Scale Engineer

Engineering Manager - Cost Intelligence

Engineering Manager · Manager · Full Time

US-WA-BellevueUSD 236k – 339k2d ago
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Role

What you'll do.

Lead Snowflake's Cost Intelligence engineering team as an Engineering Manager, overseeing the development of advanced cost visibility, usage analytics, budgeting, and optimization features for cloud data platform customers. This role combines hands-on technical leadership with strategic roadmap ownership, requiring deep expertise in distributed systems, data engineering, and cloud cost management to drive innovation across a rapidly scaling product line.

Responsibilities

  • Team Leadership and Development: Lead and mentor a talented team of software engineers, fostering a high-performance culture centered on technical excellence, engineering ownership, and continuous learning. Conduct performance reviews, identify skill gaps, and support professional growth while maintaining team retention and engagement in a competitive engineering market.
  • Technical Roadmap Ownership: Drive the strategic roadmap for Cost Intelligence features including cost allocation mechanisms, resource budgeting capabilities, anomaly detection systems, and cost optimization recommendations. Partner closely with Product Management to align engineering execution with customer needs and market priorities across multi-quarter planning cycles.
  • Backend Systems Architecture: Define and execute technical strategy for scalable backend systems, high-throughput data pipelines, and RESTful APIs that surface cost and usage insights to enterprise customers processing massive computational workloads at scale. Ensure system reliability, low latency, and robust security across distributed infrastructure.
  • End-to-End Delivery Management: Own the complete product delivery lifecycle from requirements scoping, technical design reviews, and implementation oversight to production launch and iterative improvements based on customer feedback. Balance shipping velocity with maintaining long-term platform health and architectural consistency.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Product Management, Design, Data Science, and adjacent engineering teams to ensure seamless feature integrations, data consistency, and optimal customer outcomes. Participate in technical design reviews and contribute to broader Snowflake engineering initiatives and platform standards.
  • Technical Authority and Communication: Represent the Cost Intelligence team in enterprise-wide technical discussions and architectural decisions. Translate complex distributed systems concepts and cost optimization challenges for executive stakeholders while effectively motivating engineers around a compelling technical vision.

Qualifications

What we look for.

Technical

  • Distributed Systems Design

    Strong foundation in distributed systems principles including eventual consistency models, fault tolerance, replication strategies, and handling of network partitions in mission-critical environments.

  • Backend Development and APIs

    Proficiency in designing and implementing high-performance backend systems, RESTful APIs, and microservices architectures that handle massive concurrent workloads with sub-second latency requirements.

  • Data Engineering and Pipelines

    Expertise in building scalable data ingestion pipelines, ETL/ELT processes, and data warehousing solutions capable of processing petabyte-scale workloads while maintaining data integrity and consistency.

  • Cost Analytics and FinOps Systems

    Technical understanding of cost allocation algorithms, usage metering systems, budget management logic, and financial reconciliation mechanisms specific to cloud platforms and consumption-based pricing models.

  • Monitoring and Observability

    Experience implementing comprehensive monitoring, logging, and observability solutions for complex distributed systems, including metrics collection, alerting frameworks, and performance analysis tooling.

Education

  • Degree in Computer Science

    Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field (STEM discipline) preferred for foundational understanding of algorithms, systems, and computational theory.

  • Advanced Degree

    Master's degree or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Data Science, or related field is advantageous but not required if candidates demonstrate equivalent professional experience and expertise through substantial engineering contributions.

  • Continuous Learning

    Commitment to staying current with emerging technologies in distributed systems, cloud platforms, data engineering practices, and cost optimization methodologies through professional development and technical certifications.

Experience

  • Software Engineering Leadership

    Minimum 8+ years of software engineering experience with 3+ years in an engineering management role leading teams that build highly scalable, reliable, and low-latency distributed systems in production environments.

  • Distributed Systems and Cloud Architecture

    Demonstrated expertise in designing and operating distributed systems, data engineering architectures, and cloud-native backend infrastructure with proven ability to handle enterprise-scale workloads and complex system interactions.

  • Cost Management and FinOps

    Direct experience building cost management, budgeting, billing, or FinOps tooling and platforms in cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP), with understanding of cloud consumption patterns, pricing models, and cost optimization strategies.

  • Data Analytics and Anomaly Detection

    Experience developing anomaly detection systems, time-series analysis algorithms, or ML-driven cost optimization products that deliver actionable insights to customers. Understanding of data science methodologies and statistical approaches for cost analytics.

  • Roadmap Execution and Strategy

    Proven track record of defining and executing multi-quarter technical roadmaps while effectively balancing short-term delivery commitments with long-term platform health, scalability, and architectural improvements.

  • Talent Acquisition and Retention

    Documented success in hiring, developing, and retaining strong engineering talent in competitive markets. Experience building high-performance teams and creating cultures of technical excellence and continuous improvement.

Skills

Required

  • Engineering Team Leadership

    Proven ability to lead engineering teams, conduct technical interviews, establish coding standards, and create psychological safety for experimentation and innovation while maintaining accountability for technical outcomes.

  • Distributed Systems Architecture

    Deep expertise in designing systems that scale horizontally, handle billions of events, and maintain consistency across geographically distributed infrastructure with minimal latency.

  • Data Pipeline Design

    Proficiency in designing fault-tolerant, high-throughput data pipelines using modern data engineering practices including stream processing, batch processing, and real-time analytics architectures.

  • Cloud Platform Expertise

    Hands-on experience with AWS, Azure, or GCP services including compute, storage, databases, monitoring, and cost management tools. Understanding of cloud resource optimization and cost attribution.

  • Technical Communication

    Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both engineering teams and non-technical executives, creating alignment around technical decisions and architectural trade-offs.

  • Roadmap Planning and Execution

    Skills in translating product requirements into technical roadmaps, breaking down complex problems into deliverables, managing dependencies, and tracking progress against OKRs and business metrics.

Preferred

  • Time-Series Analysis and Anomaly Detection

    Nice to have

    Experience with time-series databases, anomaly detection algorithms (isolation forests, statistical methods), and building alert systems that minimize false positives while capturing genuine cost anomalies.

  • Machine Learning for Cost Optimization

    Nice to have

    Familiarity with ML techniques for forecasting cloud costs, automated resource recommendations, and predictive analytics that help customers optimize their infrastructure spending and resource allocation.

  • Multi-Tenant SaaS Architecture

    Nice to have

    Experience building multi-tenant platforms with robust isolation, fair resource allocation, and customer-specific customization while maintaining platform stability and predictable performance.

  • FinOps and Cost Management Tools

    Nice to have

    Hands-on experience with tools and platforms like CloudFit, Vantage, CloudZero, or Infracost. Understanding of chargeback models, cost allocation methodologies, and billing system integration.

  • Apache Spark and Big Data Technologies

    Nice to have

    Experience with Spark, Hadoop, or similar distributed computing frameworks for processing large-scale datasets. Knowledge of data warehousing solutions like Snowflake, BigQuery, or Redshift.

  • Agile and Lean Methodologies

    Nice to have

    Familiarity with Agile development practices, sprint planning, and lean product development principles that emphasize rapid iteration, user feedback incorporation, and continuous improvement cycles.

Tech stack

Languages

PythonJava or ScalaSQLTypeScript/JavaScript

Frameworks

SparkApache KafkaREST/gRPCKubernetes

Databases

Snowflake Data WarehouseClickHouse or TimescaleDBPostgreSQLRedis

Tools

Cloud Platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)DataDog or PrometheusGit and GitHubJira and Confluence

Other

Cost Allocation EnginesAnomaly Detection AlgorithmsBudget Management and ForecastingFinancial Reconciliation Systems

Compensation

Pay and benefits.

Base·USD 236,000 – 339,200

Equity·Stock options

Benefits

  • Equity and Stock Options

    Competitive stock options package aligning your financial interests with Snowflake's long-term success and growth trajectory as a market-leading cloud data platform.

  • Health and Wellness Benefits

    Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with company contributions. Mental health support, wellness programs, and access to fitness facilities.

  • Retirement Planning

    401(k) plan with company matching contributions to support long-term financial security and retirement savings.

  • Professional Development

    Annual learning budget for conferences, certifications, training programs, and educational opportunities to advance your technical expertise and leadership capabilities.

  • Flexible Work Arrangements

    Work from office, home, or hybrid model with flexibility to manage your work-life balance while staying connected to the Snowflake team culture and collaboration.

  • Paid Time Off

    Generous vacation policies, paid holidays, and parental leave to ensure adequate time for rest, family commitments, and personal pursuits.

  • Team Events and Culture

    Regular team building activities, company-wide events, and opportunities to collaborate with talented engineers across Snowflake's global organization.

Full posting

Original listing.

At Snowflake, we are powering the era of the agentic enterprise. To usher in this new era, we seek AI-native thinkers across every function who are energized by the opportunity to reinvent how they work. You don’t just use tools; you possess an innate curiosity, treating AI as a high-trust collaborator that is core to how you solve problems and accelerate your impact. We look for low-ego individuals who thrive in dynamic and fast-moving environments and move with an experimental mindset — who rapidly test emerging capabilities to discover simpler, more powerful ways to deliver results. At Snowflake, your role isn't just to execute a function, but to help redefine the future of how work gets done.

Location: Bellevue, WA

Engineering Manager, Cost Intelligence

We are looking for an experienced Engineering Manager to lead the Cost Intelligence engineering team. In this role, you will own the technical vision and execution for the features and systems that help Snowflake customers understand, monitor, and optimize their Snowflake consumption and spend. You will lead a talented team of engineers building the data products, APIs, and platform services that power cost visibility, usage analytics, budgeting, and cost optimization insights across Snowflake's platform.

You'll work closely with Product Management, Design, Data Science, and cross-functional engineering teams to ship world-class cost intelligence capabilities to Snowflake's customer base.

 

As manager for the Cost Intelligence team, you will:

  • Lead and grow our talented team of software engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, ownership, and continuous learning.

  • Drive the roadmap for Cost Intelligence features — including cost allocation, resource budgeting, anomaly detection, and optimization recommendations — in partnership with product management.

  • Set technical strategy for backend systems, data pipelines, and APIs that surface cost and usage insights to customers at massive scale.

  • Own delivery end-to-end: from planning and scoping to design reviews, execution, launch, and iteration based on customer feedback.

  • Partner cross-functionally with other engineering and cross functional teams to ensure smooth integrations and end customer success.

  • Represent your team in broader technical discussions, contributing to Snowflake engineering-wide initiatives and best practices.

We are looking for candidates with:

  • 8+ years of software engineering experience, with 3+ years in an engineering management role leading teams building highly scalable, reliable, and low latency systems.

  • Strong technical foundation in distributed systems, data engineering, or cloud-native backend development.

  • Demonstrated ability to define and execute multi-quarter technical roadmaps while balancing short-term delivery and long-term platform health.

  • Experience building cost management, budgeting, billing or FinOps tooling in a cloud environment (AWS, Azure, or GCP).

  • Experience with anomaly detection, time-series analysis, or ML-driven cost optimization products.

  • Excellent communication skills: able to distill complex technical problems for executive audiences and motivate engineers around a shared vision.

  • Track record of hiring, growing, and retaining strong engineering talent.

  • Strong hands-on skills. Can drill deep into complex system designs and implementation.

  • BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience.

Snowflake is growing fast, and we’re scaling our team to help enable and accelerate our growth. We are looking for people who share our values, challenge ordinary thinking, and push the pace of innovation while building a future for themselves and Snowflake.

How do you want to make your impact?

For jobs located in the United States, please visit the job posting on the Snowflake Careers Site for salary and benefits information: careers.snowflake.com

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