Senior Data Platform Engineer (Data Engineering)

TL;DR

Senior Data Platform Engineer (Scala/Python): Designing and operating reliable, scalable data pipelines and a custom on-premise data platform with an accent on distributed systems and high-load batch/streaming processing. Focus on improving platform reliability, evolving data architecture, and mentoring engineers to enable data-driven decision making.

Location: Must be based in Geneva (Switzerland) or Barcelona (Spain); roles are focused on in-person collaboration (#LI-Onsite).

Company

Proton is a privacy-focused organization building encrypted communication and storage tools, including Proton Mail, VPN, and Drive, to protect fundamental human rights.

What you will do

• Drive end-to-end data engineering initiatives from problem discovery and technical design to implementation and long-term ownership.
• Design and operate scalable data pipelines supporting analytics, product insights, and business-critical reporting.
• Work with large-scale batch and streaming data processing systems to ensure accuracy and observability.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and data science teams to translate requirements into pragmatic technical solutions.
• Improve operational maturity of the data platform through monitoring, alerting, and data quality checks.
• Mentor other engineers through code reviews, pairing, and technical guidance.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Computer Science or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of professional experience in data platform, backend engineering, or distributed systems.
• Strong software engineering skills in Scala and/or Java, with solid Python experience.
• Deep understanding of distributed systems (scalability, fault tolerance, consistency trade-offs).
• Experience building production data pipelines and working with Apache Spark.
• Strong knowledge of SQL, query optimization, and data lakehouse/warehouse best practices.

Nice to have

• Experience with Kubernetes and containerized workloads in production.
• Knowledge of streaming technologies like Kafka or Flink.
• Familiarity with ClickHouse, Trino, Iceberg, Delta Lake, dbt, Airflow, or Argo Workflows.
• Experience building internal platforms or developer tooling.

Culture & Benefits

• Ownership opportunity through company stock options.
• Comprehensive health coverage and retirement options.
• Focus on in-person collaboration with provided lunch and snacks in offices.
• Public transport, bike allowances, or parking coverage.
• Flexible working schedule oriented toward outcomes rather than clock-in times.
• Generous leave and wellness support.