Why UKG

At UKG, the work you do matters. The code you ship, the decisions you make, and the care you show a customer all add up to real impact. Today, tens of millions of workers start and end their days with our workforce operating platform. Helping people get paid, grow in their careers, and shape the future of their industries. That's what we do.

We never stop learning. We never stop challenging the norm. We push for better, and we celebrate the wins along the way. Here, you'll get flexibility that's real, benefits you can count on, and a team that succeeds together. Because at UKG, your work matters—and so do you.

Principal Data Engineer (P5)

Job Title: Principal Data Engineer – FinOps Platform, Forecasting & AI Enablement

Location: Noida, India

About The Role

As a Principal Data Engineer – FinOps Platform, Forecasting & AI Enablement, you will lead the strategy, architecture, and implementation of UKG's Unified FinOps Platform. You will be responsible for establishing the enterprise data foundation that powers cloud financial governance, forecasting, unit economics, optimization intelligence, and the AskFinOps AI Agent.

This role combines deep technical expertise, platform architecture, and strategic leadership to transform cloud cost management from a reporting function into a scalable, automated, and AI-enabled operating capability. You will partner with FinOps, Engineering, Finance, Product, Architecture, and Data & Analytics teams to deliver trusted, enterprise-grade data products that enable faster decisions, greater financial transparency, and improved cloud investment outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Platform Architecture & Technical Leadership

Define and lead the architecture for UKG's Unified FinOps Platform across AWS and GCP environments.

Establish enterprise data models, governance standards, and engineering best practices for cloud financial management.

Design scalable, resilient, and secure data solutions supporting forecasting, reporting, optimization, and AI-driven insights.

Serve as the technical authority for FinOps data architecture and platform strategy.

Data Platform & Product Development

Lead the design and implementation of cloud-native data products integrating:

Cloud billing and usage data

Cost allocation and chargeback/showback frameworks

Infrastructure and application telemetry

Commitment and discount utilization

Financial and operational business metrics

Develop scalable data pipelines and services that provide a trusted source of truth for cloud cost and consumption.

Drive platform modernization through automation, observability, and self-service capabilities.

Forecasting & Decision Intelligence

Architect forecasting and planning capabilities that leverage cloud consumption, business demand signals, and operational metrics.

Enable rolling forecasts, budget planning, scenario modeling, and capacity planning across cloud environments.

Partner with FinOps and Finance teams to improve forecast accuracy and financial predictability.

Build foundational capabilities supporting cloud unit economics and cost-to-serve analysis.

AI & Automation Enablement

Establish the data foundation powering AskFinOps and future AI-driven FinOps capabilities.

Enable automated anomaly detection, optimization recommendations, and decision-support workflows.

Drive the adoption of advanced analytics and intelligent automation across the FinOps ecosystem.

Identify opportunities to reduce manual analysis and reporting through data engineering and AI solutions.

Data Governance & Enterprise Reporting

Establish enterprise standards for data quality, lineage, observability, and governance.

Deliver trusted, SOX-compliant datasets supporting Finance, Accounting, Engineering, and Executive stakeholders.

Enable consistent metrics, KPIs, and reporting across cloud financial management functions.

Ensure scalability, security, and compliance of all platform capabilities.

Cross-Functional Leadership

Partner with FinOps leadership, Finance, Engineering, Product, Architecture, and Data organizations to align platform investments with business objectives.

Mentor and guide Data Engineers and Analysts while promoting engineering excellence and innovation.

Influence cloud financial management strategy and roadmap through technology leadership.

Drive adoption of platform capabilities and foster a data-driven culture across the organization.

Experience Required Skills & Experience:

10+ years of experience in Data Engineering, Data Platform Architecture, or Analytics Engineering.

5+ years leading enterprise-scale cloud-native data platforms.

Proven experience designing and implementing large-scale data architectures and platforms.

Experience building data products that support financial, operational, or business-critical decision-making.

Technical Skills

Expert-level SQL and Python development skills.

Deep expertise in cloud-native data ecosystems across AWS and/or GCP.

Experience with modern data platforms such as BigQuery, Snowflake, Databricks, Redshift, or equivalent technologies.

Expertise in ETL/ELT architecture, data orchestration, and data observability frameworks.

Strong understanding of API integration, streaming architectures, and distributed data systems.

Experience implementing data governance, lineage, and quality frameworks.

Leadership Competencies

Enterprise architecture and technical strategy.

Data platform design and modernization.

Executive stakeholder management and communication.

Cross-functional leadership and influence.

Strategic problem-solving and systems thinking.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with FinOps, cloud financial management, or cloud cost optimization programs.

FinOps Certified Practitioner or FinOps Professional certification.

Experience supporting AI, machine learning, or intelligent automation initiatives.

Experience with forecasting, planning, financial analytics, or unit economics solutions.

AWS and/or GCP Professional-level certifications.

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Analytics, Information Systems, or related discipline; Master's degree preferred.

Expected Outcomes

Deliver and operationalize UKG's Unified FinOps Platform as the enterprise source of truth for cloud financial management.

Enable automated forecasting, allocation, optimization, and reporting capabilities at scale.

Establish the data foundation supporting AskFinOps AI and intelligent cloud financial operations.

Improve cloud cost transparency, forecast accuracy, and unit economics visibility across the organization.

Accelerate FinOps maturity through automation, self-service analytics, and data-driven decision-making.

Support UKG's long-term objective of scaling cloud and AI innovation while maintaining disciplined spend and margin performance.

Company Overview

UKG is the Workforce Operating Platform that puts workforce understanding to work. With the world's largest collection of workforce insights, and people-first AI, our ability to reveal unseen ways to build trust, amplify productivity, and empower talent, is unmatched. It's this expertise that equips our customers with the intelligence to solve any challenge in any industry — because great organizations know their workforce is their competitive edge. Learn more at ukg.com.

UKG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including the recruitment process.

Disability Accommodation in the Application and Interview Process

For individuals with disabilities that need additional assistance at any point in the application and interview process, please email [HIDDEN TEXT]

Sr. Staff Software Engineer- Eng