Roles › Data Engineer
Data Engineer skills: what you need in 2026
Builds the pipelines and warehouses that move and shape data at scale.
Core skills
The must-haves most Data Engineer job descriptions expect:
PythonSQLApache SparkApache AirflowAWS
Nice-to-have skills
These strengthen your application and open more roles:
SnowflakeDatabricksdbtApache KafkaGoogle BigQuery
Paste the job description and your resume into our free resume checkerto see your match score, ATS check, and the exact skills you're missing.
Frequently asked questions
What skills do you need to be a Data Engineer?
Core skills for a Data Engineer include Python, SQL, Apache Spark, Apache Airflow, AWS. Helpful extras: Snowflake, Databricks, dbt, Apache Kafka, Google BigQuery. The exact mix varies by employer — always check the specific job description.
How do I know if I'm ready to apply for a Data Engineer role?
Paste the job description and your resume into SkillFitly's free resume checker — it shows your match score, which required skills you're missing, and how long each takes to learn.