Staff Software Engineer, Communication & Connectivity

Details

Airbnb’s Communication and Connectivity organization connects the Airbnb community with the right information, in the right place, at the right time. The data team builds scalable data systems and applies machine learning models to support Communication and Connectivity products.

This role will lead initiatives to design and build large-scale, distributed data systems for batch and real-time processing. These systems will power machine learning models and enable new product features. The role involves cross-functional collaboration with backend, frontend/client, data science, analytics, and machine learning engineering teams. The organization is also applying generative AI and large language models to enhance Airbnb products, including Messaging.

Responsibilities

• Shape the team’s long-term vision and roadmap in collaboration with cross-functional partners across Airbnb.
• Build strong relationships with backend, client, data science, analytics, and machine learning engineering teams.
• Design, develop, and maintain reliable, scalable batch and real-time data pipelines that collect, process, and serve data from diverse sources across Airbnb.
• Implement robust offline and online feature-building processes to enable faster production of machine learning products.
• Architect and build machine learning infrastructure, optimizing for performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
• Mentor and develop engineers on the team.
• Contribute to and influence the broader data engineering community at Airbnb.

Requirements

• 9+ years of relevant industry experience with a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or equivalent experience; alternatively, 6+ years of experience with a PhD.
• Strong computer science fundamentals and knowledge of architecture and common design patterns.
• Experience running production data-processing pipelines using distributed data-processing frameworks such as Apache Spark or Apache Flink.
• Experience collaborating with client, backend, machine learning, analytics, product, and business teams.
• Ability to work across team boundaries to establish overarching data architecture and data flows, and to provide guidance to individual teams.
• Experience working on or with end-to-end machine learning products.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Passion for working in a product-focused environment centered on customer impact.

Location

This position is US remote eligible. The role may include occasional work at an Airbnb office or attendance at offsites, as agreed with the manager. Candidates must live in a state where Airbnb, Inc. has a registered entity. If the position is employed by another Airbnb entity, the recruiter will provide information about eligible states.

Benefits

The role may be eligible for a bonus, equity, benefits, and Employee Travel Credits. Airbnb is committed to an inclusive and accessible application and interview process.