Staff Data Engineer (Apache Iceberg)

TL;DR

Staff Data Engineer (Apache Iceberg): Designing and evolving core components of a lakehouse and data platform with an accent on data structure, governance, security, and AI readiness. Focus on optimizing Iceberg-based architecture, implementing metadata-driven authorization, and scaling distributed data systems.

Location: Must have permanent U.S. work authorization. Work can be performed from corporate offices in Montana, or from various "Basecamps" and "Connection Hubs" across the US.

Salary: $175,000 – $218,000

Company

A high-growth tech company building products to help people confidently explore the outdoors.

What you will do

• Design and evolve the Iceberg-based lakehouse architecture to balance scalability, cost, and performance.
• Define standards for table design, partitioning, schema evolution, and data layout.
• Lead the adoption of open-source metadata and catalog tools such as OpenMetadata.
• Develop security and access-control models for Apache Iceberg, including table, column, and row-level controls.
• Build automation for compaction, retention, lifecycle management, and cost controls.
• Mentor senior and mid-level engineers and provide architectural oversight for the Data Engineering organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience.
• 12+ years of experience building and operating large-scale data systems.
• Deep expertise in distributed data systems, data architecture, and Apache Iceberg.
• Proficiency in Python, SQL, and orchestration patterns (e.g., Airflow).
• Permanent U.S. work authorization.
• Experience with at least one major cloud environment (GCP, AWS, or Azure).

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive salary, annual bonuses, and equity in the form of common share options.
• Comprehensive health benefits including a no-monthly-cost medical plan.
• 401k matching (100% for the first 3% and 50% for 3-5%).
• Fully paid parental leave plan (5 or 13 weeks).
• Flexible time away package including PTO, STO, VTO, and 7 paid holidays.
• Annual “Get Out, Get Active” funds and outdoor industry perks.