Staff Software Engineer, Compute

Company: dbt Labs
Location: Schiller Park
Posted on: January 8, 2026

Job Description:

dbt Labs is the pioneer of analytics engineering, helping data teams transform raw data into reliable, actionable insights. Since 2016, we’ve grown from an open source project into the leading analytics engineering platform, now used by over 50,000 teams every week. As of February 2025, we’ve surpassed $100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and serve more than 5,400 dbt Cloud customers, including JetBlue, HubSpot, Vodafone New Zealand, and Dunelm. We’re backed by top-tier investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, and Altimeter. At our core, we believe in empowering data practitioners: • Code-based data transformations unlock transparency, flexibility, and collaboration • Analysts should adopt software engineering best practices to build trusted data products • Core analytics infrastructure should be open source and user-controlled • Analytic code—not just tools—should be shared and community-driven dbt is now synonymous with analytics engineering, defining the modern data stack and serving as the data control plane for enterprise teams around the world. And we’re just getting started. We’re growing fast and building a team of passionate, curious people across the globe. Learn more about what makes us special by checking out our values. At dbt Labs, we’re building the future of the modern data stack—and we need your help. We’re looking for a Staff Software Engineer to play a key role in building our platform from zero to one. You’ll partner across teams and disciplines to design and deliver solutions that shape the future of data, while mentoring others and influencing our technical direction. This position is a unique opportunity to shape the future of dbt’s Compute platform—a new type of analytical query engine. By leveraging dbt’s ability to anticipate and optimize query execution from ingestion to consumption, you’ll help build a truly differentiated system that sets us apart from other database technologies. This role is perfect for engineers who are excited about query engines, database systems, and large-scale distributed compute—and who want to make a meaningful impact on how data practitioners work every day. What You’ll Do • Design, build, and maintain the Compute layer that powers dbt’s ability to optimize queries across ingestion, transformation, and consumption. • Lead technical architecture discussions with a focus on query engines, storage systems, and distributed database design. • Collaborate with Product, Design, Operations, and Security to deliver well-architected, scalable compute solutions. • Build services, APIs, and experiences that support user delight, quality, high availability, and performance. • Tackle ambiguous, open-ended technical challenges with strategic thinking, balancing technical constraints with user needs and product goals. • Define and drive best practices in testing, observability, and system reliability. • Mentor engineers across the company, fostering technical growth and collaboration. • Champion a culture of technical excellence and innovation, influencing engineering direction across multiple teams or domains. What We’re Looking For • 10 years of experience in software engineering, with expertise in database systems, query engines, or storage systems. • Strong coding skills at the systems level C++, Rust, Go, Python, or Java. • Experience designing and scaling distributed systems or SaaS platforms. • Expertise with cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure, Kubernetes, Terraform). • Proven ability to lead complex projects and collaborate across functions. • Excellent problem-solving skills, clear communication, and a strong sense of ownership. Bonus Points If You Have • Contributions to open source database technologies projects such as Apache Arrow, DuckDB, MongoDB Runtime, or other analytical data systems. • Experience with performance optimization, observability, or large-scale query engines. • Exposure to data engineering tools or modern frontend frameworks (React, TypeScript). • Background in distributed, remote-first teams. Why You’ll Love Working Here • The chance to work on hard, technical problems that push the boundaries of database and compute systems. • A culture that values curiosity, inclusivity, and collaboration. • The opportunity to make a real impact on thousands of data teams around the world. Compensation & Benefits • Annual Salary: $200,000 - $275,000 USD • Equity Stake • Benefits - dbt Labs offers: o Unlimited vacation (and yes we use it!) o 401k o Pension Plan o 16 weeks Paid Parental Leave o Wellness stipend o Home office stipend, and more!

Keywords: dbt Labs, Elgin , Staff Software Engineer, Compute, IT / Software / Systems , Schiller Park, Illinois