The Role
Backflip is looking for a
Senior Data Engineer to design, build, and maintain the systems that power our data workflows. You’ll own the pipelines and infrastructure that feed our ML research and production environments, ensuring reliability and scalability at large volumes. A key focus will be working with 3D CAD data and other structured/unstructured data sources, making them usable for researchers and engineers across the company.
This is a
hybrid role based in our San Francisco headquarters.
What You’ll Do
- Design, build, and manage large-scale data pipelines and surrounding infrastructure
- Partner with ML researchers to deliver high-quality data for training and evaluation
- Process and interpret 3D CAD data for downstream ML and engineering applications
- Build systems that scale from millions to hundreds of millions of data points
- Develop tools for structured logging, monitoring, and querying large datasets
- Collaborate with DevOps to ensure robust, secure, and automated data workflows
What We’re Looking For
- 5+ years of professional experience in data engineering or related fields
- Strong experience building and maintaining batch ETL pipelines
- Proficiency with Python and modern data tooling (Airflow, dbt, Spark, or equivalent)
- Familiarity with Docker-based workflows and distributed cloud infrastructure (AWS, Modal, or similar)
- Experience designing and optimizing data storage and query systems at scale
- Exposure to ML workflows and preparing data for AI/ML systems
- Strong problem-solving skills with a track record of building robust, scalable systems
- Ability to collaborate effectively across ML research, engineering, and cross-functional teams
Nice to Have
- Experience working with 3D or CAD data formats
- Background or experience in another engineering discipline (mechanical, electrical, civil, etc.)
Compensation
The expected base salary range for this role is
$175,000 – $240,000, plus equity. Final offers will be based on experience, interview performance, and alignment with role requirements.
Why Backflip
Repeat founder in 3D printing/CAD with a prior
$2.1B exit
Backed by
a16z and
NEA; small, senior team with outsized impact
Flexible PTO and competitive compensation
3 days a week in our San Francisco office, 2 days remote with the option to come in more often
