Analytics Engineering
Analytics Engineering is an individual-contributor Data + AI career progressing from guided delivery to enterprise expertise without requiring people management.
- Function
- Data & Analytics
- Archetype
- Engineering
- Highest level
- L6 · Principal Analytics Engineer
Why it exists
Transforms modeled data into governed analytical datasets, semantic models and trusted metrics for self-service analytics.
Typical responsibilities
Deliver analytics engineering outcomes; apply data/AI standards; manage quality, reliability and risk; collaborate across product, engineering, security, legal and business teams; at senior levels shape enterprise standards and strategy.
Where the work happens
Technology companies, data/cloud platforms, financial services, consulting, shared services, product engineering and regulated enterprises adopting Data + AI.
How the career progresses
Associate Analytics Engineer → Analytics Engineer → Senior Analytics Engineer → Staff Analytics Engineer → Senior Staff Analytics Engineer → Principal Analytics Engineer
Levels in this career
Six standard stages. The seventh exists only where the career provides for it.
What is expected at L6 · Principal Analytics Engineer
Apply analytics engineering capability at acts as an enterprise expert influencing multiple domains and major outcomes.
The five dimensions that change
- Autonomy
- Enterprise authority
- Scope
- Acts as an enterprise expert influencing multiple domains and major outcomes.
- Complexity
- Systemic
- Influence
- Enterprise / industry
- Business impact
- Enterprise / industry
- Ambiguity
- High
What good looks like
Produces trustworthy analytics engineering outcomes, makes sound trade-offs, communicates evidence and risks, and demonstrates the autonomy and impact expected at L6.
Typical evidence
Completed analytics engineering work products or production outcomes; documented decisions; measurable improvements in quality, reliability, risk, speed, cost or business outcomes; peer/stakeholder evidence of L6 scope.
Skills expected at L6
Grouped as human, professional and technical. Target proficiency uses the P1–P7 scale, and each row says what that level means for that particular skill.
Human10
| Human | P | Supporting |
|---|---|---|
| Clear verbal communicationCommunication & Language | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Clear verbal communication and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| Clear written communicationCommunication & Language | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Clear written communication and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| CollaborationCollaboration & Relationships | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Collaboration and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| Critical thinkingThinking & Problem Solving | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Critical thinking and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| Cross-functional collaborationCollaboration & Relationships | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Cross-functional collaboration and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| Learning agilityExecution & Self-Management | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Learning agility and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| MentoringCollaboration & Relationships | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Mentoring and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| Stakeholder alignmentInfluence & Leadership Without Authority | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Stakeholder alignment and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| Strategic thinkingThinking & Problem Solving | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Strategic thinking and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| Structured problem solvingThinking & Problem Solving | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Structured problem solving and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
Professional7
| Professional | P | Supporting |
|---|---|---|
| Analytics problem framingData & Analytics Practice | P6ExpertCore | Sets enterprise direction for Analytics problem framing and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| Data contracts governanceData & Analytics Practice | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Data contracts governance and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| Data governanceCybersecurity, Privacy & Data Governance Standards | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Data governance and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| Data product managementData & Analytics Practice | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Data product management and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| Data quality managementCybersecurity, Privacy & Data Governance Standards | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise direction for Data quality management and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| KPI designData & Analytics Practice | P6ExpertCore | Sets enterprise direction for KPI design and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
| Metrics definitionData & Analytics Practice | P6ExpertCore | Sets enterprise direction for Metrics definition and integrates it into governance and strategy. |
Technical12
| Technical | P | Supporting |
|---|---|---|
| Apache SparkDatabases & Data Platforms | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise technical standards for Apache Spark and shapes platform or architecture direction. |
| Dashboard developmentAnalytics, BI & Data Visualization | P6ExpertCore | Sets enterprise technical standards for Dashboard development and shapes platform or architecture direction. |
| Data catalog platformsDatabases & Data Platforms | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise technical standards for Data catalog platforms and shapes platform or architecture direction. |
| Data contract implementationDatabases & Data Platforms | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise technical standards for Data contract implementation and shapes platform or architecture direction. |
| Data lineage toolingDatabases & Data Platforms | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise technical standards for Data lineage tooling and shapes platform or architecture direction. |
| Data modelingDatabases & Data Platforms | P6ExpertCore | Sets enterprise technical standards for Data modeling and shapes platform or architecture direction. |
| Data visualization implementationAnalytics, BI & Data Visualization | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise technical standards for Data visualization implementation and shapes platform or architecture direction. |
| DatabricksDatabases & Data Platforms | P6ExpertSupporting | Sets enterprise technical standards for Databricks and shapes platform or architecture direction. |
| Dimensional modelingDatabases & Data Platforms | P6ExpertCore | Sets enterprise technical standards for Dimensional modeling and shapes platform or architecture direction. |
| SQL analyticsAnalytics, BI & Data Visualization | P6ExpertCore | Sets enterprise technical standards for SQL analytics and shapes platform or architecture direction. |
| Semantic layer engineeringAnalytics, BI & Data Visualization | P6ExpertCore | Sets enterprise technical standards for Semantic layer engineering and shapes platform or architecture direction. |
| dbtDatabases & Data Platforms | P6ExpertCore | Sets enterprise technical standards for dbt and shapes platform or architecture direction. |
This is the highest level in this career.
Adjacent careers
Computed from shared skills. It is a signal for exploring, not a hiring or eligibility guarantee.
- Data ArchitectureData & Analytics21 shared skills
- AI Governance & Responsible AIData & Analytics12 shared skills
- AI Platform & MLOps EngineeringData & Analytics12 shared skills
- Data AnalyticsData & Analytics15 shared skills
- Business IntelligenceData & Analytics15 shared skills
- Data EngineeringData & Analytics15 shared skills
Career framework v21, active since August 17, 2026.