Senior Data Engineer (Maritime AI)

TL;DR

Senior Data Engineer (Maritime AI): Building and optimizing high-scale data pipelines for a global maritime intelligence platform with an accent on geospatial data modeling, real-time streaming, and infrastructure scalability. Focus on architecting the data foundation for Covered Area Intelligence (CAI) and designing backend systems that drive global fleet expansion and sensor emplacement.

Location: On-site in New York, NY

Compensation: $210,000 – $250,000 + Equity

Company

hirify.global is a mission-driven startup building the world's most comprehensive maritime intelligence platform using distributed sensing networks and AI to enhance ocean surveillance and safety.

What you will do

• Lead the architecture and implementation of scalable, fault-tolerant data pipelines for AIS signals, vessel detections, and imagery metadata.
• Architect the technical strategy for Covered Area Intelligence (CAI) to guide global fleet expansion and sensor placement.
• Design backend systems and analysis layers that programmatically identify coverage gaps and select target vessels.
• Define vision and standards for the core data platform, including schema evolution, partitioning strategies, and retention policies.
• Develop enterprise-grade APIs and integration layers for secure consumption of processed data by application engineers and data scientists.
• Partner with AI/ML leadership to operationalize complex model outputs into production-grade data products.

Requirements

• 7+ years of dedicated data engineering experience in high-volume, real-time streaming environments.
• Proven track record in designing infrastructure for spatial optimization or network growth problems.
• Expert-level architectural expertise in Python and advanced NoSQL/SQL query patterns, specifically MongoDB.
• Experience scaling streaming and batch frameworks like Kafka, Kinesis, Spark, or Flink.
• Deep understanding of data modeling for time-series, large-scale geospatial, and event-driven workloads.
• Comprehensive experience architecting AWS ecosystems and managing CI/CD for data workflows.

Nice to have

• Experience with AIS data, maritime vessel tracking, or geospatial tools like H3, GeoJSON, ArcGIS, or PostGIS.
• Background in defense, intelligence, or government data environments.
• Experience building feature stores or serving layers for real-time application needs.

Culture & Benefits

• High-velocity startup atmosphere with significant autonomy.
• Opportunity to work on mission-critical dual-use technology.
• Flexible working hours.
• Collaborative environment with a distributed team.