Senior Staff Software Engineer - Data Platform | JobSetuu

Description

Job Overview

• Source: Jobicy

Job Description

This is a software engineering role on a software engineering team. The team builds and operates the data platform: the infrastructure, abstractions, and SDKs that the rest of Marqeta's data and ML organization runs on. We are not writing pipelines–we are building the platform pipelines run on.

If you've spent your career building infrastructure that other engineers depend on; and you know the difference between “software engineering” and "data engineering", read on.

We work Flexible First. This role can be performed remotely anywhere within the United States or from our Oakland office. We’d love for you to join us!

Learn more about our Product and Engineering team.

At Marqeta, participation in a rotational on-call pager duty is a required part of the software engineering role. The specifics of the rotation may vary by team, depending on team size and structure, and will be discussed further during the interview process.

What you'd own

The lakehouse and the streaming ingestion that feeds it. Iceberg/Delta on S3, Spark/Glue processing, Kafka and CDC pipelines, the abstractions that let other teams land data, build pipelines, and publish datasets without inventing the patterns themselves. You’d help set the multi-year technical direction, design the golden paths, and ship the work — directly, with your hands on the code that matters.

How the team works

You’d report to the Director of Data Engineering and partner with a peer Manager whose scope is people leadership and operational delivery. You own technical direction, application architecture, and the engineering bar. You’ll work alongside other senior staff engineers across the broader data platform org, and partner with security, compliance, and the consumer teams who depend on what we ship.

What "hands-on" actually means here

Worth being specific, because “hands-on” means different things to different people:

• Yes: writing production code on the platform's hardest problems, owning the design and build of new abstractions end-to-end, leading design reviews, setting the engineering bar through the work itself.
• Sometimes: prototyping, deep diving on a tricky migration, pairing with engineers on tough problems.

What the work looks like

• Modernization. Building out the lakehouse — the patterns Marqeta will run on for years. New abstractions, new tooling, the paved road internal teams want to use.
• Live system work. Evolving and hardening the platform that's already in production. Reliability, performance, developer experience — improved without disrupting the teams who depend on it.
• Engineering excellence. Testing confidence, release velocity. On call, blameless postmortems.

What you bring

We care more about demonstrated work than years on paper, but the experience this role asks for typically takes around a decade to accumulate.

• A career building data platforms, not just pipelines. You can name the abstractions you've designed, the teams that adopted them, and the problems they solved. If most of your last several years has been writing transformations rather than building the system transformations run on, this isn't the right shape.
• Production depth in modern lakehouse work. Iceberg or Delta in production. Strong fluency in the surrounding stack: AWS data services (S3, Glue, EMR), Spark, Airflow, Kafka, IAM boundaries for multi-tenant data access. You don't need depth in all of it — you need real depth in the lakehouse and credible engagement with the rest.
• Mastery of Python in a production data-platform context, with credible depth in Go or Java. Idioms, ecosystem, performance characteristics, the parts that bite at scale. The ability to adopt the best tool for the job.
• A track record of evolving live infrastructure. Improving reliability, performance, and DX on systems that real teams depend on, sequenced so the work doesn't disrupt them.
• Ownership of major platform transitions. Build vs. buy, migration design, risk management, all the way through to delivery. You've led at least one of these end-to-end and can talk through what went right, what didn't, and what you'd do differently.
• Influence as a working skill. You build alignment across platform, security, and consumer teams. You write design docs and RFCs people actually read. You can hold a strong technical position and update on evidence.
• A history of growing other engineers — including peers at your level. The team gets stronger because you're on it.

Helpful, not required: payments or fintech context (PCI-DSS, SOX, SOC 2). CDC tooling experience (Debezium, Kafka Connect). Data governance tooling (DataHub, Amundsen, Collibra). Public technical writing or open-source contributions to data infrastructure.

Typical Process

• Application Submission
• Recruiter Video Call
• Coding Interview & Hiring Manager Interview
• Virtual "Onsite" consisting of four 45-60 min video calls
• Offer!

Compensation and Benefits

Marqeta is a Flex First company which allows you to choose your best working environment, whether that be from home or at a company office. To support Flex First, we calibrate pay to a competitive value according to working location. Compensation is aligned according to three tiers within the United States:

• National: A baseline tier that applies to most of the geographic territory of the United States.
• Premium: Slightly elevated from the National tier, and oriented toward a narrower set of higher cost-of-living areas, such as Los Angeles CA and Seattle WA
• Premium Plus: A tier for the most expensive working areas, like the San Francisco Bay area and New York City.

Visit this page or consult with a Recruiter to determine which tier would be applicable to you.

When determining salaries, we consider several factors including, but not limited to, skills, prior experience, and work location. The new-hire base salary range for this position is:

• National: 200,500 - 250,600
• Premium: 210,200 - 262,800
• Premium Plus: 220,000 - 275,000

We also believe in recognizing the contributions of our people. That's why we award annual bonuses to eligible employees, rewarding both individual performance and the success of the entire company.

Along with monetary compensation, Marqeta offers

• Multiple health insurance options
• Flexible time off – take what you need
• Retirement savings program with company contribution and after tax contributions
• Equity in a publicly-traded company and an Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Family-forming benefits, fertility support, and up to 20 weeks of Parental Leave
• Free therapy sessions, financial and professional coaching, and legal advice
• Monthly stipend to support our remote work model
• Annual “development dollars” to support our people growth and development
• Through Flex First, the freedom to live and work wherever you and your family thrive

Expert Career Tips for Senior Staff Software Engineer - Data Platform Roles

To succeed in a competitive market as a Senior Staff Software Engineer - Data Platform, you need more than just technical skills. Here are some expert strategies to elevate your profile:

• Build a Strong Portfolio: For technical roles, a clean GitHub or a personal project site is essential. For non-technical roles, a case study portfolio demonstrating problem-solving and impact is equally valuable. Show, don't just tell, what you have achieved in your previous positions.
• Master the Narrative: When interviewing, use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers. Quantify your results wherever possible—mentioning "increased efficiency by 20%" is much more impactful than saying "improved efficiency."
• Continuous Learning: The industry moves fast. Whether it's staying updated with the latest AI tools or mastering a new management methodology, continuous professional development is key. Consider obtaining industry-recognized certifications that align with Senior Staff Software Engineer - Data Platform requirements.
• Networking: Connect with other professionals in similar roles. Join online communities, attend webinars, and engage in meaningful discussions on professional social networks. Often, the best opportunities come through referrals and community engagement.
• Soft Skills Matter: Communication, empathy, and leadership are often the deciding factors between two equally qualified technical candidates. Cultivate these skills as they are universally valued across all industries and seniority levels.

Additionally, research the specific company's culture and values. Tailoring your application to show how you align with their mission can significantly increase your chances of moving forward in the process.

Salary & Compensation

Salary not disclosed; typically competitive for the role.

Work Arrangement

Type: On-Site

Standard business hours at the office.

Comprehensive Application Strategy & Hiring Process

Applying for a new role is a marathon, not a sprint. Follow this strategic approach to maximize your success rate:

1. Initial Research & Tailoring

Don't send the same resume to every employer. Spend at least 30 minutes researching the company. Look for recent news, their product roadmap, and their team structure. Modify your summary and core competencies to reflect the specific keywords found in the job description.

2. The Perfect Cover Letter

If the application allows for a cover letter, use it to tell a story that your resume cannot. Explain why you are passionate about this specific company and how your unique background makes you the perfect fit for the challenges they are currently facing.

3. Navigating the Multi-Stage Interview

Most modern hiring processes involve 3-5 stages. This typically includes a recruiter screen, a technical or skill-based assessment, a peer interview, and a final leadership round. Prepare for each stage differently: focus on enthusiasm and fit for the recruiter, technical depth for the assessment, and strategic vision for the leadership round.

4. Post-Interview Follow-Up

Always send a personalized thank-you note within 24 hours of each interview. Reference a specific topic discussed during the call to demonstrate your active listening and genuine interest in the role.

By following these steps, you demonstrate a high level of professionalism and attention to detail that sets you apart from the average applicant.

Typical Interview Process

1. Resume screening
2. HR call
3. Skill interview
4. Final manager interview
5. Offer

Tip: Research the company's products and culture.

Global Market Intelligence & Relocation Insights

At JobSetuu, we specialize in helping talent navigate the global job market. Here is what you need to know about the current landscape in Global and beyond:

The demand for skilled professionals is increasingly borderless. For roles based in Global, understanding the local cost of living, visa requirements (if applicable), and cultural nuances is vital. If this is a remote role, consider the time zone alignment and the asynchronous communication culture of the hiring organization.

Relocation Support: Many forward-thinking companies offer relocation packages that include moving stipends, temporary housing, and legal assistance with work permits. When evaluating an offer, look beyond the base salary—consider the total compensation package, including equity, bonuses, and healthcare benefits.

Work-Life Balance Trends: Hybrid and remote work have become standard in many regions. Research the local labor laws and common practices regarding work hours and vacation time to ensure the role aligns with your lifestyle goals.

Leveraging JobSetuu's tools can help you compare salaries across different cities and understand the "purchasing power" of your potential offer, ensuring you make an informed decision for your long-term career path.

Skills & Competency Roadmap for Professional Development

To remain competitive in Professional Development, we recommend focusing on the following core competencies over the next 12-18 months:

• Technical Mastery: Deepen your expertise in the core tools and languages relevant to your field. For developers, this might be cloud architecture; for marketers, it might be data-driven attribution modeling.
• AI Augmentation: Learn how to leverage generative AI and automation tools to increase your productivity. Understanding how to integrate these technologies into your workflow is becoming a non-negotiable skill.
• Leadership & Strategy: Even in individual contributor roles, the ability to think strategically and lead projects from inception to completion is highly valued. Focus on stakeholder management and high-level project planning.
• Data Literacy: The ability to interpret data and use it to drive decisions is essential across all business functions. Familiarize yourself with data visualization and basic analytical concepts.

By investing in these areas, you not only prepare yourself for the role you are applying for today but also build a resilient foundation for the opportunities of tomorrow.

Apply via JobSetuu

Discover your next career milestone on JobSetuu. This Senior Staff Software Engineer - Data Platform position is part of our commitment to bringing you the most relevant and high-impact job openings globally. At JobSetuu, we simplify your job search by aggregating premier listings and providing the tools you need to stand out. Don't miss the chance to elevate your professional journey—explore more opportunities and career insights on our platform today.