Software Engineer, Data Platform

Block; California; On-site; USD 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

Block is seeking an experienced software engineer to own the data platform that enables scalable data use across our brands. You will design, build, and operate warehousing, orchestration, BI tooling, and governance, while shipping Python services and IaC with Terraform.

You will collaborate with data practitioners and product teams to turn needs into durable platform capabilities and to advance data governance, security, and reliability at scale.

Qualifications

• Experience designing and operating production data platforms.
• Strong Python development and data governance experience.
• Experience with large-scale data infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and operate core data-platform capabilities including warehousing and governance.
• Build Python services and developer-facing tools to enable data products.
• Develop scalable infrastructure as code using Terraform.
• Set patterns for petabyte-scale data with strong governance, observability, and reliability.
• Partner with data engineers, analysts, scientists, and product teams to translate needs into durable platform capabilities.
• Evaluate and build agentic workflows that improve data work while maintaining controls.

Skills

Python

Data platform design

Snowflake

Databricks

Cross-team collaboration

Data governance

Strong engineering judgment

Tools

Terraform

Job description

Block builds simple, powerful tools that make progress towards an economy that’s truly open to all.

Each of our brands unlocks different aspects of the economy for more people. Square makes commerce and financial services accessible to sellers. Cash App is the easy way to spend, send, and store money. Afterpay is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. TIDAL is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Bitkey is a simple self-custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Together, we’re helping build a financial system that is open to everyone. Join us.

The Role

We're hiring an experienced software engineer to build and own the data platform that helps teams across the company work with trusted data at scale. This role shapes the foundations for data warehousing, orchestration, business intelligence, governance, and Block's agentic workflows. You'll combine strong software engineering with hands‑on experience working closely with data, building platforms that make it safer and faster for data practitioners to discover, produce, transform, govern, and use data.

You Will

• Design, build, and operate core data-platform capabilities, including data warehousing, orchestration, business intelligence tooling, and data governance.
• Build reliable Python services and developer-facing tools that improve how teams create and operate data products.
• Develop scalable infrastructure as code with Terraform.
• Establish patterns that let teams manage petabyte-scale data while maintaining strong governance, security, reliability, and usability.
• Partner with data engineers, analysts, scientists, and product teams to turn their needs into durable platform capabilities.
• Evaluate and build agentic workflows that make data work more effective, while maintaining appropriate controls and observability.
• Set technical direction, raise engineering standards, and mentor other engineers.

You Have

• Senior-level software engineering experience, with strong Python skills and a record of designing, shipping, and operating production systems.
• Hands‑on experience building or operating data platforms, data products, or large-scale data infrastructure.
• Experience with Snowflake, Databricks, or comparable modern data platforms.
• Experience with Terraform and infrastructure‑as‑code practices.
• A practical understanding of the tradeoffs involved in managing petabyte‑scale data: performance, cost, reliability, access controls, lineage, quality, and governance.
• Experience collaborating directly with data practitioners, and empathy for the workflows they use to turn data into decisions.
• Strong technical judgment, clear communication, and the ability to lead across teams.

Technologies We Use and Teach

• Languages: Python, Kotlin
• Data platforms: Snowflake, Databricks, Apache Iceberg
• Orchestration & transformation: Apache Airflow, dbt, Prefect
• Infrastructure as code & CI/CD: Terraform, Buildkite, GitOps
• Catalog, lineage & data quality: DataHub, Anomalo
• BI & analytics: Looker, Omni
• Cloud: AWS

We’re working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is an equal opportunity employer evaluating all employees and job applicants without regard to identity or any legally protected class. We will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and “fair chance” ordinances.

We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with our recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible.

Want to learn more about what we’re doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page.

While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, U.S. roles are typically open for an average of 55 days before being filled by a successful candidate. Please refer to the date listed at the top of this job page for when this role was first posted.

Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S. locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job‑related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.

To find a location’s zone designation, please refer to this resource. If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information.

Zone A

$180,000—$270,000 USD

Zone B

$171,000—$256,600 USD

Zone C

$162,000—$243,000 USD

Zone D

$153,000—$229,600 USD

Application Guidelines

Candidates may submit up to 9 active applications within a 60-day period. Reapplications to the same role are accepted 90 days after a previous application has been reviewed.

Use of AI in Our Hiring Process

We may use automated AI tools to evaluate job applications for efficiency and consistency. These tools comply with local regulations, including bias audits, and we handle all personal data in accordance with state and local privacy laws.

Contact us here with hiring practice or data usage questions.

Every benefit we offer is designed with one goal: empowering you to do the best work of your career while building the life you want. Remote work, medical insurance, flexible time off, retirement savings plans, and modern family planning are just some of our offering. Check out our other benefits at Block.

Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) builds technology to increase access to the global economy. Each of our brands unlocks different aspects of the economy for more people. Square makes commerce and financial services accessible to sellers. Cash App is the easy way to spend, send, and store money. Afterpay is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. TIDAL is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Bitkey is a simple self‑custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Together, we’re helping build a financial system that is open to everyone.

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