever. This is a chance to be part of that build from the start. In this role, you will be the hands-on data engineering expert on client-facing work. You will go on-site with clients, dig into their environments and source systems, and design and build the data models, pipelines, and integrations that turn fragmented payer data into a governed, analytics-ready foundation—frequently on Snowflake, where many of our clients are building. You will often step into ambiguous situations—unfamiliar systems, incomplete documentation, competing priorities—and bring the structure, technical judgment, and healthcare fluency to move forward. You will work hand in hand with our core delivery teams, preserve Abacus data-modeling practices, and capture the patterns and lessons that help us scale these new offerings and reuse what we learn across engagements. This role sits at the intersection of senior data engineering, client consulting, and payer data expertise. Note: This role requires travel to and from client sites, estimated at around 25%. Your day to day - Design and implement data models, ETL/ELT pipelines, and integrations that bring client payer data into governed, analytics-ready foundations, with a particular focus on Snowflake - Translate business requirements into scalable technical designs, from ingestion and standardization through analytics-ready data products - Serve as a trusted technical advisor to client data, IT, and business stakeholders, including senior leaders, and work on-site with clients as engagements require - Lead discovery sessions and workshops, gather requirements, and bring structure to open-ended problems - Communicate technical tradeoffs, risks, and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences - Work with core payer datasets—claims, eligibility, member, provider, encounter, and care management data—and advise clients on data quality, mapping, and integration approaches across commercial, government, and other lines of business - Navigate healthcare interoperability standards and exchange patterns, including FHIR, HL7, EDI, and APIs - Partner closely with the healthcare SME, AI/product engineer, and core delivery teams on every engagement - Preserve and apply Abacus data-modeling standards and best practices across client work - Capture reusable patterns, accelerators, and lessons learned, and contribute to the playbooks and practices that support our new and expanded service offerings as they grow - Travel 25% as required, to support client engagements What you bring to the team Technical Experience - 7+ years of experience in data engineering, analytics engineering, solution engineering, or a related technical role - Strong expertise in data modeling, ETL/ELT, integration, databases, data pipelines, and analytics solution design - Hands-on Snowflake experience is required, as data foundations are built from Snowflake - Proficiency in SQL, Databricks, Spark, cloud data services, APIs, and integration frameworks Healthcare Domain Expertise - Experience with healthcare payer, government, claims, eligibility, member, provider, encounter, and care management data - Familiarity with healthcare interoperability standards and exchange patterns, including FHIR, HL7, EDI, and APIs Consulting and Client Engagement - Proven ability to work directly with external clients, senior stakeholders, and ambiguous requirements - Strong facilitation, requirements-gathering, communication, and structured problem-solving skills Leadership and Personal Attributes - T-shaped professional with deep technical expertise, broad systems understanding, and sound business judgment - Self-starter with strong analytical instincts, pragmatic problem solving, and the ability to work on-site with clients as needed What we’d like to see, but not required - Experience in a consulting, professional services, or other client-facing delivery environment - Snowflake or Databricks certifications - Experience with data governance, master data management, or data quality frameworks - Familiarity with CMS, Medicaid, or Medicare data requirements Compensation Compensation for this role is based on experience, skills, and location, and includes base salary plus eligibility for performance bonuses and equity grants. What you’ll get in return - Unlimited paid time off – recharge when you need it - Work from anywhere – flexibility to fit your life - Comprehensive health coverage – multiple plan options to choose from - Equity for every employee – share in our success - Growth-focused environment – your development matters here - Home office setup allowance – one-time support to get you started - Monthly cell phone allowance – stay connected with ease Our Commitment as an Equal Opportunity Employer As a mission-led technology company helping to drive better healthcare outcomes, Abacus Insights believes that the best innovation and value we can bring to our customers comes from diverse ideas, thoughts, experiences, and perspectives. Therefore, we dedicate resources to building diverse teams and providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants. Abacus prohibits discrimination and harassment regarding race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. At the heart of who we are is a commitment to continuously and intentionally building an inclusive culture—one that empowers every team member across the globe to do their best work and bring their authentic selves. We carry that same commitment into our hiring process, aiming to create an interview experience where you feel comfortable and confident showcasing your strengths. If there’s anything we can do to support that—big or small—please let us know. AI Use in Recruitment We use AI-powered tools throughout our recruitment process. This includes Greenhouse's Real Talent Matching Technology, which helps prioritize applications based on job-related criteria, as well as additional AI tools used to support sourcing, interview preparation, and other recruiting tasks. We do not remove the human element—our recruiters and hiring teams review all applications and make all decisions related to candidate progression and hiring, regardless of which tools are used to support that process. Identity and Location Verification To protect the integrity of our hiring process, all interviews are conducted by live video with your camera on. Virtual or blurred backgrounds and headsets are not permitted absent an approved accommodation, and you should be in a well-lit, private space where your face and surroundings are clearly visible. Candidates who advance may also be asked to complete identity and location verification, which may include verifying your identity, work history, and confirming that you are located where your application states. Applications containing knowingly false or materially misrepresented information, including identity, location, or credentials, may be disqualified, and any offer may be rescinded if a material misrepresentation is discovered at any point in the process. If you need an accommodation for any part of the interview process, please let your recruiter know in advance. By applying, you acknowledge that we will collect and process your personal information for recruiting purposes in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including for the verification steps described above. Please review our Applicant Privacy Notice for more information, including your rights.