Skill Profile

Advanced SQL

This skill defines expectations across roles and levels.

Database Management Relational Databases

Roles

where this skill appears

Levels

structured growth path

Mandatory requirements

the other 5 optional

Database Management

Relational Databases

2/22/2026

Choose your current level and compare expectations. The items below show what to cover to advance to the next level.

What is Expected at Each Level

The table shows how skill depth grows from Junior to Principal. Click a row to see details.

Role	Required	Description
Data Scientist		Writes SQL queries for data extraction and analysis: JOIN, GROUP BY, HAVING, subqueries. Conducts EDA via SQL in data warehouses. Works with aggregate functions and basic window functions for analytical queries.

Role	Required	Description
Data Scientist		Writes complex analytical SQL queries with window functions: LAG, LEAD, RANK, running totals. Creates CTE-based queries for feature engineering in data warehouses. Optimizes queries through EXPLAIN ANALYZE and proper indexing.

Role	Required	Description
Data Scientist		Designs SQL-based feature pipelines for production ML systems. Optimizes queries for BigQuery/Redshift/Snowflake with partitioning, clustering, materialized views. Creates dbt models for reproducible data transformations.

Role	Required	Description
Data Scientist		Defines SQL development standards for the data science team. Establishes shared SQL models and naming conventions. Coordinates data engineering and data science for effective data warehouse workflows.

Role	Required	Description
Data Scientist		Shapes data warehouse strategy for ML workloads at organizational level. Defines architecture for feature computation: SQL-first vs Python-first approach. Evaluates emerging SQL engines and their fit for ML use cases.

Junior 1 requirements

Data Scientist

Writes SQL queries for data extraction and analysis: JOIN, GROUP BY, HAVING, subqueries. Conducts EDA via SQL in data warehouses. Works with aggregate functions and basic window functions for analytical queries.

Middle 1 requirements

Data Scientist

Writes complex analytical SQL queries with window functions: LAG, LEAD, RANK, running totals. Creates CTE-based queries for feature engineering in data warehouses. Optimizes queries through EXPLAIN ANALYZE and proper indexing.

Senior 1 requirements

Data Scientist

Designs SQL-based feature pipelines for production ML systems. Optimizes queries for BigQuery/Redshift/Snowflake with partitioning, clustering, materialized views. Creates dbt models for reproducible data transformations.

Lead / Staff 1 requirements

Data Scientist

Defines SQL development standards for the data science team. Establishes shared SQL models and naming conventions. Coordinates data engineering and data science for effective data warehouse workflows.

Principal 1 requirements

Data Scientist

Shapes data warehouse strategy for ML workloads at organizational level. Defines architecture for feature computation: SQL-first vs Python-first approach. Evaluates emerging SQL engines and their fit for ML use cases.

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