Principal Software Engineer

Fivetran, Inc.; Oakland (CA); Hybrid; USD 225,813 - 282,266; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% employer-paid medical insurance

Generous paid time-off policy

Professional development opportunities

Company virtual happy hours

Monthly cell phone stipend

Mental health support platform

Job summary

Fivetran, Inc. in Oakland is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to drive the technical strategy for critical platform components. As part of the Platform Engineering Group, you will work on building and evolving systems that power the data movement platform.

The role focuses on mentoring engineers, driving initiatives across teams, and enhancing platform performance. Ideal candidates will have over 12 years of experience in software engineering, particularly in large-scale distributed systems. The position offers a hybrid work model with competitive compensation.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of software engineering experience, preferably in distributed systems.
• Proven ability to design and evolve complex, scalable platform architectures.
• Experience influencing cross-team technical initiatives.
• Strong programming skills, especially in backend development (Java preferred).
• Optimizing system performance, reliability, and cost in high-throughput systems.

Responsibilities

• Define technical strategy for core platform systems.
• Lead design and evolution of large-scale distributed systems.
• Drive initiatives across multiple teams for successful execution.
• Establish best practices for system design and operational excellence.
• Mentor senior engineers and influence technical decision-making.
• Identify and improve system performance and reliability.

Skills

Java

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS

GCP

Datadog

Grafana

Job description

Fivetran is building data pipelines to power the modern data stack for thousands of companies.

Fivetran is looking for a Principal Software Engineer to join our Platform Engineering Group, focused on building and evolving the core systems that power our data movement platform.

In this role, you will define and drive the long‑term technical vision for critical platform components that enable Fivetran to scale from thousands to tens of thousands of customers. You will operate at the intersection of architecture, execution, and organizational influence—solving deeply complex distributed systems challenges while shaping engineering direction across multiple teams.

If you are passionate about building highly reliable, scalable systems and influencing engineering excellence at scale, this role is a strong fit.

This is a full‑time position based out of our Oakland office. Our hybrid work model offers a blend of remote flexibility and in‑person collaboration, including two days in the office each week.

Technologies You’ll Use

Java (JVM, JIT, GC tuning, thread management), JUnit

Docker and Kubernetes

AWS, GCP

Observability tools (Datadog, Grafana)

What You’ll Do

Define Technical Strategy: Set the long‑term architectural vision for core platform systems, ensuring scalability, reliability, and efficiency.

Lead Complex System Design: Drive the design and evolution of large‑scale distributed systems that power Fivetran’s data movement platform.

Drive Cross‑Team Initiatives: Lead high‑impact projects spanning multiple teams, align stakeholders, and ensure successful execution.

Raise the Engineering Bar: Establish best practices for system design, code quality, and operational excellence across the organization.

Mentor and Influence: Guide and mentor senior and staff engineers, shaping technical decision‑making beyond your immediate team.

Improve Platform Performance: Identify and lead efforts to optimize system performance, reliability, and cost at scale.

Champion Innovation: Evaluate and introduce new technologies and approaches to improve developer experience and platform capabilities.

Extensive Experience

12+ years of software engineering experience: Deep expertise in building and operating large‑scale distributed systems.

System Design Mastery: Proven ability to design and evolve complex, scalable, and reliable platform architectures.

Technical Leadership: Demonstrated experience leading cross‑team technical initiatives and influencing engineering direction.

Strong Programming Skills: Expertise in backend development (Java preferred) with a solid foundation in data structures and system fundamentals.

Performance & Reliability: Experience optimizing system performance, scalability, and cost in high‑throughput systems.

Communication & Influence: Strong ability to communicate complex technical ideas and influence senior stakeholders.

Ownership & Ambiguity: Track record of driving ambiguous, high‑impact problems from definition to execution.

Bonus Skills

Experience in data processing (ETL, ELT) and/or cloud‑based platforms.

Experience working in startup environments.

Perks and Benefits

• 100% employer‑paid medical insurance*
• Generous paid time‑off policy (PTO), plus paid sick time, inclusive parental leave policy, holidays, and volunteer days off
• Professional development and training opportunities
• Company virtual happy hours, free food, and fun team‑building activities
• Monthly cell phone stipend
• Access to an innovative mental health support platform that offers personalized care and resources in areas such as therapy, coaching, and self‑guided mindfulness exercises for all covered employees and their covered dependents.

* May vary by country and worker type - please reach out to your recruiter for more information.

Compensation

Oakland Pay Range: $225,813 — $282,266 USD

The compensation range displayed on this job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire compensation for the target position and level, and may include sales incentives or target bonuses depending on the role. Our compensation ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Our job titles may span more than one career level. Within the range, individual compensation is determined by additional factors, including job‑related skills, experience, relevant education or training, business need, market demands. The compensation range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. Your recruiter can share more about the specific compensation range for your location during the hiring process.

We are committed to ensuring that all candidates have an equal opportunity to participate in our interview process. If you require accommodations at any stage of the process due to a disability, medical condition, or any other circumstance, please don't hesitate to submit your request by filling out this form. We will work with you to provide reasonable accommodations to facilitate your participation and ensure a fair and accessible interview experience. Your request and any information provided will be kept confidential and will not impact your candidacy. We look forward to hearing from you and accommodating your needs to the best of our ability.