🚀 Lead Data QA (Healthcare Payer focused)

*** This is a Contract to hire position. ***

Position Summary

We are looking for an experienced Lead Data Quality Engineer to oversee data testing and quality assurance efforts within large-scale healthcare payer environments. The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of payer data , HEDIS metrics , and CMS Interoperability (FHIR) , along with hands-on expertise across the Azure data ecosystem —including Databricks , SQL , and Azure Data Factory . This role focuses on building automated validation processes, ensuring compliance, and maintaining trust in enterprise data pipelines.

Core Responsibilities

Quality Leadership

• Develop and execute a data QA roadmap that covers all aspects of data testing—functional, non-functional, integration, and performance.
• Manage and mentor QA professionals working across data and analytics initiatives.
• Define measurable quality standards and dashboards to monitor key data assets.

Testing and Validation

• Design, automate, and maintain testing frameworks for complex data pipelines and ETL processes.
• Validate payer data elements, including claims, provider, and membership datasets.
• Perform API-level validation aligned with CMS FHIR interoperability standards.
• Verify HEDIS measure calculations and regulatory data submissions for accuracy.

Automation and Process Optimization

• Build reusable validation frameworks using PySpark , Python , and SQL .
• Implement automation checks in Databricks Delta Live Tables and ADF to detect schema drift, enforce data rules, and reconcile data movements.
• Integrate automated QA gates within CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps .

Collaboration and Technical Delivery

• Partner with data engineers, architects, and business analysts to resolve data integrity issues.
• Work with governance and compliance teams to align QA practices with HIPAA , CMS , and internal audit standards.
• Drive continuous improvement in testing efficiency and platform performance.

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in data QA/testing, with at least 5 years leading teams.
• Hands-on expertise with Azure Databricks (Delta Lake, DLT, Unity Catalog) and Azure Data Factory .
• Strong programming skills in Python , PySpark , and SQL for automation.
• Familiarity with Great Expectations , Azure DevOps , and data governance frameworks .
• Proven ability to manage QA across cloud-based data platforms using Agile/DevOps principles.

Preferred Skills

• Exposure to HL7/FHIR data structures and payer interoperability standards.
• Understanding of Lakehouse and medallion architecture concepts.
• Knowledge of Power BI or Tableau for validating analytical/reporting layers.
• Experience with tools such as Collibra for data governance integration.
• Professional certifications such as Azure Data Engineer or Databricks Certified Engineer are advantageous.