Principal Software Development Engineer, Data Modeling Architect

About the team

At Zillow, the top real estate website in the U.S., we’re on a mission to give people the power to unlock life’s next chapter. We’re creating innovative, connected, and equitable solutions to help people move from dreaming to transacting.

The Team: The Data Engineering team is at the heart of accomplishing this mission, building the data products and solutions that enable easy access to data for all teams within the business.

We are seeking a highly skilled and transformative Principal Software Development Engineering (Big Data) to join our Data Engineering team. As a principal engineer, they will be responsible for designing and optimizing our data models to improve data utilization across the organization. They will work closely with data engineers, data scientists, and business partners to ensure that our data workflow architecture is robust, scalable, and aligned with business strategies.

About the role

The Data engineering team is looking for a Principal SDE to join our team of data engineers supporting analytical/AI needs across the organization. In this role, they will spearhead the development of data products in the vital areas across Zillow. These key deliverables will serve as foundational tools for a sophisticated comprehension of customer journeys, becoming integral components of our overall Enterprise Data Model.

The ideal candidate is someone with a background in Data Engineering who has a consistent track record of building and operating high-impact data engineering solutions. They are someone who is able to translate customer needs into strong data engineering solutions. They are also able to drive clarity for others in the face of ambiguous problems and are able to set the correct levels of priorities and areas of investment for the team.
 

You Will Get To:

• Architect and design scalable, efficient, and robust data models that support high performance and availability.
• Develop and enforce standard methodologies for data modeling and event schema design.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to define data strategies and ensure alignment with business objectives.
• Evaluate and select appropriate technologies, tools, and methodologies for data modeling and management.
• Lead data modeling initiatives and mentor junior data architects and engineers.
• Partner with data engineering, data science, and analytics teams to understand data requirements and translate them into models.
• Continuously monitor and optimize data models for performance, scalability, and reliability.
• Implement and maintain data governance policies and standards to ensure data quality and integrity.
• Develop a roadmap and DE solutions to support enterprise data model.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation of data models and architecture.
• Provide regular updates and reports on data architecture health, performance, and improvement opportunities.

This role has been categorized as a Remote position. “Remote” employees do not have a permanent corporate office workplace and, instead, work from a physical location of their choice, which must be identified to the Company. U.S. employees may live in any of the 50 United States, with limited exceptions.

In California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Washington state, and Washington DC the standard base pay range for this role is $186,700.00 - $298,300.00 Annually. This base pay range is specific to California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Washington state, and Washington DC and may not be applicable to other locations.

In addition to a competitive base salary this position is also eligible for equity awards based on factors such as experience, performance and location. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance and location.

Who you are

As a driven and seasoned Principle SDE in Data Engineering, you bring a wealth of experience in leading data-focused teams and developing strategic data solutions. Your knowledge spans across data infrastructures, ETL pipelines, data warehousing, and software engineering. With a robust technical foundation and keen business acuity, you excel in turning complex data into meaningful insights that fuel business growth. You are known for fostering cohesive teams and nurturing talent, embodying a leadership style that motivates and inspires. Your passion lies in demonstrating the power of data to unlock business potential and drive success

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in Data Engineering.
• Proven experience as a senior or principal data architect in large scale data environments.
• 4+ years experience in data architecture, data modeling, or related fields.
• Proficiency in data modeling tools (e.g. SQLDBM, ERwin, or similar).
• Strong knowledge of SQL, NoSQL databases, and data warehousing solutions.
• Experience with cloud-based data solutions (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud).
• Technical Skills – AWS, Spark, Airflow, SQL , databricks, Data Modeling
• An ability to work with partners across the organization and develop the right prioritization frameworks.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Effective communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to explain complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Soft Skills – Presenting, Storytelling, Communicating

Transferable Skills
Here at Zillow - we value the experience and perspective of candidates with non-traditional backgrounds. We encourage you to apply if you have transferable skills or related experiences. 

Get to know us

Zillow is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people.

As the most-visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow® and its affiliates help movers find and win their home through digital solutions, first class partners, and easier buying, selling, financing and renting experiences. Millions of people visit Zillow Group sites every month to start their home search, and now they can rely on Zillow to help make it easier to move. The work we do helps people get home and no matter what job you're in, you will play a critical role in making home a reality for more and more people.

Our efforts to streamline the real estate transaction are supported by a deep-rooted culture of innovation, our passion to redefine the employee experience, a fundamental commitment to Equity and Belonging, and world-class benefits. These benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverages as well as parental leave, family benefits, retirement contributions, and paid time off. We’re also setting the standard for work experiences of the future, where our employees are supported in doing their best work and living a flexible, well-balanced life. But don’t just take our word for it. Read recent reviews on Glassdoor and recent recognition from multiple organizations, including: the 100 Best Companies to Work For, Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award, Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Corporate Equity Index, and TIME 100 Most Influential Companies list.

Zillow Group is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment with the best employees. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please contact your recruiter directly.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable state and local law.

Applicants who receive job offers from Zillow Group will be asked to sign a Proprietary Rights Agreement which includes confidentiality, intellectual property assignment, customer and employee non-solicitation, and non-competition provisions. If you are contacted for a role at Zillow Group and wish to review a copy of the Proprietary Rights Agreement prior to receiving an offer, you may request a copy from your Recruiter.