Lead Software Engineer, Release Engineering

About Us

dbt Labs is revolutionizing analytics engineering, enabling data teams to transform raw data into meaningful insights. Since our inception in 2016, we have evolved from an open source project into the leading analytics engineering platform, currently utilized by over 50,000 teams weekly.

As of February 2025, we proudly report surpassing $100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and consulting with over 5,400 dbt Cloud customers such as JetBlue, HubSpot, Vodafone New Zealand, and Dunelm. We are fortunate to have top-tier investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, and Altimeter behind us. Our fundamental belief is in empowering data practitioners:

• Transparent and collaborative code-based data transformations.
• Embracing software engineering best practices for creating trustworthy data products.
• Ensuring core analytics infrastructure is open source and user-controlled.
• Fostering community-driven sharing of analytic code and tools.

At dbt, we define the modern data stack, serving as the data control plane for enterprise teams globally. As we continue to grow, we're assembling a passionate, curious team across the world. Discover more about what makes our culture unique by exploring our values.

About the Role

We are seeking a skilled Senior Software Engineer to join our Release Engineering team. You will play a pivotal role in crafting a smooth and dependable CI/CD platform that supports dbt Cloud across various environments and cloud providers. Our mission prioritizes enabling engineers to deploy changes swiftly and safely through a stable, observable, and intuitive platform. You will utilize tools such as Helm, ArgoCD, Terraform, Python, GitHub Actions, and Kargo to enhance and scale our deployment systems. This is a high-impact position where your contributions significantly bolster developer speed and reliability across our organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and sustain components of our CI/CD platform, enhancing deployment safety, speed, and reliability.
• Lead initiatives to improve automation, observability, and self-service capabilities for engineers.
• Collaborate with teams to pinpoint and address friction points in our delivery processes by creating innovative solutions.
• Advance our release architecture, accommodating dbt Cloud's scalable multi-cloud, cell-based infrastructure.
• Continuously enhance the developer experience by refining build pipelines, release workflows, and infrastructure-as-code methodologies.

You Are a Good Fit If You Have

• Experience designing and optimizing CI/CD systems for large-scale distributed applications.
• Proficiency in one or more tools: Helm, ArgoCD, Terraform, GitHub Actions, or Kubernetes.
• Understanding of infrastructure-as-code practices along with knowledge of reliable and observable systems.
• Background in Python or other modern programming languages focused on automation or platform development.
• A collaborative mindset with a passion for empowering fellow developers through tooling and platform enhancements.
• Experience working asynchronously within a fully remote, distributed team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven experience with Kargo or similar progressive delivery systems.
• Hands-on expertise with multi-cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure).
• A history of enhancing developer productivity and release safety at scale.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary: $115,000-$164,000 USD
• Equity Stake*
• Benefits - dbt Labs provides:
• Unlimited vacation (and yes, we encourage its use!)
• 401k with a 3% guaranteed contribution
• Comprehensive healthcare benefits
• Paid Parental Leave
• Wellness stipends
• Home office stipends, and much more!

Hiring Process Expectations (all interviews conducted via video unless accommodations are needed):

• Interview with Talent Acquisition Partner
• Interview with Hiring Manager
• Team Interviews
• Final interview with one of our Values Carriers

dbt Labs is an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive environment that embraces diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. We welcome applicants even if their experience doesn’t align perfectly with the job description; we value potential as much as a flawless resume.

To learn more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, please visit our DEI page.

dbt Labs reserves the right to amend or withdraw the posting at any time. For employees outside the United States, dbt Labs offers a competitive benefits package. Equity or comparable benefits may be offered depending on legal or country constraints.