Staff Software Engineer, Airbnb

• 9+ years of experience with a BS/Masters or 6+ years with a PhD
• Deep expertise in backend programming languages (Java, Kotlin, Scala, or Python)
• Proven experience with real-time event processing systems, particularly with large-scale distributed data processing frameworks like Spark or Flink and messaging frameworks like Kafka
• Hands-on experience with modern ETL frameworks like Airflow
• Understanding of data security, privacy principles, and regulatory compliance (GDPR, CCPA)
• Knowledge of observability and monitoring best practices
• Track record of translating complex business requirements into scalable technical solutions
• Excellent communication skills with ability to influence both technical and business stakeholders
• Experience building trusted partnerships across diverse teams
• Strong mentorship and technical leadership capabilities

Desirable

• The Event Logging team is responsible for Airbnb's logging infrastructure, ensuring every digital interaction is accurately captured, securely stored, effectively managed, and readily accessible
• We establish logging tooling and standards, optimize ingestion and storage of event data, and enable seamless production and consumption of high quality data—both in real-time online systems and offline analytical workflows
• Event Logging engineers collaborate closely with cross-functional partners across Product, Analytics, AI/ML, and more to empower teams to derive timely insights and build advanced products and services that enhance user experiences and drive business growth
• As part of the Event Logging team, you'll have opportunities to work on challenging problems at scale and grow your skills in data engineering and distributed systems
• As a Staff Software Engineer on the Event Logging team, you will lead critical initiatives that shape how Airbnb captures, processes, and leverages event data at scale, including:
• Designing and implementing next-generation logging systems that process billions of events daily
• Driving architectural decisions that ensure data integrity, efficiency, and compliance across Airbnb's data platform
• Building robust infrastructure that powers data-driven decision-making across the organization
• Defining and executing the technical roadmap for Airbnb's logging infrastructure
• Unlocking new capabilities through improved event logging for cross-functional teams
• Driving adoption of logging best practices across engineering teams
• As a Staff Software Engineer on the Event Logging team, your day might include:
• Contributing to the development of long-term strategies and roadmaps, and influencing the technical direction of our logging infrastructure
• Architecting scalable solutions for real-time and batch event processing
• Driving technical discussions and decision-making across teams
• Designing and implementing robust data governance systems ensuring proper event ownership and lineage
• Optimizing event ingestion pipelines handling billions of events per day
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to gather requirements, assess logging needs, and design efficient solutions that align with business objectives
• Identifying and implementing automation opportunities to improve logging efficiency
• Mentoring and coaching team members, providing guidance and support to enhance their skills and performance