Principal Engineer, Compute Fleet Management

Databricks; Washington; On-site; USD 264,000 - 322,000; Full time

Job summary

Databricks is seeking a Principal Engineer to lead Compute Fleet Management across AWS, Azure, and GCP. You will own the architecture for massive scale, drive optimization of cloud resources, and ensure high availability and resilience.

This role requires delivering cross‑team initiatives, influencing technical direction, and building low‑dependency systems that power the Databricks data and AI platform.

Qualifications

• Leading large, cross‑team engineering initiatives from concept to execution.
• Hands‑on experience building and operating high‑scale distributed systems on at least one major public cloud.
• Ability to drive technical direction and align multiple teams across org boundaries.
• Strong planning, tracking, and management of complex cross‑organizational dependencies.

Responsibilities

• Own the most challenging and impactful outcomes for the compute fleet.
• Define and implement architectures for scalable, resilient compute across clouds.
• Lead development of low‑dependency systems to bootstrap and manage a massive compute platform.
• Ensure high availability and best‑in‑class isolation for diverse customer workloads.

Skills

Leading Transformative Projects

Distributed Systems Mastery

Influence Without Authority

Execution Discipline

GPU Fleet Management

Job description

# P-725

At Databricks, we are passionate about enabling data teams to solve the world's toughest problems - from making the next mode of transportation a reality to accelerating the development of medical breakthroughs. We do this by building and running the world's best data and AI infrastructure platform so our customers can use deep data insights to improve their business.

About the Team: Join the Core of Databricks Infrastructure

The Compute Infra Team is the engine behind all of Databricks' products and Control Plane services. We build and scale the foundational compute infrastructure that enables every Databricks customer to succeed, operating one of the largest and most dynamic data and AI clouds in the world.

Mission: Define the Future of Cloud Compute Efficiency and Scale

As the Technical Lead for Compute Fleet Management, you won't just manage a fleet- you will set the standard for how Databricks consumes and optimizes compute across all three major clouds (AWS, Azure, and GCP). This is a mission-critical role with direct impact on our gross margin and customer experience. Your mandate includes:

• Pioneering Fleet Optimization: Provisioning and pooling of O(Billion)s of cloud resources to achieve peak workload performance, industry-leading efficiency, and robust resource isolation.

• Delivering Hyper-Scale Resilience: Build the architecture that guarantees horizontal scaling and resilience against zonal or even cloud account-level failures, ensuring Databricks is always on.

• Owning the Critical Path: Lead the development of the lowest-dependency systems required to bootstrap and manage our massive compute platform.

Outcomes: The Impact You Will Deliver

This role is for an engineer who thrives on owning the most challenging and impactful outcomes:

• High Availability: Achieve and maintain 99.99% availability for all batch and serving workloads.

• Stellar Efficiency: Drive utilization to 60% or higher- a crucial metric that requires balancing high efficiency with unwavering tolerance for cloud failures.

• Best-in-Class Isolation: Architect and enforce strong security and performance isolation across a diverse range of customer workloads.

Requirements: Are You Ready for this Challenge?

We are seeking a seasoned Principal Engineer who has not only built but successfully operated large-scale, mission-critical infrastructure systems in production. You must have a track record of:

• Leading Transformative Projects: Taking ownership of complex, cross-team, cross-layer, and multi-quarter strategic engineering initiatives from concept to execution.

• Distributed Systems Mastery: Deep, hands‑on experience developing and operating high‑scale distributed systems on at least one major public cloud.

• Influence Without Authority: Proven ability to drive consensus, establish technical direction, and lead large technical efforts across organizational boundaries.

• Execution Discipline: Exceptional strength in planning, tracking project progress, and managing complex cross‑organizational dependencies.

The Edge: Highly Desirable Experience

• Experience managing and scaling a massive fleet of GPUs for AI/ML workloads.

• Experience with developing and operating large‑scale distributed systems across all major clouds (AWS, Azure, and GCP).

Pay Range Transparency

Databricks is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The pay range(s) for this role is listed below and represents the expected salary range for non‑commissionable roles or on‑target earnings for commissionable roles. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to job‑related skills, depth of experience, relevant certifications and training, and specific work location. Based on the factors above, Databricks anticipates utilizing the full width of the range. The total compensation package for this position may also include eligibility for annual performance bonus, equity, and the benefits listed above. For more information regarding which range your location is in visit our page here.

Local Pay Range

$264,300-$322,300 USD

About Databricks

Databricks is the Data and AI company. More than 20,000 organizations worldwide - including adidas, AT&T, Bayer, Block, Mastercard, Rivian, Unilever, and 70% of the Fortune 500 - rely on the Databricks Data + AI Platform to build and scale data and AI apps, analytics and agents. Headquartered in San Francisco with 30+ offices around the globe, Databricks offers a unified platform that includes Genie, Lakebase, Agent Bricks, Lakeflow, Lakehouse, and Unity Catalog. To learn more, follow Databricks on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Instagram.

Benefits

At Databricks, we strive to provide comprehensive benefits and perks that meet the needs of all of our employees. For specific details on the benefits offered in your region click here.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At Databricks, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone can excel. We take great care to ensure that our hiring practices are inclusive and meet equal employment opportunity standards. Individuals looking for employment at Databricks are considered without regard to age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio‑economic status, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.

Compliance

If access to export‑controlled technology or source code is required for performance of job duties, it is within Employer's discretion whether to apply for a U.S. government license for such positions, and Employer may decline to proceed with an applicant on this basis alone.