Atlan

Principal Engineer (Data Platform)

Atlan3 weeks ago
Location

United States

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 250,000 – 400,000

Level

Principal

Role

Principal Engineer

Posted

Mar 11, 2026

Full TimePrincipal

The role

Summary

Atlan is seeking a Principal Engineer to architect and scale their data platform infrastructure, focusing on building the context layer for AI-powered data systems. The role involves designing enterprise-scale distributed systems that support complex multi-tenant environments and advanced data technologies, driving technical innovation in AI-native development practices.

What you'll do

Platform Architecture: Design and build platform services including APIs, infrastructure components, runtime systems, and ingestion frameworks at enterprise scale
Context Store Development: Architect the context store to transform lakehouse infrastructure into AI-ready systems with multimodal capabilities
Technical Leadership: Drive technical standards through RFCs, architecture reviews, and comprehensive documentation
System Optimization: Solve complex multi-tenant isolation and scaling challenges for enterprise SaaS platforms
Infrastructure Ownership: Manage critical shared infrastructure including lakehouse, vector stores, graph databases, and OLTP systems

What we look for

Technical

Distributed SystemsDeep expertise in designing and implementing large-scale, enterprise-grade distributed system architectures
Cloud InfrastructureAdvanced skills in Kubernetes, containerization, and cloud platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure)
Data Platform TechnologiesComprehensive knowledge of lakehouse architectures, vector stores, graph databases, and streaming systems

Education

Computer ScienceBachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical discipline

Experience

Platform EngineeringMinimum 8+ years of experience in platform engineering, infrastructure, or backend systems at a SaaS company
Enterprise ScaleProven track record of building and scaling enterprise-level distributed systems

Skills

Required skills

Distributed SystemsExpertise in multi-tenant architectures and distributed system design
Cloud TechnologiesAdvanced Kubernetes and cloud infrastructure skills
System ArchitectureAbility to design complex data platform infrastructures

Nice to have

AI DevelopmentExperience with AI-native development workflows and tools
Data GovernanceUnderstanding of enterprise data compliance and governance frameworks
Workflow OrchestrationFamiliarity with Temporal or similar workflow management systems

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 250,000 – 400,000 (annual)

Benefits

Competitive Compensation

Top-market benchmarked base salary with performance-based variable pay and impact-driven equity

Health Coverage

Comprehensive health, dental, vision, and mental health benefits from day one

Flexible Time Off

Flexible and modern leave policies that prioritize employee well-being and work-life balance

Professional Development

Accelerated growth opportunities through cutting-edge technology and challenging implementations

Remote Work

Global, remote-first work environment with true flexibility and high-trust culture

Interview process

  1. 1
    Initial Screening — Technical recruiter call to assess basic qualifications and background
  2. 2
    Technical Phone Screen — Detailed discussion of technical experience, system design expertise, and problem-solving approach
  3. 3
    Architectural Design Challenge — Take-home or live system design challenge focusing on distributed systems and data platform architecture
  4. 4
    Technical Leadership Interview — In-depth discussion with senior engineering leadership about technical vision, mentorship, and architectural strategies
  5. 5
    Final Executive Interview — Conversation with senior leadership to assess cultural fit and strategic alignment
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Atlan

Atlan

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Atlan is a data governance and metadata management platform that helps organizations discover, understand, and manage their data assets. The company provides a centralized solution for data teams to collaborate, document, and govern data across their organization, making data more discoverable and trustworthy. Atlan operates in the data management and business intelligence market, serving enterprises looking to improve data quality, compliance, and democratization across their infrastructure.

San Francisco, USAFounded 2019atlan.com

Tech Stack

Languages
PythonJava
Frameworks
KubernetesApache Spark
Databases
Apache IcebergVector DatabasesGraph Databases
Tools
AWSCI/CD Pipelines
Other
AI Development Tools
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