Sr Backline Engineer (Apache Spark™)
- Your hands-on, pragmatic approach is ideal for working directly with Spark source code, compiling, and applying patches.
- You are calm under pressure and excel at troubleshooting complex, real-time issues during customer escalations.
- You enjoy building and optimizing tooling, which matches the automation and efficiency improvements expected in the role.
- You may dislike the structured on-call schedule and the requirement to provide detailed documentation and runbooks.
- The need to consistently collaborate with the support team and engineering may feel restrictive to your independent nature.
Mission
Databricks helps data teams solve the world’s toughest problems. As the leader in Unified Data Analytics, Databricks helps organizations make all their data ready for analytics, empower data-driven decisions across the organization, and rapidly adopt machine learning to outpace the competition Databricks is venture-backed and founded by the original creators of popular open source projects: Apache Spark™, Delta Lake and MLflow.
As a Sr Backline Engineer you will help our customers to be successful with the Databricks Data Intelligence platform by resolving important technical customer escalations and the support team. You will be the technical bridge between support and engineering and the first line of defense for engineering. You will ensure that all issues are vetted by you before it reaches the engineering team. You will report to the Senior Backline Manager of the Backline Escalations Team.
Outcomes
- Troubleshoot, resolve and suggest deep code-level analysis of Spark to address complex customer issues related to Apache Spark™ core internals, Spark SQL, Structured Streaming and Databricks Delta.
- Provide best practices guidance around Spark runtime performance and usage of Spark core libraries and APIs for custom-built solutions developed by Databricks customers.
- Help the support team with detailed troubleshooting guides and runbooks.
- Contribute to automation and tooling programs to make daily troubleshooting efficient.
- Work with the Spark Engineering Team and spread awareness of upcoming features and releases.
- Identify Spark bugs and suggest possible workarounds.
- Demonstrate ownership and coordinate with engineering and escalation teams to achieve resolution of customer issues and requests
- Participate in weekend and weekday on call rotation.
Competencies
- 8+ years of industry experience developing, testing, and sustaining Python or Java or Scala-based applications.
- Comfortable with compiling, building and navigating the Apache Spark source code.
- Comfortable with identifying and applying patches/bug fixes to the Apache Spark source code.
- Experience in Big Data/Hadoop/Spark/Kafka/Elasticsearch data pipelines.
- Hands-on experience with SQL-based database systems.
- Experience in JVM, GC, Thread dump-based troubleshooting is required.
- Experience with AWS or Azure related services.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field is required.
About Databricks
Databricks is the data and AI company. More than 10,000 organizations worldwide — including Comcast, Condé Nast, Grammarly, and over 50% of the Fortune 500 — rely on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform to unify and democratize data, analytics and AI. Databricks is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices around the globe and was founded by the original creators of Lakehouse, Apache Spark™, Delta Lake and MLflow. To learn more, follow Databricks on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Benefits
At Databricks, we strive to provide comprehensive benefits and perks that meet the needs of all of our employees. For specific details on the benefits offered in your region click here.
Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
At Databricks, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone can excel. We take great care to ensure that our hiring practices are inclusive and meet equal employment opportunity standards. Individuals looking for employment at Databricks are considered without regard to age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.
Compliance
If access to export-controlled technology or source code is required for performance of job duties, it is within Employer's discretion whether to apply for a U.S. government license for such positions, and Employer may decline to proceed with an applicant on this basis alone.
Best personality fits for this role
Your love for understanding and deconstructing complex systems makes you excellent at navigating Apache Spark core internals and identifying bugs.
Read the INTP career guide →Your strategic, analytical approach is a huge asset for deep code-level troubleshooting of complex Spark issues.
Read the INTJ career guide →Your natural leadership and drive to take charge fit the role’s expectation of owning escalations and coordinating between support and engineering.
Read the ENTJ career guide →