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The Principal Data Modernization Engineer is a senior technical individual contributor who provides trusted technical leadership across data modernization efforts within CoverMyMeds’ (CMM) Data Technology organization. This role operates across transactional engineering, analytical engineering, platform, and data architecture to ensure modernization initiatives are cohesive, technically sound, and aligned to long-term strategy. This role also partners closely with analytics teams to ensure the data platforms and capabilities being modernized effectively support analytical use cases and evolving business needs.

Reporting directly to the Senior Director of Data Technology, this role acts as a technical delegate and strategic partner, supporting leadership by shaping direction, providing clarity in complex situations, and guiding high-impact modernization decisions. While this role does not own day-to-day delivery or people management, it plays a critical role in helping the organization move forward with confidence on its most important technical choices. The role exists to identify opportunities for alignment, frame complex problems, bring the right leaders together, and guide technical decisions, stepping in where clarity is needed and stepping back once direction and ownership are established.

Our preferred candidate will reside in Columbus, OH, or one of our other hub locations of Atlanta GA or Irving TX. Position allows for primarily working from home, with occasional in-office time. We may consider a well-qualified candidate based not located in one of the above hub areas.
At this time, we are not able to offer sponsorship for employment visas. We're unable to consider individuals currently on H1B, F-1 OPT, STEM OPT, or any other visa status that would require future sponsorship. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis without the need for current or future sponsorship.

Responsibilities:

Senior Technical Guidance & Decision Stewardship

Act as the Senior Director’s technical delegate for data modernization, providing trusted technical guidance across Data Technology
Guide and shape high-impact modernization decisions that span multiple teams or domains
Provide clarity and direction in complex or ambiguous modernization scenarios, enabling leaders and teams to move forward with confidence
Ensure key technical decisions are clearly articulated, shared, and consistently applied across Data Tech

Problem Discovery & Technical Framing

Proactively identify gaps, inefficiencies, or unclear ownership in data modernization (e.g., ingestion ownership, platform responsibilities, data flow boundaries)
Develop a strong understanding of current-state systems, constraints, and dependencies across teams
Translate ambiguity into clear problem statements, decision options, and technical recommendations

Cross-Team Collaboration & Alignment

Partner with Engineering and Architecture Directors to align on modernization approaches and technical direction
Bring together the appropriate leaders and senior engineers to explore options, assess trade-offs, and align on paths forward
Foster constructive, outcome-focused discussions that balance technical rigor with practical delivery considerations
Partner with analytics teams to understand analytical usage patterns, performance needs, and downstream considerations that should inform data platform and modernization decisions
Ensure data modernization decisions appropriately support analytics scalability, usability, and long-term analytical flexibility

Modernization Pattern Application & Consistency

Guide the application of data modernization patterns and approaches across transactional, analytical, platform, and modeling work, with consideration for downstream analytical consumption and performance needs
Help teams consistently interpret and apply data architecture standards in real-world modernization scenarios
Identify opportunities to simplify, standardize, or improve how modernization patterns are used across Data Tech

Risk Awareness & Strategic Insight

Maintain visibility into emerging modernization risks, architectural drift, or areas of growing technical debt
Surface insights and recommendations to leadership early, supporting informed decision-making
Help reduce reliance on informal heroics by promoting clear, repeatable approaches to technical decision-making

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or equivalent experience and typically requires 13+ years of relative experience in data engineering, data platforms or large-scale systems
Experience partnering with analytics or reporting teams to ensure data platforms, models and pipelines effectively support analytical workloads and evolving analytical needs
Strong Technical understanding of:
Transactional and analytical data systems
Data ingestion, integration, and synchronization patterns
Cloud-based data platforms, specifically Databricks
Data modeling and domain-oriented data design
Demonstrated ability to influence technical direction through credibility, collaboration and clear communication
Experience working effectively in complex, multi-team technical environments

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience contributing to or guiding enterprise-scale data modernization initiatives
Strong facilitation and communication skills; able to create clarity in ambiguous situations
Ability to balance long-term architectural thinking with practical delivery realities
Recognized as a trusted technical advisor to senior leaders and peers

We are proud to offer a competitive compensation package at McKesson as part of our Total Rewards. This is determined by several factors, including performance, experience and skills, equity, regular job market evaluations, and geographical markets. The pay range shown below is aligned with McKesson's pay philosophy, and pay will always be compliant with any applicable regulations. In addition to base pay, other compensation, such as an annual bonus or long-term incentive opportunities may be offered. For more information regarding benefits at McKesson, please click here.

Our Base Pay Range for this position

$178,900 - $298,100 McKesson has become aware of online recruiting-related scams in which individuals who are not affiliated with or authorized by McKesson are using McKesson’s (or affiliated entities, like CoverMyMeds or RxCrossroads) name in fraudulent emails, job postings or social media messages. In light of these scams, please bear the following in mind:

McKesson Talent Advisors will never solicit money or credit card information in connection with a McKesson job application.

McKesson Talent Advisors do not communicate with candidates via online chatrooms or using email accounts such as Gmail or Hotmail. Note that McKesson does rely on a virtual assistant (Gia) for certain recruiting-related communications with candidates.

McKesson job postings are posted on our career site: careers.mckesson.com.

McKesson is an Equal Opportunity Employer

McKesson provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, age, genetic information, or any other legally protected category. For additional information on McKesson’s full Equal Employment Opportunity policies, visit our Equal Employment Opportunity page.

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Principal Data Modernization Engineer

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