Data Engineer: Career Path

Data is the fuel of the modern economy and Data Engineers provide the necessary knowledge to extract as much knowledge out of it as possible – a key role!

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What does the Data Engineer career path entail?

Data Engineer

If 'data is the new oil' then data engineers are the equivalent of refineries which turn crude raw oil into usable forms like petrol and other forms of fuel. A key role in the modern economy in a wide variety of businesses, from startups to big tech. This shows in the meteoric growth of data engineering roles and the salaries that are shooting up to new heights.

The best part – other than data scientists, data engineering career paths are more accessible. Strong communication and being a team player is as important – if not more – compared to the ability to crunch some data.

Table of Contents

Best books to explore the Data Engineering career path.

A well-written and thorough book can be an amazing path to build deeper understanding and also act as a handbook as you discover the internet's vast resources.

These are our and our experts top picks to get started building career-relevant skills.

Data Engineering Cookbook

Data Engineering Cookbook

Five types of content are in this book: Articles the author wrote, links to his podcast episodes (video & audio), more than 200 links to helpful websites he like, data engineering interview questions and case studies.

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Database and Expert Systems Applications

Database and Expert Systems Applications

The Database and Expert Systems Application -DEXA - conferences are mainly oriented to establish a state-of-the art forum on Database and Expert System applications. But Practice without Theory has no sense, as Leonardo said five centuries ago. In this Conference we try a comprornise between these two complementary aspects. A total of 5 sessions are application-oriented, ranging from classical applications to more unusual ones in Software Engineering.

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The Data Warehouse Toolkit

The Data Warehouse Toolkit

One of the most dramatic new developments in database design, the dimensional data warehouse is a powerful database model that.significantly enhances managers' ability to quickly analyze large, multidimensional data sets. Written by the leading proponent of this revolutionary new approach, this valuable book/CD toolkit outfits you with all the nuts-and-bolts information you need to design, build, manage, and use dimensional data warehouses for virtually any type of business application, as well as software for querying dimensional data warehouses.

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Big Data

Big Data

Big Data teaches you to build big data systems using an architecture that takes advantage of clustered hardware along with new tools designed specifically to capture and analyze web-scale data. It describes a scalable, easy-to-understand approach to big data systems that can be built and run by a small team. Following a realistic example, this book guides readers through the theory of big data systems, how to implement them in practice, and how to deploy and operate them once they're built.

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Designing Data-Intensive Applications

Designing Data-Intensive Applications

Data is at the center of many challenges in system design today. Difficult issues need to be figured out, such as scalability, consistency, reliability, efficiency, and maintainability. In addition, we have an overwhelming variety of tools, including relational databases, NoSQL datastores, stream or batch processors, and message brokers. What are the right choices for your application? How do you make sense of all these buzzwords?

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Data Pipelines Pocket Reference

Data Pipelines Pocket Reference

Data pipelines are the foundation for success in data analytics. Moving data from numerous diverse sources and transforming it to provide context is the difference between having data and actually gaining value from it. This pocket reference defines data pipelines and explains how they work in today's modern data stack.

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Advanced Topics in Database Research

Advanced Topics in Database Research

Advanced Topics in Database Research is a series of books on the fields of database, software engineering, and systems analysis and design. They feature the latest research ideas and topics on how to enhance current database systems, improve information storage, refine existing database models, and develop advanced applications.

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Courses to deepen your Data Engineering skills.

These days, courses are no longer a sequence of videos. They are usually accompanied by projects and a learning community, keeping you accountable and on the path.

Our experts recommend these courses, from free selections to paid programs.

Data Engineering Foundations

Data Engineering Foundations

Build the Foundation for a Data Engineering Career. Develop hands-on experience with Python, SQL, and Relational Databases and master the fundamentals of the Data Engineering ecosystem.

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Data Engineering

Data Engineering

Learn to design data models, build data warehouses and data lakes, automate data pipelines, and work with massive datasets. At the end of the program, you’ll combine your new skills by completing a capstone project.

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Introduction to Data Engineering

Introduction to Data Engineering

Learn about the world of data engineering with an overview of all its relevant topics and tools!

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Data Engineering Career Path

Data Engineering Career Path

Data engineering has seen explosive growth recently as more industries depend on data to drive key business decisions. Take advantage of the surge in demand by becoming a data engineer with Dataquest.

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Advanced Database Administration

Advanced Database Administration

Learn the fundamentals of administering relational database management systems, including managing concurrency and creating objects in the database

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Data Engineering on Google Cloud platform

Data Engineering on Google Cloud platform

End to end batch processing,data orchestration and real time streaming analytics on GCP

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Data engineering and smart analytics

Data engineering and smart analytics

The need for data analysis skills grew by 86% from 2013 to 2018. 1 Become data-driven with Google Cloud. Leverage data and gain real-time insights that improve your decision-making and accelerate innovation. Learn how to design and build data processing systems.

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Get the guidance you need on the Data Engineer career path

There is no better source of accountability and motivation than having a personal mentor. What used to be impossible to find is now just two clicks away! All mentors are vetted & hands-on!

Only 1 Spot Left

Sachin Khurana 🇺🇸

Data Engineering Lead at Retail
4.9 (27)

Experienced Data Engineering professional with very strong Data Analytics,SQL,Data reporting skills.Experience with Big data technologies Hadoop,Hive and Spark. Can mentor with career, interviews ,growth ,opportunities and any kind of general advise. If you are venturing/starting or planning to move into data engineering role (or moving from a ETL role ), …
Engineering & Data Data Engineering Hadoop Spark Big Data SQL Python
$160 / month
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Gaurav Verma 🇬🇧

Senior Data Engineer at Amazon
5.0 (31)

Supercharge your transition into data engineering with Gaurav, a passionate Senior Data Engineer at Amazon. With 9 years of experience, Gaurav excels in designing data platforms, implementing architectures like Data lake, Lakehouse, and Data mesh. Expertise in building cloud-based platforms, data pipelines, and ensuring governance and security. Benefit from Gaurav's …
Engineering & Data Data Engineering AWS Data Analytics Big Data Consulting Data
$180 / month
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Malvik Vaghadia 🇬🇧

Data Engineer & Bestelling Udemy Instructor
5.0 (2)

Hi there! As a seasoned Data & Analytics specialist, I have over 10 years of experience with leading data teams and implementing data & analytics solutions for a range of private and public companies In addition to my professional experience, I am also a bestselling e-learning instructor with over 100,000 …
Engineering & Data Azure Data Engineering Data Analytics SQL Data Analysis Cloud
$120 / month
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Ashwin Jiwane 🇺🇸

Senior Software Engineer (Data Engineering / ML) at Voltus
5.0 (2)

I have 12+ years of working in successful and failed startups with focus on DataEngineering, MachineLearning. I have deep understanding of SaaS products. In last year or so I have focused myself on clean-tech (climate-tech, clean-energy, climate-crisis). I am leading engineering teams and projects for years. I have work experience …
Engineering & Data Data Engineering Startups Machine Learning DevOps Agile Product Development And Feedback
$120 / month
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Zhongli Cheng 🇺🇸

Data Engineer
5.0 (2)

I am a Data Engineer with several years of experience at companies big and small. I formerly worked at Chime, Zoox (Amazon's self driving company), Instagram, and RocketLawyer. I've done extensive work in all aspects of Data Engineering including the infrastructure and platform side, the pipelining, modeling, and warehousing side, …
Engineering & Data Python Spark Experimentation ETL Scala A/B Testing
$150 / month
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Growing into a Senior Data Engineer role pays off – $30,000 up to per year.

Not only is the progression from individual Data Engineer to a Senior role a natural progression, it also makes all the difference in your average salary.

On a global average, Senior Data Engineer receive a $30,000 salary hike over entry-level Data Engineers when they go from individual contributor to senior personnel.

Browse all Data Engineering mentors

Get the help you need & advance your career

Where will you stand in the digital revolution and uprising of the data engineering role? We say it's time to prepare – pick up some data engineering skills with our vetted mentors!

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