Staff Software Engineer - Data and ML

Unity is building a robust, near real-time reporting platform that powers critical analytics and decision-making across our ecosystem. We are looking for a Staff Software Engineer to help architect and implement the distributed data systems that drive this platform at scale.

In this role, you’ll design and build high-throughput, low-latency data processing pipelines that power reporting used by internal teams and external customers. You’ll operate at the intersection of distributed systems, stream processing, and cloud-native infrastructure - ensuring correctness, reliability, and scalability in a high-volume production environment.

This is a high-impact role where engineering rigor, architectural clarity, and production ownership matter.

What you’ll be doing

• Design and implement near real-time data pipelines and reporting infrastructure.
• Architect distributed stream and batch processing systems using technologies such as Apache Flink, Spark, and Airflow.
• Build and maintain data processing frameworks that handle large-scale event ingestion and transformation with strong correctness guarantees.
• Ensure production-grade reliability, observability, and operability across distributed systems.
• Define and enforce data processing semantics including:
• Exactly-once processing
• Event time vs. processing time handling
• Stateful stream management
• Backpressure and fault tolerance strategies
• Collaborate cross-functionally with data consumers, product, and infrastructure teams to define scalable reporting solutions.
• Contribute to long-term platform architecture, setting engineering standards for performance, resilience, and maintainability., This range reflects the anticipated base salary for this position. Beyond base salary, this role may be eligible for equity awards and participation in our company incentive plans (such as annual discretionary bonuses or sales commissions). The final offer amount will depend on several factors, including geographic location and the candidate’s relevant experience, professional background, and skill set.

• Strong foundation in distributed systems and systems design.
• Hands-on experience building and operating large-scale data processing systems.
• Deep understanding of streaming concepts:
• Exactly-once semantics
• Watermarking and event-time processing
• Stateful stream processing
• Checkpointing and recovery
• Backpressure handling
• Production experience with frameworks such as Apache Flink, Spark, Kafka, or similar technologies.
• Proficiency in Python, Java, or Scala.
• Experience with workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow) for stream and batch coordination.
• Strong understanding of cloud-native architectures and distributed infrastructure (Kubernetes, containerization, cloud platforms).

You might also have

• Ability to lead architecture across teams and influence platform strategy.
• Experience defining technical roadmaps for distributed data systems.
• Track record of driving reliability improvements and scaling systems to high throughput environments.
• Mentorship and technical leadership across engineering teams., This position requires the incumbent to have a sufficient knowledge of English to have professional verbal and written exchanges in this language since the performance of the duties related to this position requires frequent and regular communication with colleagues and partners located worldwide and whose common language is English.

At Unity, we want our team members to thrive. We offer a wide range of benefits designed to support well-being and work-life balance.

Please note: Benefits eligibility, specific offerings, and coverage vary based on the country and employment status.

Unity [NYSE: U] is the world’s leading game engine, powering play for more than 3 billion consumers each month. The top mobile games in the world, the most played PC indie titles, the most innovative console games, and virtually all of the top XR and Web Games are developed, deployed, and grown in Unity. Unity also enables teams across industries like automotive, manufacturing, and healthcare to design, simulate, and collaborate in 3D - closing the gap between ideas and reality. For more information, please visit www.unity.com .

Unity is a proud equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment and celebrate our employees across age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. Our differences are strengths that enable us to support the growing and evolving needs of our customers, partners, and collaborators. If you have a disability that means there are preparations or accommodations we can make to help ensure you have a comfortable and positive interview experience, please fill out this form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrbRLG1N-apH1eahQ622Gypo-rmiAB6LLTP1UsSWQNu7omxQ/viewform) to let us know.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records., Unity [NYSE: U] is the world’s leading game engine, powering play for more than 3 billion consumers each month. The top mobile games in the world, the most played PC indie titles, the most innovative console games, and virtually all of the top XR and Web Games are developed, deployed, and grown in Unity. Unity also enables teams across industries like automotive, manufacturing, and healthcare to design, simulate, and collaborate in 3D - closing the gap between ideas and reality.

At Unity, we’re committed to creating a workplace that fosters collaboration and teamwork that allows you to harness your unique skills. Join us in creating industry tools to help creators of all levels bring their projects to reality.