The hype around data careers is still very much high, but now organizations realize the field is changing as more and more teams can understand what/who makes a data team.

This past month I have chatted with a few DEs. However, one thing still baffles me. Some managers still do not understand who a Data Engineer is. Looking for a data engineer who does DevOps, dashboard design, data architecture, Machine learning, and AI.

These seem like a lot to put into one part of a team. As organizations look to build a data team, it is important to know all the different roles they need and have the flexibility for learning and growth instead of trying to cramp every piece in.

I recently came across a new role I have never heard of DRE, which is quite similar to an SRE, and made me understand why some managers look to change the narrative for DEs into “Jack of all & Master of more.” So I asked ChatGPT to give me a brief explanation of DRE and here we go.

A Data Reliability Engineer (DRE) is a professional who ensures the reliability, availability, and performance of data systems and infrastructure. The role of a DRE is like that of a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE), but with a focus on data management and analytics.*

Some of the key responsibilities of a Data Reliability Engineer include*:

1. Designing and implementing data systems that are scalable, reliable, and secure.
2. Building and maintaining data pipelines that ensure the timely and accurate collection, processing, and delivery of data.
3. Monitoring and troubleshooting data systems to identify and resolve performance issues, bottlenecks, and other problems.
4. Developing and implementing data backup and recovery strategies to ensure data availability and integrity.
5. Collaborating with data analysts, data scientists, and other stakeholders to understand their data needs and requirements.
6. Developing and implementing data security and privacy policies to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access and theft.
7. Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements related to data management and privacy.

Overall, a Data Reliability Engineer plays a critical role in ensuring that data systems and infrastructure are reliable, available, and high-performance, which is essential for making informed business decisions based on data.*

It appears to be quite similar to a data engineer, too. Makes sense that some organizations want to combine the roles into one.

What are your thoughts on the idea data team? Share in the comments, I would love to know.

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