Lead Analytics Engineer & Data Platform Lead

We are seeking a Lead Analytics Engineer & Data Platform Lead to provide technical leadership through the evolution of analytics across the Sawmills Division.

This role will lead the development and stewardship of the division's analytics foundations, including semantic models, data engineering, operational data integration, reporting platforms, and modernization initiatives. The successful candidate will help guide the division through an evolving analytics landscape that includes legacy platforms, enterprise data products, divisional data products, industrial data systems, automation, and emerging AI-enabled capabilities.

The successful candidate combines strong technical expertise with business acumen and serves as a trusted advisor to business stakeholders, technology teams, and analytics resources across the division.

What Success Looks Like
•    Trusted and reusable analytics foundations are established and adopted across the division.
•    Reporting consistency, governance, scalability, and performance improve over time.
•    Operational and enterprise data assets are effectively integrated and leveraged.
•    Technical debt is reduced through modernization, rationalization, and standardization efforts.
•    Analytics platforms are positioned to support future reporting, automation, and AI capabilities.
•    Sustainable documentation, governance, and knowledge-management practices reduce organizational dependency on individual contributors.
 

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable analytics architectures, semantic models, and reusable data assets.
• Lead data engineering, data transformation, and integration initiatives supporting reporting, analytics, automation, and AI-enabled solutions.
• Support integration of operational and manufacturing systems, including AVEVA and other industrial data platforms, into the analytics ecosystem.
• Provide technical leadership for reporting modernization initiatives involving Cognos, Alteryx, Power BI, Tableau, enterprise semantic models, data lakes, and emerging analytics technologies/platforms.
• Evaluate opportunities to consolidate, modernize, integrate, retain or retire analytics solutions based on business value and technical considerations.
• Collaborate with Corporate Data and Technology teams to align divisional solutions with enterprise data products, semantic models, governance frameworks, and data-platform strategies.
• Establish standards and best practices related to data modelling, semantic modelling, reporting architecture, governance, and analytics development.
• Improve reporting consistency, data quality, performance, scalability, and maintainability across analytics solutions.
• Act as steward of divisional analytics platforms, semantic models, and reusable data products.
• Document and institutionalize analytics standards, business logic, architecture decisions, and technical knowledge.
• Provide mentoring and technical guidance to team members and stakeholders.
• Support emerging technologies evaluation and recommend practical opportunities to improve analytics capability and business value.

Qualifications

Required
•    Bachelor's degree in Analytics, Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or related field.
•    5+ years of experience delivering enterprise analytics, business intelligence, data engineering, or reporting solutions.
•    Advanced expertise in SQL, data modelling, semantic modelling, and analytics architecture.
•    Experience designing scalable analytics and reporting solutions.
•    Strong analytical, problem-solving, and stakeholder engagement skills.
•    Ability to communicate technical concepts effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Preferred
•    Experience with Power BI, AVEVA, Tableau, Alteryx, Cognos, Microsoft Fabric, Azure Data Services, or similar platforms.
•    Experience supporting manufacturing, operational technology, production planning, quality management, supply chain, forestry products, or industrial operations.
•    Experience integrating operational and enterprise data sources.
•    Experience supporting reporting modernization, automation, or AI-enabled analytics initiatives.
•    Experience with governance, data-quality, or master-data-management practices.
 

Founded in 1882, J.D. Irving, Limited (JDI) operates in Eastern Canada (New-Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador), as well as in USA. We are a team of 20,000 dedicated employees. At J.D. Irving, Limited, you are part of a dynamic team of professionals who lead with integrity and are passionate about delivering results. With a culture that nurtures talent and creates an inclusive workplace, you can grow your career across our various operating divisions.

We are committed to creating accessible environments for our colleagues, candidates, and customers. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary, or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment. We encourage candidates to make their accommodation needs known so that we can provide equitable opportunities.

Worried you do not meet all the requirements? Studies have shown that many applicants apply only to job opportunities when they feel they meet 100% of the criteria. We promote an inclusive environment where everyone is appreciated, recognized, and empowered to contribute fully. If you are interested in this position but are worried you did not meet all the requirements, we would encourage you to still apply.

Our recruitment advisors and hiring teams will utilize human screening combined with AI technology to help identify the skills and qualities that matter most to our business, while safeguarding your privacy and using AI responsibly.

We appreciate your interest in our company however only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Irving Sawmills and Irving Forest Products are committed to delivering quality lumber products, strong customer relationships and service reliability, as well as operating safe and efficient operations. We are focused on delivering quality products through continuous investment in our people, our forest products, our local communities and the most up-to-date technology.

Our employees work in some of the most technologically advanced facilities in North America. In addition to our 12 sawmills and value-added mills, our portfolio contains an industrial-grade pellet plant and our Juniper Farms peat bog production facility. Our team of over 2,000 professionals produce premium products that are sold across North America and through our vertically integrated supply chain. We also supply wood chips for our growing Pulp & Paper Division. Careers at Irving Sawmills are exciting and fast-paced, and there are many opportunities to advance and grow a long-term career with the company in various professions such as production and operations, engineering, maintenance and reliability, technicians, and skilled trades, sales & logistics, and professional services. Employees are encouraged to try new roles to grow their skills as well as gain professional exposure across our many locations in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Maine, and New York.