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Distinguished Software Engineer, Data Infrastructure

Mountain View, CA, United States

Live, first seen by us 84 days ago
Pay
$253,000–416,000/yearAnnual period assumed. Location-specific pay — pay source
You will Benefit from our Culture The pay range for this role is $253,000 to $416,000. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, certifications, and specific work location. This may be different in other locations due to differences in the cost of labor. The total compensation package for this position may also include an annual performance bonus, stock, benefits and/or other applicable incentive compensation plans. For more information, visit https://careers.linkedin.com/benefits.
Read the full posting
Work setting
Hybrid — work setting source
Job Description At LinkedIn, our approach to flexible work is centered on trust and optimized for culture, connection, clarity, and the evolving needs of our business. The work location of this role is hybrid, meaning it will be performed both from home and from a LinkedIn office on select days, as determined by the business needs of the team. This role will be based in Mountain View, CA OR Bellevue, WA.
Read the full posting
Employment
Full-time — employment source
Employment type in the employer’s posting: Full-time
From the employer’s posting

Before you apply

Employer’s visa record
1,871 H-1B petitions approved in fiscal 2024 and 2025For the employer as a whole. This posting doesn’t say whether the role is sponsored. US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

What you’ll work on

Full posting
  • Design highly scalable, resilient distributed systems for Data Infrastructure

  • Define technical strategies and roadmaps tied to business requirements

  • Lead cross-functional technical discussions on scale, performance and efficiency

  • Set best practices and quality standards for distributed databases and caching

  • Plan and implement migrations of legacy infrastructure systems

From the employer’s posting
Design and architect highly scalable, resilient, and distributed systems to support Data Infrastructure objectives.
Define and drive technical strategies and roadmaps that translate business requirements into robust architecture and technology plans.
Lead and facilitate cross-functional technical discussions to align product and technology strategies, emphasizing developer productivity while meeting scale, performance, and efficiency requirements.
Establish and advocate for best practices, design patterns, and quality standards for scalable Distributed Databases and caching systems.
Identify and address gaps in the current infrastructure by recommending and implementing migration strategies for legacy systems.

What you’ll bring

All qualifications

Core experience

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent experience
  • 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with a focus on infrastructure, distributed systems, or databases.

Preferred experience

  • Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent research experience.
  • Demonstrated expertise in designing, implementing, and managing large-scale, distributed systems that are both resilient and scalable.
  • 5+ years of experience in a technical or scientific leadership position
  • Proven ability to lead and mentor engineering teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and collaboration.
Qualification wording
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent experience
10+ years of experience in software engineering, with a focus on infrastructure, distributed systems, or databases.
Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent research experience.
Demonstrated expertise in designing, implementing, and managing large-scale, distributed systems that are both resilient and scalable.
5+ years of experience in a technical or scientific leadership position
Proven ability to lead and mentor engineering teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and collaboration.
Education & alternatives
Basic Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent experience - 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with a focus on infrastructure, distributed systems, or databases.
Preferred Qualifications: - Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent research experience. - Proven track record of technical leadership in building robust, scalable platforms
Apply at LinkedIn

Posting record

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Status in our records
Live
First seen by us
Aug 21, 202684 days ago
Recorded sightings
644
Last seen by us
Nov 13, 2026

These dates show when we found the posting. Check the employer’s website to confirm it is still accepting applications.

How this job compares

Pay

Higher than most similar jobs

$253K–$416K against $127K–$190K, the middle half of what similar US postings state.

From 2,239 postings in the last year. Stated ranges, not salaries paid.

Time since we first saw it

Day 84

Up longer than most. Similar jobs usually come down between day 6 and day 56.

Well past LinkedIn’s usual: its jobs come down by about day 7.

From 13,630 similar postings that came down, and 55 of LinkedIn’s. Coming down is not always a hire.

LinkedIn is hiring

8 open jobs

Open jobs by the week we first saw them, last 12 weeks.

  • Hiring at a steady pace
  • Takes jobs down quickly
  • 50% of open jobs were reposted
Hiring record

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Has LinkedIn posted this job before?

Yes. We’ve followed one other Distinguished Software Engineer, Data Infrastructure job there since June 2026. It came down after 7 days.

  1. Mountain ViewCame down after 7 days, first seen Jun 4
  2. This jobUp 85 days so far, first seen Aug 21

Demand for Data Engineer roles

New Data Engineer postings at the employers we follow are up 7% over the last 6 weeks compared with the 6 before.

Weekly new Data Engineer postings at the same employers, from the week of August 17 to the week of November 2. The fewest in a week was 860, the most 1,354, and the latest week had 1,335.
August 17Last week

Each bar is one week of new postings. The darkest bars are the last 6 weeks.

Counted from the hiring pages we’ve followed for at least five weeks, so employers we add don’t look like growth. Updated weekly.

About the role

We file this job under Data Engineer, by the work the posting describes.

Data engineers build and run the pipelines that copy data out of apps and outside services into a warehouse or lake, and fix them when a source changes or a load fails.

Expect SQL, Python, a cloud platform, a scheduler such as Airflow, and often tools for large data such as Spark or Kafka.

An analytics engineer works one step later, turning the raw data a data engineer lands into clean tables people can query.

US government figures for database architects

Median yearly pay, May 2025
$139,500
Expected change, 2025 to 2035
9.4% more jobsagainst 3.5% for all jobs

The government has no code for data engineers, so these figures are for the closest group, database architects, which includes data integration and data warehousing specialists.

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025) and Employment Projections (2025 to 2035). Occupation code 15-1243.

Job description

View original posting ↗

Job Description

At LinkedIn, our approach to flexible work is centered on trust and optimized for culture, connection, clarity, and the evolving needs of our business. The work location of this role is hybrid, meaning it will be performed both from home and from a LinkedIn office on select days, as determined by the business needs of the team.

This role will be based in Mountain View, CA OR Bellevue, WA.

LinkedIn’s Data Infrastructure team builds and operates some of the largest online, offline and serving systems in the world. These systems are critical to our business success and we are constantly pushing the boundaries of scale, reliability and user experience.

We are seeking a Distinguished Engineer with deep expertise in Online Infrastructure, Platforms, and Databases to provide leadership across the Data Infrastructure organization. Online Data Infrastructure at LinkedIn delivers the specialized systems required to run LinkedIn’s user-facing, online applications with high availability, low latency, and optimal performance. Ranging across relational, document, caching, graph and serving systems this is a broadly scoped role with company level impact. This leader will leverage their broad infrastructure knowledge and work across online and offline data systems, other infrastructure and product teams to drive innovation, optimize performance, increase reliability and enable superior user experiences that increase customer engagement. 

Responsibilities: 

  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of LinkedIn's infrastructure, particularly focusing on Online Infrastructure and Databases, and provide domain expertise and thought leadership. 

  • Lead and facilitate cross-functional technical discussions to align product and technology strategies, emphasizing developer productivity while meeting scale, performance, and efficiency requirements. 

  • Define and drive technical strategies and roadmaps that translate business requirements into robust architecture and technology plans. 

  • Design and architect highly scalable, resilient, and distributed systems to support Data Infrastructure objectives. 

  • Establish and advocate for best practices, design patterns, and quality standards for scalable Distributed Databases and caching systems. 

  • Identify and address gaps in the current infrastructure by recommending and implementing migration strategies for legacy systems. 

  • Mentor and guide senior engineering talent, fostering a culture of craftsmanship, innovation, and technical excellence. 

  • Represent LinkedIn as a thought leader by publishing technical papers, presenting at conferences, and driving industry innovation in Data Infrastructure. 

  • Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the infrastructure supports LinkedIn's business goals and customer needs. 

  • Drive the adoption of new technologies and methodologies that enhance the performance, reliability, and maintainability of LinkedIn’s infrastructure. 

  • Ensure compliance with security and privacy standards, implementing measures to protect LinkedIn’s data and systems.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications: 

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent experience

  • 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with a focus on infrastructure, distributed systems, or databases. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

  • Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent research experience. 

  • Proven track record of technical leadership in building robust, scalable platforms

  • Demonstrated expertise in designing, implementing, and managing large-scale, distributed systems that are both resilient and scalable. 

  • 5+ years of experience in a technical or scientific leadership position

  • Proven ability to lead and mentor engineering teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and collaboration. 

  • Expertise in designing and implementing distributed databases, data and compute infrastructure at scale

  • Experience identifying gaps in current infrastructure, recommending strategic improvements, and driving implementation of cutting-edge solutions to advance the field of Data Processing and Data Infrastructure

  • Experience leading large-scale development projects from concept to production

  • Proficiency with AI based development and the use of AI/ML in production systems

  • Ability to drive cross-company initiatives and influence the evolution of infrastructure systems

  • Excellent communication skills, with experience mentoring engineering talent and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.

Suggested Skills:

  • Distributed Systems
  • Online Infrastructure
  • Databases

You will Benefit from our Culture
The pay range for this role is $253,000 to $416,000. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, certifications, and specific work location. This may be different in other locations due to differences in the cost of labor.

The total compensation package for this position may also include an annual performance bonus, stock, benefits and/or other applicable incentive compensation plans. For more information, visit https://careers.linkedin.com/benefits. 

Additional Information

Equal Opportunity Statement 

We seek candidates with a wide range of perspectives and backgrounds and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. LinkedIn considers qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other legally protected class.

LinkedIn is committed to offering an inclusive and accessible experience for all job seekers, including individuals with disabilities. Our goal is to foster an inclusive and accessible workplace where everyone has the opportunity to be successful.

If you need a Reasonable Accommodation to search for a job opening, apply for a position, or participate in the interview process, connect with us and describe the specific Accommodation requested for a disability-related limitation.
Fill out an Accommodation request here: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/b660a0327d044969abfd7a4e73d15c36

Reasonable accommodations are modifications or adjustments to the application or hiring process that would enable you to fully participate in that process. Examples of reasonable accommodations include but are not limited to:

  • Documents in alternate formats or read aloud to you
  • Having interviews in an accessible location
  • Being accompanied by a service dog
  • Having a sign language interpreter present for the interview

A request for an accommodation will be responded to within three business days. However, non-disability related requests, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.

LinkedIn will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by LinkedIn, or (c) consistent with LinkedIn's legal duty to furnish information.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance ​

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, LinkedIn will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Pay Transparency Policy Statement ​

As a federal contractor, LinkedIn follows the Pay Transparency and non-discrimination provisions described at this link: https://lnkd.in/paytransparency.

Global Data Privacy Notice and Compliance Posters for Job Candidates 

Please use this link to access documents that provide information about how LinkedIn handles the personal data of employees and job applicants, as well as the E-Verify Participation Notice and the Department of Justice Immigrant and Employee Rights Section Right to Work posters: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/candidate-portal.

Company Description

LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network, built to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce. Our products help people make powerful connections, discover exciting opportunities, build necessary skills, and gain valuable insights every day. We're also committed to providing transformational opportunities for our own employees by investing in their growth. We aspire to create a culture that's built on trust, care, inclusion, and fun – where everyone can succeed.

Join us to transform the way the world works.

Source details

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Pay
You will Benefit from our Culture The pay range for this role is $253,000 to $416,000. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, certifications, and specific work location. This may be different in other locations due to differences in the cost of labor. The total compensation package for this position may also include an annual performance bonus, stock, benefits and/or other applicable incentive compensation plans. For more information, visit https://careers.linkedin.com/benefits.
Location & working pattern

Mountain View, CA, United States

Job Description At LinkedIn, our approach to flexible work is centered on trust and optimized for culture, connection, clarity, and the evolving needs of our business. The work location of this role is hybrid, meaning it will be performed both from home and from a LinkedIn office on select days, as determined by the business needs of the team. This role will be based in Mountain View, CA OR Bellevue, WA.
Work authorization
Equal Opportunity Statement We seek candidates with a wide range of perspectives and backgrounds and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. LinkedIn considers qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other legally protected class. LinkedIn is committed to offering an inclusive and accessible experience for all job seekers, including individuals with disabilities. Our goal is to foster an inclusive and accessible workplace where everyone has the opportunity to be successful.
More source context
Global Data Privacy Notice and Compliance Posters for Job Candidates Please use this link to access documents that provide information about how LinkedIn handles the personal data of employees and job applicants, as well as the E-Verify Participation Notice and the Department of Justice Immigrant and Employee Rights Section Right to Work posters: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/candidate-portal. Company Description

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