Software Engineer, New Grad - Query Engines

Frontdoor Defense; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Remote work on exceptional basis

Job summary

Palantir Technologies is seeking a Software Engineer (New Grad) to contribute to the query planning rules and optimization work within the Foundry data platform in London. The role involves deep-system work on how computations are represented, how plans are optimized, and how data is efficiently read and written, using Spark and related open-source engines.

You will join experienced engineers and see your work through design, code review, testing, and release.

Qualifications

• Pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, Software Engineering, Physics, or a similar field, or equivalent practical experience
• Proficiency in at least one language such as Java, Rust, Scala, C++, or C
• Strong foundations in algorithms, data structures, and concurrency
• Coursework or projects in databases, compilers, operating systems, or distributed systems
• Contributions to open-source projects

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize query planning rules to speed large table scans in Foundry
• Work on building and refining data processing infrastructure across Spark/DataFusion/Iceberg
• Collaborate with teams, go through design reviews, testing, and releases to ensure correctness and performance

Skills

Java

Rust

Scala

C++

Education

Bachelor's or equivalent in CS/Math/Software Engineering

Tools

Apache Spark

Apache DataFusion

Apache Iceberg

Git

Job description

Software Engineer, New Grad - Query Engines

Build and optimize a query planning rule to speed large table scans in Foundry

Location: London, England

About The Role

A World-Changing Company

Palantir builds the world's leading software for data-driven decisions and operations. By bringing the right data to the people who need it, our platforms empower our partners to develop lifesaving drugs, forecast supply chain disruptions, locate missing children, and more.

The Role

We are a software engineering team applying open-source data technologies to some of the world's hardest and most important problems. We build the data processing infrastructure that underpins Palantir Foundry, supporting applications that help hospitals care for more patients, help clinical teams coordinate timely diagnoses, and keep essential supplies moving through global disruption.

You will work deep inside the systems that make this possible: how computations are represented, how query plans are optimised, how operators execute, and how data is read and written efficiently. We build on and extend Apache Spark, Apache DataFusion, and Apache Iceberg, bringing advances in open-source engines and table formats into the demanding environments our customers operate in. Our work serves many products and workloads across Foundry, including no-code pipelines, interactive analysis, and the processing that keeps the Ontology up to date.

Working alongside experienced engineers, you will take on real problems in our production systems. That could mean writing a new planning rule, adding a capability to a native execution engine, or making large tables faster to scan. You will see your work through design, code review, testing, and release. Correctness, compatibility, and predictable performance are central to everything we build, and you will learn how to deliver all three.

Join us if you want to learn how modern data systems work from the inside and apply that knowledge to consequential problems.

Technologies We Use

• Java, Scala, Rust, and Python
• Apache Spark, Apache DataFusion, Apache Comet, and Velox for data processing and query execution
• Apache Iceberg for table management and catalog interoperability
• Apache Arrow and Apache Parquet for in-memory data processing and columnar storage
• Gradle and Cargo for builds, and GitHub for collaboration

You do not need prior experience with these technologies. We expect you to learn them here.

What We Value

• Curiosity about how data systems work, from query optimisers and execution operators to file formats and distributed processing
• A high bar for correctness and a willingness to dig until you understand why something behaves the way it does
• Comfort following a problem across languages, services, and layers of the stack
• A practical approach to performance, grounded in measurement rather than intuition
• Eagerness to learn, ask questions, and incorporate feedback
• Interest in applying deep systems engineering to real-world problems, with empathy for the people who depend on our software

What We Require

• Currently pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, Software Engineering, Physics, or a similar field, or equivalent practical experience
• Proficiency in at least one language such as Java, Rust, Scala, C++, or C
• Strong foundations in algorithms, data structures, and concurrency
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Coursework or projects in databases, compilers, operating systems, or distributed systems
• Contributions to open-source projects

Life at Palantir

We want every Palantirian to achieve their best outcomes, that's why we celebrate individuals' strengths, skills, and interests, from your first interview to your longterm growth, rather than rely on traditional career ladders. Paying attention to the needs of our community enables us to optimize our opportunities to grow and helps ensure many pathways to success at Palantir. Promoting health and well-being across all areas of Palantirians' lives is just one of the ways we're investing in our community. Learn more at Life at Palantir and note that our offerings may vary by region.

In keeping consistent with Palantir's values and culture, we believe employees are 'better together' and in-person work affords the opportunity for more creative outcomes. Therefore, we encourage employees to work from our offices to foster connectivity and innovation. Many teams do offer hybrid options (WFH a day or two a week), allowing our employees to strike the right trade-off for their personal productivity. Based on business need, there are a few roles that allow for 'Remote' work on an exceptional basis. If you are applying for one of these roles, you must work from the city and or country in which you are employed. If the posting is specified as Onsite, you are required to work from an office.

If you want to empower the world's most important institutions, you belong here. Palantir values excellence regardless of background. We are committed to making the application and hiring process accessible to everyone and will provide a reasonable accommodation for those living with a disability. If you need an accommodation for the application or hiring process, please reach out and let us know how we can help.