Staff Data Platform Engineer

Airwallex1 weeks ago

Location

US - San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 185,000 – 300,000

Level

Staff

Role

Staff Data Platform Engineer

Posted

Apr 1, 2026

Full TimeStaff

The role

Summary

Airwallex is seeking a highly skilled Staff Data Platform Engineer to join their Knowledge Platform team in San Francisco. The role involves leading the development of cutting-edge data and AI infrastructure, focusing on creating scalable platforms that enable data-driven decision-making and AI capabilities across the organization.

What you'll do

Technical Leadership: Provide visionary technical direction for Airwallex's data platform, solving complex problems and fostering innovation across the data ecosystem.

Platform Strategy: Oversee the architecture, development, and operation of data and AI platforms, driving company-wide data-driven decision-making processes.

Team Development: Mentor and develop the data platform team, nurturing both technical skills and professional growth in a fast-paced environment.

Best Practices Advocacy: Establish and promote best practices across the data platform, cultivating a culture of technical excellence and innovation.

What we look for

Technical

Data Platform ArchitectureExpertise in designing and implementing scalable data infrastructure and pipelines

Cloud TechnologiesProficiency with cloud platforms and big data technologies (GCP, Databricks, BigQuery, Kubernetes)

Data ToolsExperience with data orchestration and workflow tools like Airflow, DBT, Kafka, Spark

Education

Advanced DegreeBachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or related technical field

Experience

Professional ExperienceMinimum 8 years of experience in Data Platform engineering or equivalent quantitative field

Leadership ExperienceProven track record of leading company-wide initiatives and influencing technical roadmaps

Skills

Required skills

Data InfrastructureExpertise in building multi-geographical data pipelines at scale

Technical LeadershipAbility to mentor teams and drive technical excellence

Cross-Team CollaborationStrong skills in working with diverse teams to achieve business outcomes

Nice to have

Lakehouse ArchitectureHands-on experience designing data processing patterns for modern data architectures

AI/ML InfrastructureUnderstanding of AI model hosting, governance, and deployment strategies

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 185,000 – 300,000 (annual)

Benefits

Competitive Compensation

Competitive salary with valuable equity options in a rapidly growing fintech

Global Impact

Opportunity to work on cutting-edge financial technology with global reach

Professional Development

Collaborative environment with opportunities for accelerated learning and career growth

Modern Workplace

Collaborative open office space with fully stocked kitchen and team-building events

Interview process

1
Initial Screening — Initial resume review and phone screening with recruiting team
2
Technical Assessment — Comprehensive technical interview assessing data platform and engineering skills
3
Leadership Interview — In-depth discussion with senior technical leadership about vision and approach
4
Final Panel Interview — Comprehensive panel interview with Knowledge Platform team members