Software Engineer

Position Overview

We are seeking a skilled Data Visualization Engineer to join Saint-Gobain's team in Chennai. In this role, you will leverage your strong expertise in Grafana and SQL databases to design, develop, and maintain advanced dashboards that drive industrial performance and support data-driven decision-making across our Glass sites.

You will play a key part in extending the Grafana ecosystem by developing custom plugins when standard features are insufficient. This position demands a unique blend of technical proficiency, robust data modeling skills, and the ability to translate complex business needs into clear, effective visual insights for operational teams.

Key Responsibilities

Dashboard Development (Grafana)

• Build advanced, user-friendly dashboards using Grafana.
• Create interactive panels, data transformations, variables, alert rules, and dynamic visualizations tailored to operational requirements.
• Ensure all dashboards are performant, well-structured, and standardized for reuse across the organization's Glass sites.

Data Integration & SQL Development

• Connect Grafana seamlessly to various data sources including PostgreSQL, MySQL, Ignition Gateway, or REST APIs.
• Write optimized SQL queries, views, and stored procedures to ensure high performance dashboards.
• Maintain strict adherence to data quality, integrity, and alignment with critical business KPIs.

Grafana Plugin Development (as needed)

• Leverage JavaScript/TypeScript to develop custom panel, data source, or app plugins for specific UX requirements or business logic.
• Integrate third-party JS libraries using modern build tooling while respecting Content Security Policy (CSP) and Grafana's plugin lifecycle standards.

Performance & Optimization

• Optimize dashboard loading times, query execution speed, and backend resource usage.
• Efficiently manage large volumes of time-series data common in industrial environments.
• Proactively identify and resolve data inconsistencies or missing data issues.

Collaboration & Support

• Collaborate closely with Digital & IT (DTI) experts teams and plant process engineers to align technical solutions with operational goals.
• Provide ongoing support, training, and guidance to end-users on Grafana best practices.
• Create comprehensive documentation for dashboards, data models, and data flows.

Governance & Continuous Improvement

• Contribute to the definition of visualization standards and share best practices with internal developers.
• Participate in broader strategies for industrial digitalization and monitoring.
  
• Evaluate new Grafana plugins, data sources, and analytics improvements continuously.

Required Skills

• Strong experience with Grafana (dashboards, panels, variables, alerts, plugins).
• Proficiency in SQL for query optimization, data modeling, and indexing.
• Experience with industrial data sources is a plus.
• Familiarity with DevOps practices including Grafana provisioning, Git version control, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Ability to work with APIs, JSON, and external data connectors.
• Solid understanding of KPIs, data visualization principles, and user experience design.
• Demonstrated autonomy, problem-solving mindset, and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills for engaging both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• Experience with time-series databases like InfluxDB or Prometheus.
  
• Familiarity with industrial environments, SCADA/MES systems, or OT data protocols.
• Knowledge of Python for automation or data processing tasks.