Opportunity at
PinterestStaff Software Engineer, Big Data Storage
Pinterest operates a digital platform where global users discover creative concepts, plan future projects, and gather inspiration. The company seeks a Staff Software Engineer to join…
Career Tools
About This Role
Pinterest operates a digital platform where global users discover creative concepts, plan future projects, and gather inspiration. The company seeks a Staff Software Engineer to join its big data storage team and develop the upcoming generation of large-scale storage platforms. This position involves managing exabyte-scale data lakes and working closely with open source technologies like Apache Iceberg. This role suits senior technical leaders who want to combine hands-on systems development…
Job Description
Pinterest operates a digital platform where global users discover creative concepts, plan future projects, and gather inspiration. The company seeks a Staff Software Engineer to join its big data storage team and develop the upcoming generation of large-scale storage platforms. This position involves managing exabyte-scale data lakes and working closely with open source technologies like Apache Iceberg. This role suits senior technical leaders who want to combine hands-on systems development with architectural influence across machine learning, analytics, and infrastructure domains.
The person hired into this position will act as both a technical leader and an individual contributor, designing reliable storage and metadata solutions. Responsibilities include building systems capable of supporting intensive machine learning workloads, collaborating with cross-functional groups, and engaging with open source developer communities. Candidates must possess significant industry experience in distributed systems and data storage infrastructure.
The position follows a hybrid model requiring physical office attendance one to two times per quarter, with the candidate able to live anywhere within the United States. Relocation assistance is not offered for this role. Compensation includes a base salary range of $177,185 to $364,795 USD alongside eligibility for equity, with the final amount determined by prior experience, expertise, and geographic location.
Responsibilities
- Design, implement, and optimize the exabyte-scale data lake storage platform.
- Lead complex technical initiatives concerning data lake storage and metadata management from initial architecture through execution.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders to develop storage and metadata layer technologies supporting big data and machine learning workloads.
- Build storage capabilities that support large-scale machine learning and AI workloads, including high-throughput data access, schema evolution, and column backfills.
- Formulate the long-term technical strategy for scalable, efficient, and reliable big data storage systems.
- Contribute to open source projects such as Apache Iceberg, Spark, and Flink to help resolve organizational scaling challenges.
Requirements
- At least 8 years of relevant industry experience designing and building large-scale production distributed systems.
- Strong background in designing and maintaining scalable storage, metadata, or data lake infrastructure.
- Experience building storage capabilities for large-scale machine learning, artificial intelligence, or analytics workloads.
- Deep knowledge of distributed systems, data storage systems, and production infrastructure.
- Familiarity with big data technologies including Apache Iceberg, Spark, Flink, Presto/Trino, or Hive.
- Proficiency in programming languages such as Java, Scala, or Python.
- Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical initiatives and influence architecture across multiple teams.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a relevant field, or equivalent practical experience.
Core Skills
Benefits
- Eligible for equity in addition to base salary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary range for this position?
The base salary ranges from $177,185 to $364,795 USD for US-based applicants, and the position is also eligible for equity.
Is this position remote or in-office?
This role follows a hybrid model. The candidate can live anywhere in the country but must travel to an office for in-person collaboration one to two times per quarter.
Does Pinterest provide relocation assistance for this role?
No, this position is not eligible for relocation assistance.
What level of experience is required for this role?
Candidates must have at least 8 years of relevant industry experience designing and building large-scale production distributed systems.
Sample Interview Questions
AI-generated questions tailored to this specific role — a preview of the full practice set.