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Big Data Infrastructure Engineer Jobs in California

OpenAI

Software Engineer, Data Infrastructure

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$134K - $161K/yr

You will scale and harden big data compute and storage platforms, build and support high-throughput ... Have 4+ years in data infrastructure engineering OR * Have 4+ years in infrastructure engineering ...

OpenAI

Software Engineer, Data Infrastructure

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$134K - $162K/yr

You will scale and harden big data compute and storage platforms, build and support high-throughput ... Have 4+ years in data infrastructure engineering OR * Have 4+ years in infrastructure engineering ...

KBR, Inc

Big Data Systems Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

Big Data Systems Engineer page is loaded## Big Data Systems Engineerlocations: Niceville, Florida ... big data infrastructure.* Must have strong troubleshooting skills and the ability to become a ...

Cypress HCM

Data Engineer

Mountain View, CA

$70 - $95/hr

Looking for world class server software engineers with Big Data Infrastructure and Data warehousing experience to join our technology innovation group focused on the rapid development of AI driven ...

KBR

Big Data Systems Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · Hybrid

Big Data Systems Engineer Belong, Connect, Grow, with KBR! KBR's National Security Solutions (NSS ... big data infrastructure. * Must have strong troubleshooting skills and the ability to become a ...

Figure

Helix AI Engineer, Data Infrastructure

San Jose, CA · On-site

$126K - $165K/yr

They are seeking an experienced Data Infrastructure Engineer to enhance their AI data infrastructure by building tools and software components for managing robot data and cloud resources.

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All JobsBig Data Infrastructure Engineer JobsBig Data Infrastructure Engineer Jobs in California

Big Data Infrastructure Engineer information

See California salary details

$45.9K

$125.4K

$179.6K

How much do big data infrastructure engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for big data infrastructure engineer in California is $125,402.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $106,100.00 and $139,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a big data infrastructure engineer?

Big Data Infrastructure Engineers are IT professionals responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the systems and environments that process and store large volumes of data. They work with technologies such as Hadoop, Spark, and cloud platforms to ensure data pipelines are efficient, scalable, and reliable. These engineers also manage data storage, security, and high-performance computing resources, enabling organizations to analyze and leverage big data for business insights.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a big data infrastructure engineer?

To thrive as a Big Data Infrastructure Engineer, you need expertise in distributed systems, data architecture, and programming languages like Java, Scala, or Python, typically backed by a relevant degree in computer science or engineering. Proficiency with big data tools such as Hadoop, Spark, Kafka, and experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and containerization technologies are crucial, as are certifications in these areas. Strong problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills set top performers apart in this role. These skills enable efficient design, deployment, and maintenance of scalable data systems that support business intelligence and analytics needs.

What are some common challenges big data infrastructure engineers face when ensuring system scalability and reliability?

Big Data Infrastructure Engineers often encounter challenges related to optimizing system performance as data volumes grow rapidly. Ensuring that the infrastructure can scale horizontally without downtime requires careful planning and implementation of distributed computing frameworks. Additionally, maintaining data integrity and fault tolerance in complex, multi-node environments can be demanding, requiring constant monitoring and quick responses to system failures. Collaborating closely with data engineers and DevOps teams is essential to proactively address these challenges and implement robust solutions.

What is the difference between Big Data Infrastructure Engineer vs Data Engineer?

AspectBig Data Infrastructure EngineerData Engineer
Primary FocusDesigning, building, and maintaining big data infrastructure and pipelinesDeveloping and managing data pipelines, databases, and data models
Skills & CertificationsHadoop, Spark, cloud platforms, Linux, scriptingSQL, Python, ETL tools, cloud services
Work EnvironmentData centers, cloud environments, big data platformsData warehouses, cloud platforms, analytics teams
Industry UsageTech, finance, healthcare, any data-heavy industryTech, finance, retail, analytics-focused companies

While both roles involve working with data, Big Data Infrastructure Engineers focus on building and maintaining the infrastructure for processing large datasets, whereas Data Engineers develop data pipelines and models to enable data analysis. Understanding these distinctions helps in choosing the right career path or job search focus.

Sr. Staff Software Engineer, Big Data Platform

Palo Alto, CA • On-site, Remote

Pinterest
Internet and IT • 1 - 5K employees
Learn more about Pinterestexternal

$65.50 - $86.75/hr

Full-time

Posted 17 days ago

Job description

About Pinterest:
Millions of people around the world come to our platform to find creative ideas, dream about new possibilities and plan for memories that will last a lifetime. At Pinterest, we're on a mission to bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love, and that starts with the people behind the product.
Discover a career where you ignite innovation for millions, transform passion into growth opportunities, celebrate each other's unique experiences and embrace the flexibility to do your best work. Creating a career you love? It's Possible.
At Pinterest, AI isn't just a feature, it's a powerful partner that augments our creativity and amplifies our impact, and we're looking for candidates who are excited to be a part of that. To get a complete picture of your experience and abilities, we'll explore your foundational skills and how you collaborate with AI.
Through our interview process, what matters most is that you can always explain your approach, showing us not just what you know, but how you think. You can read more about our AI interview philosophy and how we use AI in our recruiting process here.
We're looking for a senior staff software engineer to lead the next generation of data infrastructure at Pinterest which powers mission critical big data and AI applications. You'll be working on some of the most exciting big data and AI open source technologies (Flink, Spark, Kubernetes, etc.), at the scale of exabytes of data to help Pinners discover and do what they love.
What you'll do:
  • Lead the strategy and technical direction of Pinterest's data infrastructure for big data and AI applications
  • Build and scale data infra frameworks and infrastructure to process petabytes-scale datasets, including compute engines, job management, resource management, scheduling and remote shuffling
  • Work with internal customers on critical business use cases that rely on big data
  • Provide thought leadership to the entire company on how data should be processed and stored more reliably, quickly and efficiently at scale
  • Contribute to the team's technical vision and long-term roadmap

What we're looking for:
  • 10+ years of industry experience with a proven track record of technical excellence
  • 5+ years of experience of building and support large scalable Kubernetes or big data platform
  • Deep knowledge of big data / ML technologies (e.g. Flink, Spark, Presto, Kubernetes, Ray, PyTorch/TensorFlow)
  • Proficiency in one or more programming languages (Java, Go, Scala, Python)
  • Experiences in Kubernetes and AWS technologies
  • Exceptional collaboration skills with cross-functional partners, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, make tradeoffs, and keep stakeholders aligned on priorities and progress.
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, a related technical field, or equivalent experience.

In-Office Requirement Statement:
We let the type of work you do guide the collaboration style. That means we're not always working in an office, but we continue to gather for key moments of collaboration and connection.
  • This role will need to be in the office for in-person collaboration 1-2 times/quarter and therefore can be situated anywhere in the country.

Relocation Statement:
  • This position is not eligible for relocation assistance. Visit our PinFlex page to learn more about our working model.

Our Commitment to Inclusion:
Pinterest is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We want to have the best qualified people in every job. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, status as a protected veteran, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state or local laws. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you require a medical or religious accommodation during the job application process, please complete this form for support.
By submitting this application, I certify that all information submitted in my application and throughout the hiring process is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any false statement, omission, or misrepresentation may disqualify me from employment consideration or result in termination if discovered after hire.

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