Senior Staff Software Engineer

Are you passionate about designing the foundational layer that defines how an entire platform ingests, governs, and accesses its data? Are you a problem-solver with a passion for delivering elegant abstraction layers that make complex, multi-system data access simple, observable, and fast? Do you thrive in fast-paced environments and enjoy tackling technical challenges like federated SQL, cross-system query routing, and platform-wide adoption of modern data access standards? If so, we invite you to join our team.

The Data Frameworks team owns Ridgeline's data ecosystem end-to-end — the schema registry and data contracts that define what data means, the write paths that materialize it across our storage systems, the governance layer that enforces correctness on every read and write, and the query interface that every product, AI feature, and integration will pass through. When data needs to be defined, shaped, governed, or served at Ridgeline — it runs through us.

We're looking for a Senior Staff Engineer to become the technical foundation of the Data Frameworks team as it grows. You'll have broad influence over the query platform architecture — from how store adapters are designed, to how federated SQL is introduced at scale, to how we enforce access guardrails across every data system Ridgeline operates. You'll leverage AI tools to build best-in-class platform infrastructure, moving with the speed and safety that a foundational data layer demands.

At Ridgeline, how we work matters as much as what we build. Ridgeliners act like owners, choose growth over comfort, and communicate with transparency. We assume positive intent, bias toward action, and bring solutions—not just problems. We celebrate wins, learn from setbacks, and thrive in a resilient, collaborative, high-performing culture. If the Ridgeline Way excites you, we’d love to meet you.

You must be work authorized in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship.

The impact you will have:

• Architect and evolve the query interface — the universal access layer through which every product service, AI feature, and external integration reads data at Ridgeline
• Design and enforce store adapter standards that make individual storage engines replaceable without breaking upstream consumers — covering OLTP, OLAP, search, block storage, and external sources
• Build the query federation layer using Trino or equivalent technology, enabling cross-system SQL queries across persistence ports that today require separate access patterns
• Establish query routing logic, connection pooling strategies, and performance standards across all data access paths
• Drive platform-wide adoption of the query interface — working across product engineering to eliminate direct database access and migrate services to the standardized access layer
• Contribute to the data governance model — ensuring query enforcement, schema validation, and audit correctness are built into the access layer, not bolted on
• Define and author Materialization Definition patterns that shape how data is written and replicated across persistence systems
• Mentor engineers on the team; raise the technical bar through code review, design feedback, and knowledge sharing
• Think creatively, own problems, seek solutions, and communicate clearly along the way
• Contribute to a collaborative environment rooted in learning, teaching, and transparency

What we look for:

• 10+ years of software engineering experience with deep expertise in data platform engineering — spanning query systems, data access layers, write path design, or distributed data infrastructure
• Hands-on experience with Trino, Presto, or equivalent federated SQL / query federation technology — you've built or operated a federation layer at production scale, not just evaluated one
• Proficiency in Kotlin or Java — you're comfortable building production backend services and can contribute to a JVM-based platform without a long ramp
• Strong background in API design for data access — you understand the tradeoffs between high-performance CRUD adapters, federated SQL, write path design, and low-latency read paths, and you can design for all of them
• Experience designing store abstraction layers that reduce system coupling — you've thought seriously about how to make a storage engine replaceable without breaking upstream consumers
• Experience with schema registries, data contracts, or metadata systems — you understand how to define what data means at a platform level and enforce those contracts across write and read paths
• Experience with data modeling at platform scale — you've designed schemas or domain models that need to stay coherent across multiple storage systems, evolve without breaking consumers, and support both transactional and analytical access patterns
• Background in data governance — schema validation, audit enforcement, or access control built into the data layer rather than delegated to individual services
• Track record of driving cross-team platform adoption — technical migration programs, deprecation of legacy patterns, measurable reduction in direct database coupling
• Excellent systems thinking at the intersection of query performance, observability, and correctness — you care deeply about query latency targets, audit trails, and what happens when a query touches the wrong data
• Strong communicator who can translate architecture decisions into guidance that product engineering teams can act on
• Hands-on curiosity with AI tooling — you actively experiment with LLMs and AI-assisted development, and you think seriously about how AI-readable data contracts and query interfaces change what's possible for product and platform engineers
• Willingness to learn about cutting-edge technologies while cultivating expertise in a business domain/problem space.
• An aptitude for problem solving
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Serious interest in having fun at work

About Ridgeline

Ridgeline is the industry cloud platform for investment management. It was founded by visionary tech entrepreneur Dave Duffield (co-founder of both PeopleSoft and Workday) to apply his successful formula of solving operational business challenges with bold innovation and human connectivity to the unique needs of the investment management industry. 

Ridgeline started with a clean sheet of paper and a deep bench of experts bound by a set of core values and motivated to revolutionize an industry underserved by its current tech offerings. We are building a new, modern platform in the public cloud, purpose-built for the investment management industry and we are prioritizing security, agility, and usability to empower business like never before.

With a growing campus in Reno and offices in New York, Lake Tahoe, and the Bay Area, Ridgeline is proud to have built a fast-growing, people-first company that has been recognized by Fast Company as a “Best Workplace for Innovators,” by The Software Report as a “Top 100 Software Company,” and by Forbes as one of “America’s Best Startup Employers.”

Ridgeline is proud to be a community-minded, discrimination-free equal opportunity workplace.

Ridgeline processes the information you submit in connection with your application in accordance with the Ridgeline Applicant Privacy Statement. Please review the Ridgeline Applicant Privacy Statement in full to understand our privacy practices and contact us with any questions.

Compensation and Benefits 

The typical starting salary range for new hires in this role is listed below. In select locations (including, the San Francisco Bay Area, CA, and the New York City Metro Area), an alternate range may apply as specified below. 

The typical starting salary range for this role is: $214,500-$268,000.

The typical starting salary range for this role in the select locations listed above is: $236,000-$295,000.

Final compensation amounts are determined by multiple factors, including candidate experience and expertise, and may vary from the amount listed above. 

As an employee at Ridgeline, you’ll have many opportunities for advancement in your career and can make a true impact on the product. 

In addition to the base salary, 100% of Ridgeline employees can participate in our Company Stock Plan subject to the applicable Stock Option Agreement. We also offer rich benefits that reflect the kind of organization we want to be: one in which our employees feel valued and are inspired to bring their best selves to work. These include unlimited vacation, educational and wellness reimbursements, and $0 cost employee insurance plans. Please check out our Careers page for a more comprehensive overview of our perks and benefits.

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