Selene Holdings is a multiple-lines business financial services firm with a mortgage servicing company, a loan diligence company, a title company, an insurance brokerage, and a real estate owned company. We have office locations in Dallas, TX, Jacksonville, FL, and Salt Lake City, UT. Founded in 2007 to address needs in the mortgage industry, Selene strives to provide amazing client and borrower experiences. A positive attitude coupled with proven creative thinking and actions are all attributes we seek in every one of our employees. If you want to make a difference, then Selene is the place for you!
Job Description for Technical Lead (SQL & ETL)
Position Summary
The Technical Lead is a hands‑on technical leader responsible for designing, building, and optimizing SQL Server and Azure‑based data solutions while providing architectural guidance and technical leadership across distributed engineering teams.
This role blends deep technical execution with design leadership, requiring the ability to move fluidly between writing code, guiding engineers, and shaping scalable data architectures. While the role includes leadership responsibilities, it is not a traditional people‑manager position and is best suited for candidates who want to remain technically engaged.
Key Responsibilities
Provide technical leadership and design guidance across multiple engineering pods
Design, develop, optimize, and maintain SQL Server databases, schemas, stored procedures, and ETL processes
Build, troubleshoot, and maintain SSIS packages and Azure Data Factory pipelines
Support refactoring and re‑architecture of existing data platforms
Step into hands‑on development when needed to unblock teams or deliver critical solutions
Drive reuse, standardization, and reduction of duplicated effort across projects
Partner with Engineering leadership to align work with architectural standards and roadmap
Participate in Agile sprint planning, capacity discussions, and delivery execution
Support testing, deployment, UAT coordination, and post‑release activities
Track and manage work, issues, and enhancements in Azure DevOps (ADO)
Produce and review technical documentation, solution designs, and architecture artifacts
Qualifications
Required
5–10 years of experience in SQL Server and ETL development
Strong hands‑on expertise with:
T‑SQL
SSIS
Azure Data Factory
SSRS
Experience with Azure DevOps (ADO) and Git
Proven ability to balance hands‑on development with technical leadership
Experience working in Agile / Scrum / Kanban environments
Preferred
Azure SQL or Azure Postgres
Microsoft Fabric or Lakehouse architectures
Experience supporting data platforms in regulated or high‑availability environments
Mortgage or financial services technology experience
Intake Notes
Why This Role Exists
Original Senior DB role pivoted due to organizational growth and shifting needs.
Team expanded from 6 pods to 9 pods, increasing demand for technical leadership and design oversight.
Offshore resources cover some execution; onshore role is needed for hands‑on technical leadership, architecture, and guidance.
Role is intentionally designed to mirror Valentine’s position and reduce pressure on existing leads (Valentine, Radhika).
What This Role Is (and Is Not)
✅ Technical leadership role with direct impact on architecture, design, and delivery
✅ Hands‑on contributor when needed
✅ Leads by influence and technical authority
❌ Not a traditional people manager
❌ Not removed from day‑to‑day engineering work
Team & Scope
Manages ~8 engineers initially
Team is mixed onshore/offshore
Focus is technical direction, not people‑ops
Limited performance reviews; primary responsibility is:
Code/design guidance
Architecture decisions
Unblocking delivery
Pod Ownership
Pod assignment intentionally flexible
Likely to start with medium‑sized pods
Potential future ownership of Enterprise pod
Regardless of pod, responsibilities span design and architecture across pods
Hands‑On vs Leadership Expectation
Target split: ~50% hands‑on / 50% technical leadership
This will fluctuate sprint‑to‑sprint
Candidate must:
Be comfortable coding when needed
Step in during critical situations
Avoid “that’s not my role” mindset
Interview Process
Recruiter Screen (Matthew)
Technical Interview – Valentine
Team / Fit Interview – Moira + Radhika
Final / Executive Interview – Bill
Candidate‑Facing Role Summary
Technical Lead – SQL & ETL
We’re looking for a senior‑level data engineer who enjoys leading by doing.
This role sits at the intersection of hands‑on engineering and technical leadership. You’ll guide teams, shape architecture, and design scalable data solutions — while still being comfortable getting into the code when the work demands it.
You’ll work closely with pod‑based engineering teams, helping set technical direction, optimize data platforms, and ensure high‑quality delivery across SQL Server and Azure‑based data pipelines. While you’ll guide developers and influence outcomes, this is not a traditional people‑manager role — it’s a role for someone who wants to stay technically sharp and impactful.
If you enjoy roles where some weeks you’re deep in code and other weeks you’re unblocking teams, shaping design, and advising on architecture — this role was built for you.
Screening Questions (Designed to Test the 50/50 Expectation)
Use these exactly as written — they force candidates to show, not tell.
Hands‑On Reality Check
Tell me about the last time you personally wrote SQL or ETL code in production. What problem were you solving?
Listen for recency and depth — not abstract leadership talk.
In your last role, what percentage of your time was truly hands‑on vs guiding others? How did that change sprint‑to‑sprint?
If a critical pipeline breaks and the team is blocked, what do you do first — and what do you personally own in that moment?
Leadership Without Avoidance
Have you ever stepped into hands‑on work even though it wasn’t “expected” of your title? What drove that decision?
How do you balance setting technical direction while still staying close enough to the code to make good decisions?
Architecture & Design
Describe a design decision you influenced across multiple teams or systems. How involved were you in the implementation?
How do you approach refactoring or re‑architecting legacy SQL/ETL systems without disrupting delivery?
Fit & Mindset
What frustrates you more: being too hands‑on, or not being hands‑on enough? Why?
Strong candidates answer this honestly.
Benefits
Selene Finance LP is committed to the total wellbeing of its employees and therefore offers one of the best benefits packages available in the industry today, which includes:
Paid Time Off (PTO)
Medical, Dental &Vision
Employee Assistance Program
Flexible Spending Account
Health Savings Account
Paid Holidays
Company paid Life Insurance
Matching 401(k) Plan
The job requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. This job description is not an inclusive list of all duties and responsibilities of this position. Incumbents will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. Selene reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs.