Senior Data Engineer

Firework

. Design, develop, and implement backend and machine learning data infrastructure, including event-based data ingestion, stream processing, data warehousing, data pipelines, visualization, analytics, and applications .

Posted 10/9/2026full-timeSan Mateo • California • United StatesSenior💰 $160,000 - $180,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in designing and maintaining production data and machine learning systems, with strong proficiency in Python and SQL. Capable of leading technical projects, mentoring engineers, and implementing best practices in data engineering and analytics.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Python ProficiencySQL ExpertiseETL/ELT Pipeline DevelopmentData Warehousing TechnologiesCloud Infrastructure Experience

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Data EngineeringMachine Learning SystemsData Pipeline DevelopmentData TransformationData ModelingDatabase DesignData ArchitectureData Quality ImplementationPerformance OptimizationAnalytical Problem-Solving

Soft Skills

Excellent CommunicationCollaboration SkillsMentoringLeadership PotentialTechnical Guidance

Tools & Technologies

Apache SparkApache AirflowSnowflakeBigQueryAWSGCPFlinkDagsterPrefectIceberg

Industry Keywords

Data InfrastructureEvent-Based Data IngestionStream ProcessingData WarehousingDistributed Data ProcessingData AnalyticsData SecurityData Systems ImprovementTechnical LeadershipEngineering Best Practices

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

AirflowApacheAWSBigQueryCloudETLGoogle Cloud PlatformPythonSparkSQL

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Design, develop, and implement backend and machine learning data infrastructure, including event-based data ingestion, stream processing, data warehousing, data pipelines, visualization, analytics, and applications
Build analytics tools that provide actionable insights into customer acquisition, operational efficiency, and business performance metrics
Develop and maintain distributed data pipelines for ETL, feature engineering, and model running
Create data tools for analytics and data science teams to build and optimize Firework’s product
Keep data separated and secure across national boundaries through multiple data centers and AWS regions
Collaborate with data and analytics experts to improve data systems and end-to-end data processing
Troubleshoot and diagnose problems, benchmark performance, load balance, and conduct code reviews
Mentor data engineers, provide technical guidance, share best practices, and support professional development
Provide technical leadership, influence architectural decisions, and help establish engineering best practices

Requirements

What you’ll need

5+ years of professional experience in data engineering, software engineering, or a closely related field, with significant experience designing and maintaining production data or machine learning systems
Strong proficiency in Python and SQL, including advanced querying, data transformations, and performance optimization
Experience building and maintaining large-scale ETL/ELT pipelines and distributed data processing systems
Hands-on experience with modern data warehousing technologies such as Snowflake, BigQuery, or open table format such as Iceberg
Experience with data processing frameworks such as Apache Spark, Flink, or equivalent technologies
Familiarity with workflow orchestration tools such as Apache Airflow, Dagster, or Prefect
Experience with cloud infrastructure, preferably AWS or GCP
Strong understanding of data modeling, database design, and data architecture principles
Experience implementing data quality, monitoring, and reliability practices in production environments
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to independently drive complex technical projects
Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical and non-technical teams
Demonstrated leadership potential and a genuine interest in growing into a people management role, including mentoring engineers, building teams, and driving technical strategy

Benefits

Comp & perks

Stock options
Potential compensation adjustments based on work location, skills, experience, market demands, and internal parity