Overview
We're looking for a smart, adaptable Senior Software Engineer to help build and evolve our real-time data ingestion platform. You'll work at the intersection of software engineering and data infrastructure, designing and maintaining scalable systems that stream high-quality, trusted data from Kafka to Snowflake via Snowpipe Streaming. This role emphasizes data quality, observability, and pipeline reliability, and involves developing robust monitoring and alerting systems. You'll join a high-performing team, contribute to architecture decisions, and collaborate with other engineers while shaping how data flows across Zendesk's ecosystem.
Please note: this role is a hybrid role with an expectation to be in the office at least 8 days a month.
Responsibilities
* Design, build, and maintain data quality systems and pipelines.
* Work with tools such as Snowflake, Kubernetes, and Kafka to enable scalable, observable data movement.
* Collaborate cross-functionally to close skill gaps in data quality and data platform tooling. Contribute to building internal tooling that supports schema validation, data experimentation, and automated checks.
* Collaborate cross-functionally with data producers, analytics engineers, platform teams, and business stakeholders.
* Own the reliability, scalability, and performance of ingestion systems deployed on AWS.
* Architect and build core components of our real-time ingestion platform using Kafka and Snowpipe Streaming.
* Champion software engineering excellence — including testing, observability, CI/CD, and automation.
* Drive the development of platform tools that ensure data quality, observability, and lineage through Protobuf-based schema management.
* Participate in the implementation of ingestion best practices and reusable frameworks across data and software engineering teams.
Core Skills
* Solid programming experience preferably in Java; Python, Go, or Ruby would work too.
* Experience with distributed data systems (Kafka, Snowflake).
* Familiarity with data quality tooling and concepts.
* Good working knowledge of SQL (especially for diagnostics and data quality workflows).
* Experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
* Strong debugging, observability, and pipeline reliability practices.
What You Bring
* A systems and data mindset with strong software engineering fundamentals.
* Passion for building resilient, high-throughput, real-time platforms.
* Ability to influence technical direction across teams and drive alignment.
* Strong communication and mentoring skills.
* A bias toward automation, continuous improvement, and platform thinking.
Nice To Haves
* Experience with GenAI tools or supporting ML/AI data workflows.
* Familiarity with cloud-native data platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP).
* Exposure to dbt or ELT frameworks.
Hybrid: In this role, our hybrid experience is designed at the team level to give you a rich onsite experience packed with connection, collaboration, learning, and celebration, while also giving you flexibility to work remotely part of the week. This role must attend our local office for part of the week. The specific in-office schedule is to be determined by the hiring manager.
About Zendesk
The Intelligent Heart Of Customer Experience
Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love. Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working enables us to come together in person to connect, collaborate and learn while also giving our people flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.
As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.
Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here. Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application or participate in the process, please email peopleandplaces@zendesk.com with your specific accommodation request.
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