At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape the future of data infrastructure and build powerful systems for HubSpot's products.
- Company: Join HubSpot, a leading AI-powered customer platform with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible work options, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with strong support for personal and professional development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by designing scalable data platforms that drive innovation.
- Qualifications: Experience in large-scale distributed systems and a hands-on approach to engineering.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
About the Team
HubSpot’s Data Infrastructure team builds the shared data store platforms that power the company’s products and internal systems at scale. The team’s mission is to provide a unified data platform and deliver databases as a service in a way that makes it easy, performant, and reliable for engineers across HubSpot to build on top of it. This team owns and evolves some of the most critical foundational systems inside HubSpot, including HBase, Kafka, Elasticsearch, MySQL/Vitess, Hadoop, Iceberg, and Qdrant, along with the platform capabilities, abstractions, and workflows that make those systems usable by product teams. The scope spans big data, SQL and storage infrastructure, batch processing, stream processing, and search. This is not a team focused on simply administering existing systems. It is an engineering organization responsible for shaping how HubSpot builds on top of its data stores over the long term.
About the Role
We’re looking for a Principal Software Engineer to help shape the technical future of Data Infrastructure at HubSpot. This is a deeply hands-on role for a builder who wants to own the architecture and evolution of the foundational data systems behind HubSpot’s products. As a Principal Engineer, you will help define how our data stores should scale, how developers should interact with them, and what platform patterns we should create so teams across HubSpot can build faster on top of reliable, high-leverage infrastructure. At HubSpot, Principal Engineers are expected to stay close to the code, lead high-impact initiatives end-to-end, and influence technical direction well beyond a single team. This role is for someone who can move between storage engines, developer-facing platform design, and large-scale architectural bets while remaining a hands-on builder throughout.
Key Expectations
- Own the future of HubSpot’s data stores: Shape the technical direction for the data platforms that underpin HubSpot’s products, with a focus on the data stores themselves and the systems around them. Drive architectural decisions across storage, access patterns, scaling models, tenancy, performance, and developer ergonomics. Help define what the next generation of HubSpot’s database platform should look like, not just how to operate the current one.
- Be a deeply hands-on, high-leverage builder: Write production code regularly and lead complex initiatives from idea to rollout. Build internal frameworks, APIs, and platform capabilities that make HubSpot’s data stores easier to adopt, extend, and evolve. Turn ambiguous infrastructure problems into simple, scalable systems and clear technical direction.
- Lead platform architecture across multiple domains: Work across big data, SQL/Vitess, batch, stream processing, and search to establish consistent platform patterns where they matter and domain-specific depth where they do not. Define reusable abstractions for data storage, ingestion, processing, and access that reduce fragmentation across the engineering organization. Push for simplicity, clarity, and extensibility in systems that can easily become overly bespoke or operationally heavy.
- Influence across the broader engineering org: Partner with engineering and product leaders to align infrastructure direction with what HubSpot needs to build next. Work horizontally across teams to guide technical tradeoffs, unblock difficult decisions, and raise the architectural bar for platform work. Act as a multiplier through design reviews, technical mentoring, and principled decision-making on the most important systems in the space.
What You Bring
- Deep experience building and evolving large-scale distributed systems, especially storage systems, data infrastructure, or foundational backend platforms.
- Strong architectural instincts with a bias toward simplicity, consistency, clear boundaries, and long-term platform leverage.
- A track record of owning and delivering complex, cross-team technical initiatives with product-line or company-level impact.
- Comfort working across multiple layers of the stack, from storage engines and data flows to APIs, internal frameworks, and developer experience.
- A hands-on mindset. You lead by building, debugging, reviewing, and shipping, not by staying removed from the systems you influence.
- The ability to move into unfamiliar technical territory quickly, form strong opinions grounded in first principles, and help teams make better long-term decisions.
Why this role matters
HubSpot’s future depends on data platforms that are not only reliable, but also powerful building blocks for product innovation. The Principal Software Engineer in Data Infrastructure will help determine how those building blocks are designed, how they scale, and how engineers across HubSpot use them to create the next generation of our products.
At HubSpot, we value both flexibility and connection. Whether you’re a Remote employee or work from the Office, we want you to start your journey here by building strong connections with your team and peers. If you are joining our Engineering team, you will be required to attend a regional HubSpot office for in-person onboarding. If you join our broader Product team, you’ll also attend other in-person events, such as your Product Group Summit and other gatherings, to continue building on those connections.
About HubSpot
HubSpot (NYSE: HUBS) is an AI-powered customer platform with all the software, integrations, and resources customers need to connect marketing, sales, and service. HubSpot's connected platform enables businesses to grow faster by focusing on what matters most: customers.
At HubSpot, bold is our baseline. Our employees around the globe move fast, stay customer-obsessed, and win together. Our culture is grounded in four commitments: Solve for the Customer, Be Bold, Learn Fast, Align, Adapt & Go!, and Deliver with HEART. These commitments shape how we work, lead, and grow.
Principal Software Engineer - Data Infrastructure employer: HubSpot
HubSpot is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration, making it an ideal place for a Principal Software Engineer in Data Infrastructure. With a commitment to employee growth, HubSpot offers opportunities to lead high-impact initiatives while working with cutting-edge technologies in a supportive environment. The company's focus on flexibility and connection ensures that whether you work remotely or from the office, you will build meaningful relationships and contribute to a vibrant team culture.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Software Engineer - Data Infrastructure
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at HubSpot or in the data infrastructure field. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Prepare a portfolio or a GitHub repository showcasing your projects related to data infrastructure. This hands-on evidence of your expertise can make you stand out during interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Get ready for technical interviews! Brush up on your knowledge of distributed systems, storage engines, and architectural patterns. Practising coding challenges can help you feel more confident when it’s time to shine.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t hesitate to apply through our website! Even if you think you might not tick every box, we want to hear from you. Your unique experiences could be just what we’re looking for!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Software Engineer - Data Infrastructure
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Data Infrastructure:When writing your application, let us see your enthusiasm for data infrastructure! Share specific examples of projects you've worked on that relate to big data, SQL, or storage systems. This will help us understand how you can contribute to shaping the future of our data platforms.
Be Hands-On in Your Approach:We love candidates who are hands-on builders! In your application, highlight your experience with coding and leading complex initiatives. Talk about how you've turned ambiguous problems into clear solutions, as this aligns perfectly with what we're looking for in a Principal Software Engineer.
Keep It Clear and Concise:While we appreciate detail, clarity is key! Make sure your application is easy to read and gets straight to the point. Use bullet points where necessary to break down your achievements and skills, so we can quickly see how you fit into our team.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website! This ensures your application gets to the right people and helps us keep track of all candidates. Plus, it’s super easy to do, so don’t hesitate to take that step!
How to prepare for a job interview at HubSpot
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Familiarise yourself with the technologies mentioned in the job description, like HBase, Kafka, and MySQL/Vitess. Be ready to discuss your experience with these systems and how you've used them to solve complex problems in the past.
✨Showcase Your Hands-On Experience
As a Principal Software Engineer, being hands-on is crucial. Prepare examples of projects where you’ve built or evolved large-scale distributed systems. Highlight your role in leading initiatives from concept to rollout, demonstrating your ability to turn ambiguous problems into clear solutions.
✨Emphasise Architectural Decision-Making
Be prepared to discuss your approach to architectural decisions. Share specific instances where you’ve influenced technical direction, focusing on simplicity and long-term leverage. This will show that you understand the importance of scalable and maintainable systems.
✨Collaborate and Communicate
Since this role involves working across teams, practice articulating your thoughts clearly. Think of examples where you’ve partnered with product leaders or mentored others. Show that you can guide technical trade-offs and help teams make informed decisions.