Website Netflix

Data Engineer (L5) – Netflix

Location: Los Gatos, CA or Fully Remote (US)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Compensation: $380,000 – $610,000 / year (All-Base Salary or Stock Options)
Department: Core Engineering & Data Platform
Core Stack: Java, Scala, Python, SQL, Apache Spark, Apache Flink, Distributed Big Data Systems

About Netflix

Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) is the world’s leading entertainment streaming service, entertaining hundreds of millions of members across 190+ countries. From revolutionising studio production and global video delivery to pioneering personalised content recommendations, Netflix merges creative intuition with cutting-edge technology.
Data Engineering at Netflix underpins every strategic decision—curating petabyte-scale data domains across Growth, Product, Finance, Content, and Studio Operations to power real-time streaming experiences and machine learning algorithms.

About the Role

Netflix is seeking a high-calibre Data Engineer (L5) to architect, build, and optimise large-scale distributed systems and data pipelines. Sitting at the Senior/Staff level, L5 Data Engineers work with high autonomy—owning end-to-end data processing infrastructure from raw event ingestion to analytical modelling.
In this role, you will partner directly with Data Science, ML Engineering, Studio Technology, and Product teams to design batch and real-time streaming architectures capable of handling web-scale traffic with extreme reliability and low latency.

Key Responsibilities

  • Distributed Data Processing: Architect and optimise fault-tolerant batch and real-time data pipelines using Apache Spark, Apache Flink, and cloud-native big data engines.
  • Data Modelling & Domain Curation: Build scalable dimensional models and data products across critical business domains (Product, Studio, Content, Growth, and Finance).
  • Real-Time Feature Engineering: Integrate low-latency streaming services directly with core Netflix product features, recommendation systems, and machine-learning models.
  • Data Systems Architecture: Deepen and maintain Netflix’s web-scale distributed data infrastructure, ensuring optimal query performance, concurrency, and cost efficiency.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with software engineers, product managers, and data scientists to foster a culture of candid feedback, data quality, and iterative learning.
  • Data Observability & Debugging: Drive rigorous data validation, data profiling, debugging, and comprehensive technical documentation.

Ideal Candidate Profile & Qualifications

  • Programming Fluency: Advanced engineering skills in at least one major language (Java, Scala, or Python) alongside deep SQL proficiency.
  • Big Data Technology Stack: Demonstrated experience building data solutions on web-scale distributed engines like Apache Spark, Apache Flink, Hadoop ecosystem, or Presto/Trino.
  • Domain Mastery: Deep technical strength in at least one key pillar:
    1. Distributed data processing
    2. Software engineering of data services
    3. Advanced dimensional data modeling
  • Netflix Culture Alignment: Comfortable operating with high freedom and responsibility in ambiguous, rapidly evolving environments. Excellent communicator who thrives on giving and receiving candid feedback.

Compensation & Benefits Summary

Attribute Details
Job Title Data Engineer (L5)
Company Netflix
Base Salary Range $380,000 – $610,000 USD (No annual performance bonus; personal allocation to base salary vs. stock options)
Work Setup Flexible (Los Gatos, CA Hybrid or US Remote)
Benefits Flexible Time Off, Comprehensive Health/Dental/Vision, 401(k) match, Stock Option Program, Family-Forming Benefits
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