Software Engineer – Query Engines
Core
Backend Software Engineer building scalable query engines and data processing systems for Palantir Foundry to enable data-driven decisions.
Role type
Senior IC backend software engineer (query engines)
Builds
High-performance query execution engines, distributed data processing systems, and table management catalogs for enterprise data platforms.
Domain
Enterprise software / Big data infrastructure / Distributed systems
Deliverable
production ML models | product features | infrastructure
Required skills
Query planning and optimization, distributed data processing, database engine development, concurrency control, performance profiling, algorithm design, system debugging, open-source integration
Preferred skills
Experience with Spark, DataFusion, Iceberg, or comparable technologies, open-source contributions
Technologies
Java, Scala, Rust, Python, Apache Spark, Apache DataFusion, Apache Comet, Apache Velox, Apache Iceberg, Apache Arrow, Apache Parquet, Gradle, Cargo, GitHub
Responsibilities
Design and implement query planning and optimization capabilities, extend execution engines with new capabilities, develop Iceberg catalog integrations, build shared transformation semantics, improve incremental processing pipelines, evaluate open-source data systems, investigate correctness and performance issues, collaborate with product teams to translate operational needs into engine capabilities
Seniority
Senior, hands-on IC