> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/2461364-staff-software-engineer-data-governance-foundations](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/2461364-staff-software-engineer-data-governance-foundations). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md).

---

# Staff Software Engineer, Data Governance & Foundations

- **Company:** Instacart
- **Location:** United States
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Apache HTTP Server, Data Governance, Data Infrastructure, Distributed Systems, Software Engineering, Large Language Models, Apache Spark, Data Strategy, Data Lakes, Apache Flink, Apache Kafka, Data Management, Vertica
- **Published:** August 6, 2026
- **Apply:** https://us.experteer.com/career/view-jobs/staff-software-engineer-data-governance-and-foundations-usa-58859470

## About the Role

hiring, and communicate trade-offs to stakeholders * Pioneer AI-native data infrastructure by applying LLM/AI to platform lifecycle and automation Tasks * 10+ years of software engineering experience building and operating data infrastructure or distributed systems at production scale * Hands-on expertise with open table formats (e.g., Apache Iceberg, Delta Lake, Hudi) and distributed query/compute engines (e.g., Trino, Spark, ClickHouse) * Experience with event-driven and streaming infrastructure (e.g., Kafka, Flink) for real-time pipelines * Proven ownership of major platform transitions or migrations delivered to production * Ability to build cost/benefit and TCO models and communicate architecture strategy across teams Key requirements * remote-friendly" * flexible work locations * new hire equity grant * annual equity refresh grants * competitive compensation * benefits package

## Description

Experteer Overview In this role you will shape Instacart's data backbone by designing a scalable open lakehouse foundation with governance and multi-engine compute. You will partner with Data Science, ML, Ads, and Security teams to balance reliability, performance, and cost as we scale. You'll lead architecture decisions and mentor engineers to drive cross-org alignment. This is a chance to advance a modern data platform that powers critical real-time and analytics workloads. Join us to help serve millions of shoppers and unlock AI-enabled data capabilities. Compensation / Benefits * Translate data strategy into a multi-year architecture roadmap and align with leadership * Own the open lakehouse foundation including unified table formats and governance * Define and manage a multi-engine compute portfolio (interactive, batch, streaming) * Drive real-time and streaming infrastructure for high-impact use cases (Ads, Fraud, ML) * Lead architecture reviews, mentor engineers, influence hiring, and communicate trade-offs to stakeholders * Pioneer AI-native data infrastructure by applying LLM/AI to platform lifecycle and automation Tasks * 10+ years of software engineering experience building and operating data infrastructure or distributed systems at production scale * Hands-on expertise with open table formats (e.g., Apache Iceberg, Delta Lake, Hudi) and distributed query/compute engines (e.g., Trino, Spark, ClickHouse) * Experience with event-driven and streaming infrastructure (e.g., Kafka, Flink) for real-time pipelines * Proven ownership of major platform transitions or migrations delivered to production * Ability to build cost/benefit and TCO models and communicate architecture strategy across teams Key requirements * remote-friendly" * flexible work locations * new hire equity grant * annual equity refresh grants * competitive compensation * benefits package


## Related Videos

- [Empowering Retail Through Applied Machine Learning](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/976-empowering-retail-through-applied-machine-learning)
- [PySpark - Combining Machine Learning & Big Data](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/44-pyspark-combining-machine-learning-big-data)
- [Parquet, Delta, Iceberg & Ducklake - An introduction for developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100075-parquet-delta-iceberg-ducklake-an-introduction-for-developers)
- [Alibaba Big Data and Machine Learning Technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/37-alibaba-big-data-and-machine-learning-technology)
- [The Data Mesh as the end of the Datalake as we know it](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/156-the-data-mesh-as-the-end-of-the-datalake-as-we-know-it)
- [Let's Get Aggregated: Custom UDAFs in Spark  ](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1649-let-s-get-aggregated-custom-udafs-in-spark)

## Related Articles

- [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers)
- [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift)
- [Coffee with Developers - Maria Apazoglou - Making AI understandable for all in production](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/475-coffee-with-developers-maria-apazoglou-making-ai-understandable-for-all-in-production)
- [Dev Digest 120 - Apple and peers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/455-dev-digest-120-apple-and-peers)
- [Stephan Gillich - Bringing AI Everywhere](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/489-stephan-gillich-bringing-ai-everywhere)
- [Dev Digest 137 - AI'm not sure about this](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/485-dev-digest-137-ai-m-not-sure-about-this)