Staff Software Engineer, ML Data Infrastructure, YouTube

Google; San Bruno (CA); On-site; USD 207,000 - 301,000; Full time

Job summary

Google's YouTube team seeks a Staff Software Engineer for ML Data Infrastructure in San Bruno, CA, to own design and delivery of large-scale data pipelines. You’ll lead cross-functional efforts, architect robust systems, and advance ML training use cases while ensuring privacy and security considerations.

The role emphasizes technical leadership, collaboration across teams, and impact on model quality and data handling near real-time at massive scale.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 8 years of experience in software development.
• 5 years of experience building and developing large-scale data infrastructure, distributed systems, or large-scale libraries utilizing C++.
• 5 years of experience testing and launching software products.
• 3 years of experience with software design and architecture.
• 3 years of experience with ML model architecture and training.
• Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field.
• 8 years of experience with data structures/algorithms.
• 3 years of experience in a technical leadership role leading project teams and setting technical direction.
• 3 years of experience working in a complex, matrixed organization involving cross-functional, or cross-business projects.
• Excellent communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership on high-impact projects.
• Influence and coach a distributed team of engineers.
• Facilitate alignment and clarity across teams on goals, outcomes, and timelines.
• Manage project priorities, deadlines, and deliverables.
• Design, develop, test, deploy, maintain, and enhance large-scale software solutions.

Skills

8 years of experience in software

5 years data infrastructure

5 years testing and launching software

3 years software design and architect

3 years ML model architecture/training

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering/CS or related field

Tools

C++

Job description

Staff Software Engineer, ML Data Infrastructure, YouTube

Location: San Bruno, CA, USA

Experience owning outcomes and decision making, solving ambiguous problems and influencing stakeholders; deep expertise in domain.

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 8 years of experience in software development.
• 5 years of experience building and developing large-scale data infrastructure, distributed systems, or large-scale libraries utilizing C++.
• 5 years of experience testing and launching software products.
• 3 years of experience with software design and architecture.
• 3 years of experience with ML model architecture and training.

Preferred qualifications:

• Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• 8 years of experience with data structures/algorithms.
• 3 years of experience in a technical leadership role leading project teams and setting technical direction.
• 3 years of experience working in a complex, matrixed organization involving cross-functional, or cross-business projects.
• Excellent communication skills.

About the job

Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google’s needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward.

As a Staff Software Engineer for ML Data Infrastructure at YouTube, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining large-scale data processing pipelines in C++ to support next-generation machine learning models and training methodologies. In this technical leadership role, you will propose initiatives to enhance infrastructure, secure alignment and commitment from internal clients, and architect novel solutions for evolving ML data use cases. Additionally, you will collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams focused on recommendation quality, storage systems, data logging, and privacy compliance.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $207000 - $301000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership on high-impact projects.
• Influence and coach a distributed team of engineers.
• Facilitate alignment and clarity across teams on goals, outcomes, and timelines.
• Manage project priorities, deadlines, and deliverables.
• Design, develop, test, deploy, maintain, and enhance large-scale software solutions.

Information collected and processed as part of your Google Careers profile, and any job applications you choose to submit is subject to Google's Applicant and Candidate Privacy Policy.

Google is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We are committed to building a workforce that is representative of the users we serve, creating a culture of belonging, and providing an equal employment opportunity regardless of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), expecting or parents to be, criminal histories consistent with legal requirements, or any other basis protected by law. See also Google's EEO Policy, Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal, Belonging at Google, and How we hire.

If you have a need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing our Accommodations for Applicants form.

Google is a global company and, in order to facilitate efficient collaboration and communication globally, English proficiency is a requirement for all roles unless stated otherwise in the job posting.

To all recruitment agencies: Google does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Google employees, or any other organization location. Google is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

Equity is granted exclusively and discretionarily by Alphabet Inc. on the basis of an agreement concluded between you and Alphabet Inc. Alphabet Inc. is your sole contractual partner with respect to equity grants. GSU grants are not guaranteed, are discretionary, are subject to approval by the Alphabet Inc. board of directors or its delegate, the terms of the relevant Alphabet Inc. stock plan, and your grant agreement. They have no impact on statutory payments. Current or past grants do not confer an acquired right.