Sr Data Engineer / Apache Cassandra Administrator

PDF Solutions, Inc.; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 115,000 - 129,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading tech firm is seeking a Data Engineer to develop and maintain scalable NoSQL databases using Apache Cassandra. The role involves ensuring high availability and performance, automating infrastructure, and collaborating with development teams. Ideal candidates will have over 3 years of experience with Cassandra and proficiency in tools like Prometheus and Terraform. This is an excellent opportunity for engineers passionate about cutting-edge technology to drive impactful results.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of hands-on experience administering Apache Cassandra in production environments.
• Proven experience as a Cassandra Administrator or in a similar database administration role.
• Solid knowledge of Shell Scripting and command line management.

Responsibilities

• Architect robust databases and maintain scalable NoSQL Apache Cassandra.
• Monitor database health using tools such as nodetool and Prometheus.
• Automate infrastructure using modern tools like Terraform and Ansible.

Skills

Apache Cassandra

DevOps tools (Terraform, Ansible)

Monitoring tools (Prometheus, Grafana)

Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Scripting (Bash, Python, Perl)

Database administration

Education

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering

Tools

Apache Cassandra Management Tools (e.g., nodetool, Medusa)

Kubernetes

Job description

Overview

PDF Solutions is redefining the way the semiconductor industry approaches data, analytics, and experience design. As part of our journey, we’re building Next gen platform — a modern, human-centered analytics platform. We believe design systems aren’t just about consistency — they’re about scalability, collaboration, and performance.

As a Data Engineer at PDF, you will be part of a global team dedicated to leveraging innovative approaches and public cloud infrastructure to refine and enhance the design and architecture of our Big Data Analytics software. In this role, you will:

• Architect robust databases: Develop and maintain scalable NoSQL Apache Cassandra to support our advanced analytical solutions.
• Maintain scalable Database: Play a critical role in ensuring the high availability, performance, and scalability of our Cassandra clusters while supporting development teams and troubleshooting complex database issues.
• Contribute to scalable solutions: Design, implement, and maintain the scalable data processing components of PDF’s Analytics software.
• Bring DevOps expertise: Automate infrastructure using modern tools like Terraform and Ansible, ensuring efficiency and reliability.

This position is ideal for engineers passionate about working with cutting‑edge technology to drive impactful results.

Responsibilities

• Participate in the continuous efforts to improve the design and architecture of our application
• Install, configure, upgrade, and maintain Apache Cassandra clusters (on-premises and/or cloud-based)
• Monitor database health and performance using tools such as nodetool, JMX, Prometheus, Grafana, Medusa
• Perform regular backup and restore operations using native and third‑party tools
• Manage compaction strategies (Size‑Tiered, Leveled, Unified) and optimize read/write paths
• Proactively identify performance bottlenecks and apply tuning strategies
• Handle schema changes, keyspace/table design, and data modeling best practices
• Troubleshoot and resolve database incidents and support high availability and disaster recovery strategiesAutomate routine operations using shell scripts, Python, or Ansible
• Collaborate with developers, SREs, and DevOps teams to support CI/CD integration and deployment pipelines
• Proactively ensure the highest levels of systems and infrastructure availability
• Work closely with the Application and Database teams to resolve issues and improve customer experience
• Build and sustain high‑performance databases on on‑premises and Cloud infrastructure

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Cassandra Administrator or in a similar database administration role
• 3+ years of hands‑on experience administering Apache Cassandra in production environments
• Experience with tools like nodetool, Medusa, Reaper, and other Cassandra management utilities
• Hands‑on experience with monitoring and observability tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, or similar solutions
• Implement robust security practices, including user authentication, authorization, and encryption for data in transit and at rest
• Experience with automation and managing infrastructure as code: terraform / Ansible / chef / puppet
• Hands‑on experience with monitoring and observability tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, or similar solutions
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work across engineering teams
• Strong troubleshooting skills
• Demonstrated ability to generate and maintain technical documentation
• Prior exposure to some programming languages like Python, Perl, Java
• Solid knowledge of Shell Scripting and command line management
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and deploying Cassandra in cloud environments
• Strong understanding of Cassandra architecture (gossip, hinted handoff, replication, partitioning)
• Proficiency in scripting (e.g., Bash, Python, or Perl)

Big Plus Experiences

• Experienced with data processing tools
• Experience with Kubernetes and running Cassandra in containerized environments
• Apache Cassandra certificate

Education

Bachelor of Science or higher in Computer Science or Electrical and Computer Engineering preferred

Pay Range

USD $115,000.00 - USD $129,000.00 /Yr.