Senior Staff Data Engineer

DeepL is a global AI product and research company focused on building secure, intelligent solutions to complex business problems. Over 200,000 business customers and millions of individuals across 228 global markets today trust DeepL's Language AI platform for human-like translation, improved writing and real-time voice translation. Building on a history of innovation, quality and security, DeepL continues to expand its offerings beyond the field of Language, including DeepL Agent - an autonomous AI assistant designed to transform the way businesses and knowledge workers get work done. Founded in 2017 by CEO Jarek Kutylowski, DeepL now has over 1,000 passionate employees and is supported by world-renowned investors including Benchmark, IVP, and Index Ventures.

Our goal is to become the global leader in trusted, intelligent AI technology, building products that drive better communication, foster connections, and create a meaningful impact. To achieve this, we need talented people like you to join our journey. If you’re ready to shape the future of AI and grow your career in a fast-moving, purpose-driven environment, DeepL is your next destination.

What sets us apart is our blend of cutting-edge AI technology, meaningful work, and a culture where people truly thrive. We’re a team of innovators, researchers, and creators driven by a shared purpose to unlock human potential by making work simpler, smarter, and more connected.

When we share what it’s like to work at DeepL, the reactions are overwhelmingly positive. This might be because of our technology that helps millions of people and businesses communicate and work better every day, or because of the trust, curiosity, and care that shape our culture.

What we know for sure is this: being part of DeepL means joining a team dedicated to innovation, growth, and well-being. Discover more about life at DeepL onLinkedIn,Instagram, and our Blog.

As a Senior Staff Data Engineer, you'll be a strategic technical leader within our Data Track and beyond driving the evolution of our enterprise-wide data practices. You'll work at the intersection of data engineering, product facing teams and platform teams, establishing standards and best practices that enable our engineering teams to deliver reliable, scalable, and secure data solutions. This role requires both deep technical expertise and the ability to influence and mentor engineers across DeepL.

• Define and implement enterprise-wide Data engineering standards, strategies, and best practices for data solutions

• Provide expert guidance on technology selection, cloud services (AWS), and architectural decisions for data solutions

• Drive continuous improvements in efficiency, cost reduction, and innovation across data

• Evaluate and recommend tools, technologies, and frameworks to enhance our data capabilities

• Partner with and influence leaders from engineering, analytics, machine learning, and security teams to align on goals

• Mentor and be a thought leader across data, engineering and platform teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence

• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to understand data requirements and translate them into technical solutions

• Work closely with customer-facing teams to ensure data solutions meet enterprise client needs

• Drive best practices in data security, governance, and compliance aligned with enterprise B2B standards

• Implement robust security measures for data at rest and in transit

• Ensure thorough documentation of data processes, systems architecture, and stakeholder dependencies

• Maintain compliance with GDPR, SOC 2, and other relevant regulatory requirements

• Extensive Data expertise: 10+ years of experience in data engineering or related role with at least 5 years in a staff or principal role

• Data architecture experience: Deep understanding of data infrastructure, data warehousing, ETL/ELT processes, and/or data pipeline orchestration

• Cloud mastery: Proven experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and cloud-native data services

• Scripting & automation: Advanced scripting skills in Python, Bash, or similar languages for automation and tooling

• Leadership & communication: Proven track record of technical leadership, mentoring engineers, and influencing cross-functional teams

• Enterprise experience: Experience working in high-growth technology or SaaS environments with distributed systems and microservices architecture

• Experience with data-specific tools and technologies such as Apache Airflow, dbt, Apache Spark, Kafka, or similar

• Experience with real-time streaming data processing pipelines (spark, flink, etc.)

• Knowledge of data warehousing solutions (Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift) and data lake architectures

• Background in data engineering or analytics engineering

• Familiarity with machine learning operations (MLOps) and ML infrastructure

• Experience with security best practices, including secrets management, network security, and compliance frameworks

• Experience with agile methodologies and tools (Jira, Confluence) for managing project timelines and deliverables

• Contributions to open-source projects or technical community involvement

• Experience with cost optimization strategies for cloud infrastructure

• Diverse and internationally distributed team: joining our team means becoming part of a large, global community with people of more than 90 nationalities. We're more than just colleagues; we're a group of professionals with a shared mission to connect diverse cultures. Our global presence is growing–we've doubled in size nearly every year, with our employees based in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, the US, and Japan, and we continue to expand our network.

• Open communication, regular feedback: as a language-focused company, we value the importance of clear, honest communication. We value smooth collaboration, direct and actionable feedback, and believe that leading with empathy and growth mindset makes us better together.

• Hybrid work, flexible hours: we offer a hybrid work schedule, with team members coming into the office twice a week. This allows you to engage directly with your team and experience the unique energy of our workspace, while still enjoying the flexibility and comfort of working from home. With flexible working hours and trust in your productivity, we are in sync with your team’s general locations and time zones to foster effective and seamless collaboration.

• Virtual Shares - An ownership mindset in every role. We believe everyone should share in our success, and that’s why every employee receives Virtual Shares, linking your contribution directly to DeepL’s growth and rewarding you with a stake in our future.

• Regular in-person team events: we bond over vibrant events that are as unique as our team, from local team and business unit gatherings, to new-joiner onboardings, to company-wide events that bring us all together–literally.

• Monthly full-day hacking sessions: every month, we have Hack Fridays, where you can spend your time diving into a project you're passionate about and get the opportunity to work with other teams–we value your initiatives, impact, and creativity.

• 30 days of annual leave: we value your peace of mind. With 30 days off (excluding public holidays) and access to mental health resources, we make sure you're as strong mentally as you are professionally.

• Competitive benefits: just as our team spans the globe, so does our benefits package. We've crafted it to reflect the diversity of our team and tailored it to align with your unique location, to ensure you feel supported every step of the way.

If this role and our mission resonate with you, but you're hesitant because you don't check all the boxes, don't let that hold you back. At DeepL, it's all about the value you bring and the growth we can foster together. Go ahead, apply—let's discover your potential together. We can't wait to meet you!

You are welcome at DeepL for who you are—we appreciate authenticity here. Our product is for everyone, and so is our workplace. The more voices we have represented and amplified in our business, the more we will all succeed, contribute, and think forward! So bring us your personal experience, your perspectives, and your background. It’s in our diversity that we will find the power to break down language barriers in the world.