Principal Software Engineer (L5)

See yourself at Twilio

Join the team as Twilio's next Principal Software Engineer on our Data & Analytics Platform

Who we are & why we’re hiring

Twilio powers real-time business communications and data solutions that help companies and developers worldwide build better applications and customer experiences.

Although we're headquartered in San Francisco, we have presence throughout South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. We're on a journey to becoming a global company that actively opposes racism and all forms of oppression and bias. At Twilio, we support diversity, equity & inclusion wherever we do business.

About the job

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Principal Engineer to join our Data team and lead the design and development of our data platform. In this role, you will be responsible for architecting scalable and reliable data solutions, driving technical innovation, and mentoring a team of talented engineers. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in data engineering, strong leadership skills, and a proven track record of delivering complex data projects at scale.

Responsibilities

In this role, you’ll:

• Lead the design and development of our data infrastructure, driving technical vision and strategy to ensure scalability, reliability, and performance.
• Serve as the subject matter expert in distributed systems, data technologies, with strong software engineering skills 
• Architect and implement scalable and efficient data pipelines, storage solutions, and processing frameworks using state-of-the-art technologies.
• Drive technical innovation and research to stay at the forefront of emerging data technologies and best practices.
• Mentor and coach a team of talented engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to understand business requirements and translate them into scalable and efficient technical solutions.
• Ensure data quality, integrity, and security throughout the data lifecycle, adhering to industry best practices and compliance standards.

Qualifications 

Not all applicants will have skills that match a job description exactly. Twilio values diverse experiences in other industries, and we encourage everyone who meets the required qualifications to apply. While having “desired” qualifications make for a strong candidate, we encourage applicants with alternative experiences to also apply. If your career is just starting or hasn't followed a traditional path, don't let that stop you from considering Twilio. We are always looking for people who will bring something new to the table!

Required:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in data engineering, software development, or a related field, with at least 5 years in a technical leadership role.
• Proven track record of architecting and delivering complex data projects at scale, with a deep understanding of data infrastructure and distributed systems.
• Expertise in big data technologies such as Hadoop, Spark, Kafka, and cloud-based data services (AWS/GCP/Azure).
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, or Scala, with strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Strong understanding of data modeling, data warehousing, and ETL processes, with experience designing and optimizing data pipelines.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence technical decisions and drive alignment across teams.
• Strong leadership skills, with a track record of mentoring and developing high-performing engineering teams.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and deliver results under tight timelines.

Desired

• Strong experience with AWS data technologies
• Contributions to OSS projects is a bonus
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Location

This role will be remote, and based in the United States. This role will be remote but is not eligible to be hired in San Francisco, CA, Oakland, CA, San Jose, CA, or the surrounding areas.

Travel 

We prioritize connection and opportunities to build relationships with our customers and each other. For this role, you may be required to travel occasionally to participate in project or team in-person meetings.

What We Offer

There are many benefits to working at Twilio, including,