> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/4629005-principal-data-software-engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/4629005-principal-data-software-engineer). 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). --- # Principal Data Software Engineer - **Company:** Tinder - **Location:** Palo Alto, CA, United States - **Salary:** $255,000.0 - $280,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), Amazon Web Services, Data Analysis, Big Data, Computer Programming, Databases, Data Architecture, Information Engineering, Data Governance, Data Infrastructure, Data Integration, Data Integrity, Extract Transform Load (ETL), Data Warehousing, Amazon DynamoDB, Java Virtual Machine (JVM), Python (Programming Language), PostgreSQL, Machine Learning, MySQL, Operational Databases, System Availability, Apache Spark, Backend, Data Lakes, Apache Flink, Cassandra, Data Programming, Data Analytics, Apache Kafka, Stream Processing, Data Pipelines - **Published:** November 7, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.juju.com/job/28_25304_90401c72c1a37aa2e94e91598d6a1fce ## About the Role * A proactive leader with a growth mindset, who will communicate a clear architectural vision, maintain an efficient shipping pace, and provide education to our firm on the technology we are using. * 12+ years of experience in designing and developing data architecture and engineering solutions that have supported massive scale of data volume and computation. * Significant experience delivering multi-functional initiatives that directly impact the growth of the business. * Experience working with backend and data infrastructure in AWS Cloud. * A consistent track record of innovative problem-solving and an inquisitive approach to data engineering challenges. * Experience with big data technologies like Flink, Spark, and Kafka. * Experience in working with database platforms such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, DynamoDB, and/or Cassandra. * Strong programming experience in Python / JVM-based languages (Java / Scala) * Knowledge of data governance and security measures. ## Description Tinder Engineering The Engineering team is responsible for building innovative features and resilient systems that bring people together. We're always experimenting with new features to engage with our members. Although we are a large-scale tech company, the member-to-engineer ratio is very high-making the level of impact each engineer gets to have at Tinder enormous. Our growing business always has new needs for actionable information, and our roadmap has exciting, high-value products ready to be designed and many more to be identified. This role will involve working with large-scale data pipelines in near-real-time, batch, and lambda frameworks. As a Principal Data Engineer at Tinder, you will take the lead in designing, building, and optimizing the next generation of our data platform. This is a high-visibility role and your impact will serve as the backbone for analytics and data-driven product features, empowering teams across the organization to make data-informed decisions. You will be building products that impact a diverse set of consumers, including but not limited to Machine Learning, Analytics, Quantitative Tools, and Revenue verticals. Where you'll work:This is a hybrid role and requires in-office collaboration three days per week. This position is located in Palo Alto, CA. We also have offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. In this role, you will have the opportunity to: * Architect a unified data platform that integrates real-time stream processing, self-service data lakes, and robust ETL pipelines. * Design and implement a scalable data lake, focusing on data integration and curation. * Develop and maintain an insights pipeline to support Business Intelligence (BI) and advanced analytics use cases. * Implement data governance and security protocols to ensure data integrity and compliance. * Strong hands-on experience in designing, developing, and leading enterprise-level database systems with a focus on high availability, security, performance, and scalability. * Deep expertise in Data Warehouse architecture and integration. * Research, design, and implement fast proof-of-concepts to evaluate similar products and technologies. * Participate in the strategic development of methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for projects and programs. * Assess build vs buy decisions at every stage, backed by proof of concepts, benchmarking, and other evaluation metrics. * Implement processes and systems to champion data quality, ensuring production data is always accurate and available for key stakeholders and business processes. * Mentor fellow engineers on best practices for designing and operating reliable systems at scale. * Design data integrations and data quality frameworks.