Principal Engineer – Data Platform & Backend

Job Requisition ID #

26WD96752

Position Overview Autodesk is a global leader in 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software, empowering innovators to design and make a better world. Our platforms support millions of users across industries including architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, and media.

The Growth Experience Technology (GET) organization is seeking a Principal Engineer– Data Platform & Backend to lead the evolution of scalable data platforms, data pipelines, and data-intensive backend services powering digital experience, commerce, and customer intelligence platforms.

This is primarily a data platform engineering hands-on leadership role, with backend engineering as an important enabling capability. The ideal candidate will own modern data architecture, batch and streaming pipelines, data models, data quality, governance, and cloud- scale data systems, while also designing APIs, services, and integrations that make trusted data accessible, reliable, and product-ready.

This is a high-impact technical hands-on leadership role responsible for defining architecture, scaling data platforms, and enabling AI-driven personalization, experimentation, customer intelligence, and decision intelligence at global scale. You will operate across multiple teams as a technical authority, mentor, and strategic driver, shaping both execution and long-term technical vision.

Roles & Responsibilities Lead the architecture and implementation of scalable enterprise data platforms, data pipelines, and data products. Design and build batch, real-time, and event-driven data processing systems. Own data architecture patterns including data modeling, lakehouse design, data contracts, schema evolution, lineage, quality, and governance. Build reliable data ingestion, transformation, orchestration, and serving layers for digital experience, commerce, customer intelligence, analytics, operational reporting, and AI/ML readiness. Design data-intensive backend services, APIs, and integrations that expose trusted data to products, platforms, and internal consumers. Define standards for ETL/ELT, streaming, data validation, observability, monitoing, metadata management, and pipeline reliability. Work with cloud and data platforms such as AWS, Azure, Snowflake, Databricks, Delta Lake, Apache Iceberg, Spark, Kafka/Kinesis, Airflow, dbt, and Fivetran. Partner with Engineering, Product, Data Science, Analytics, DevOps, Security, and FinOps teams to translate business and platform needs into scalable data solutions. Optimize data systems for performance, reliability, cost, security, and operational excellence. Contribute to technical roadmap planning, platform modernization, technical debt reduction, and adoption of modern data architecture patterns. Mentor engineers and raise the engineering bar across data design, implementation, testing, observability, operations, and ownership.

Minimum Qualifications 10+ years of hands-on engineering experience, with strong experience in data engineering, data platforms, or distributed data systems. 3+ years in a technical leadership role such as Principal Engineer, Staff Engineer, Architect, or Tech Lead. Proven experience designing and operating large-scale data platforms, pipelines, and data-intensive systems. Strong expertise in SQL, Python, data modeling, distributed systems, and cloud data architecture. Hands-on experience with modern data platforms such as Snowflake, Databricks, Delta Lake, Apache Iceberg, or equivalent. Experience with batch and streaming technologies such as Spark, Kafka, Kinesis, Flink, or equivalent. Experience with orchestration and transformation tools such as Airflow, dbt, Fivetran, Dagster, or equivalent. Good backend engineering experience with APIs, microservices, event-driven architecture, and service-to-data platform integrations. Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS and/or Azure. Strong understanding of data quality, governance, lineage, observability, schema evolution, CI/CD, and production operations. Ability to make pragmatic architecture decisions that balance scalability, reliability, delivery speed, and cost. Strong communication, stakeholder management, mentoring, and technical leadership skills. Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.

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About Autodesk Welcome to Autodesk! Amazing things are created every day with our software – from the greenest buildings and cleanest cars to the smartest factories and biggest hit movies. We help innovators turn their ideas into reality, transforming not only how things are made, but what can be made.

We take great pride in our culture here at Autodesk – it’s at the core of everything we do. Our culture guides the way we work and treat each other, informs how we connect with customers and partners, and defines how we show up in the world.

When you’re an Autodesker, you can do meaningful work that helps build a better world designed and made for all. Ready to shape the world and your future? Join us!

Salary transparency Salary is one part of Autodesk’s competitive compensation package. Offers are based on the candidate’s experience and geographic location. In addition to base salaries, our compensation package may include annual cash bonuses, commissions for sales roles, stock grants, and a comprehensive benefits package. Belonging We take pride in cultivating a culture of belonging where everyone can thrive. Learn more here: https://www.autodesk.com/company/global-belonging

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