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Senior Manager, Dbt Fusion

fivetran

Oakland, California, United States, AMER
Data Business Intelligence

Job Score

90 pts
On-site model (+70) Data (+10) Business Intelligence (+10)

From Fivetran’s founding until now, our mission has remained the same: to make access to data as simple and reliable as electricity. With Fivetran, customer data arrives in their warehouses, canonical and ready to query, with no engineering or maintenance required. We’re proud that more organizations continue to leverage our technology every day to become truly data-driven.

About the Role

We’re looking for a hands-on Senior Engineering Manager to lead the Core team behind dbt V2, dbt’s next-generation engine. This is a backfill role for an engineering leader who can combine strong software-engineering judgment with people leadership, product partnership, and the ability to navigate a highly cross-functional technical area.

The Core team is responsible for building, maintaining, and evolving the Rust-based engine that powers dbt Fusion. The team primarily works on the dbt V2 runtime itself, SQL language features powered by Static Analysis, and new ELT primitives.

The role sits at the center of several parts of the dbt product: the engine and orchestration, the IDE and developer experience, adapters and data warehouses, and our new compute offering, LakeCompute. You’ll help the team make sound technical and product decisions while keeping a stable GA product moving forward.

About the Team

The Core team is part of a broader organization that includes adapters, growth, the VS Code extension, compute, and other closely connected teams. It partners frequently with Product and with the teams responsible for orchestration, IDE experiences, adapters, and LakeCompute.

In this role, you can expect to:

  • Lead, coach, and develop a fluid team of approximately 8 engineers working on a critical part of the dbt product.
  • Establish clarity across a technically demanding roadmap with multiple product and engineering stakeholders.
  • Partner closely with Product to translate ambiguous requirements into realistic engineering scope, sequencing, and estimates.
  • Help the team balance new feature development, engine maintenance, framework modernization, documentation, and the stability of a GA product.
  • Guide end-to-end technical design across the engine and its integration points with orchestration, the IDE, adapters, warehouses, and late compute.
  • Support engineers in making sound tradeoffs across product value, technical quality, performance, compatibility, and delivery risk.
  • Actively contribute to technical design and implementation alongside the team.
  • Work with peer engineering leaders to coordinate initiatives that span multiple teams and systems.
  • Build an environment where engineers can do high-quality work, grow their scope, and take ownership of meaningful technical problems.
  • Help shape the next phase of dbt Fusion as a language-aware transformation engine used by the broader data community.

Mandatory skills

  • Experience leading teams through multiple concurrent priorities and diverse integration points.
  • Strong software-engineering fundamentals and prior experience as a senior/staff engineer, technical lead, or equivalent hands-on technical leader.
  • Ability to lead or facilitate system design from problem definition through implementation and delivery.
  • Ability to translate complex or ambiguous product requirements into credible engineering estimates, milestones, and tradeoffs.
  • Demonstrated judgment in balancing roadmap delivery with reliability, maintainability, technical debt, and product quality.
  • A hands-on technical orientation, including a willingness and ability to stay close to code and engineering details.

You are a good fit if you have:

  • Led a software team through the full development lifecycle: discovery, design, implementation, testing, release, operation, and iteration.
  • Worked on products with substantial technical complexity, integration surfaces, or platform dependencies.
  • Successfully partnered with Product and other engineering teams to create a stable roadmap and make difficult prioritization decisions.
  • Experience in data transformation, orchestration, query engines, databases, developer tools, compilers, language tooling, or a closely related area. Direct dbt experience is helpful but not required.
  • The ability to explain complex technical systems clearly to engineers, product partners, and candidates with different levels of technical depth.
  • A track record of developing strong engineers while maintaining a high technical bar.
  • Comfort operating in a fluid environment where team boundaries, priorities, and scope may evolve.

You’ll have an edge if you have:

  • Experience with Rust or another systems programming language, compilers, query planning, language servers, IDE tooling, or developer platforms.
  • Experience building or operating data transformation, orchestration, warehouse, or execution systems.
  • Contributions to open-source projects or experience working with open standards and open technical communities.
  • Familiarity with ecosystems such as Apache Arrow, Apache Iceberg, DuckDB, ADBC, or related data and execution technologies.
  • Experience with SQL semantics, query optimization, transpilation across dialects, data lineage, governance, or developer-facing language features.
  • Experience working in a remote-first or distributed organization with strong written communication practices.
  • Startup or scale-up experience and comfort wearing multiple hats while the organization evolves.

 

The compensation range displayed on this job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire compensation for the target position and level, and may include sales incentives or target bonuses depending on the role.  Our compensation ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Our job titles may span more than one career level. Within the range, individual compensation is determined by additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, relevant education or training, business need, market demands. The compensation range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. Your recruiter can share more about the specific compensation range for your location during the hiring process.

Oakland Pay Range
$240,901—$301,126.50 USD

 

Perks and Benefits

  • 100% employer-paid medical insurance*
  • Generous paid time away from work, including paid vacation or flexible/unlimited vacation depending on role and country, plus paid sick time, inclusive parental leave, paid holidays, including a year-end Global Week of Rest, and volunteer days off.
  • RSU stock grants*
  • Professional development and training opportunities
  • Company virtual happy hours, free food, and fun team-building activities
  • Monthly cell phone stipend
  • Access to an innovative mental health support platform that offers personalized care and resources in areas such as: therapy, coaching, and self-guided mindfulness exercises for all covered employees and their covered dependents.

*May vary by country and worker type - please reach out to your recruiter for more information

Click here to learn more about Fivetran's Benefits by Region.


We’re honored to be valued at over $5.6 billion, but more importantly, we’re proud of our core values of Get Stuck In, Do the Right Thing, and One Team, One Dream. Read about us in Forbes.     

Fivetran brings together high-quality talent across the globe to make data access as easy and reliable as electricity for our customers. We value and recognize that our customers benefit from having innovative teams made of people from many backgrounds, experiences, and identities. Fivetran promotes diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging through attracting, recruiting, developing, and retaining a diverse workforce, not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it helps us build a world-class company to better serve our customers, our people and our communities.

To learn more about Fivetran’s culture and what it’s like to be part of the team, click here and enjoy our video.

To learn more about our candidate privacy policy, you can read our statement here.


We are committed to ensuring that all candidates have an equal opportunity to participate in our interview process. If you require accommodations at any stage of the process due to a disability, medical condition, or any other circumstance, please don't hesitate to submit your request by filling out this form. We will work with you to provide reasonable accommodations to facilitate your participation and ensure a fair and accessible interview experience. Your request and any information provided will be kept confidential and will not impact your candidacy. We look forward to hearing from you and accommodating your needs to the best of our ability.

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About Data

The Data field has undergone a radical transformation with the rise of Generative AI. Data professionals are fundamental for evidence-based decision-making across all industries.

Key specializations include Data Engineering, Data Science, Business Intelligence, Machine Learning Engineering, and Analytics. Tools like SQL, Python, Spark, dbt, and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) are essential.

The data market continues with high demand and salaries among the most competitive in the technology sector, with many remote work opportunities.

About Business Intelligence

Business Intelligence (BI) is the area responsible for transforming raw data into strategic information for decision-making. BI professionals build dashboards, reports, and analyses that help companies understand their performance and identify growth opportunities.

Key skills include data modeling (star schema, snowflake), ETL (extraction, transformation, loading), advanced SQL, BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, Looker), data warehousing, KPIs, and business metrics analysis (MRR, churn, cohort). Knowledge of dbt, Airflow, and data pipelines is a differentiator.

BI professionals in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master data visualization, analytics engineering, and can translate complex data into actionable insights for the business. The field offers opportunities from BI analyst to head of data, with a focus on data-driven decision making.

Discover Other Areas

Understand the scope of work, key skills, and tools used in different career areas.

About People Analyst

The People Analyst is the professional responsible for transforming people data into strategic insights for HR decision-making. They combine data analysis knowledge with people management vision to help organizations understand workforce metrics, turnover, engagement, and diversity.

Key skills include people analytics, workforce analytics, turnover and retention analysis, HR metrics (time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, e-NPS), data visualization (Power BI, Tableau, Visier), workforce planning, and compensation analysis. Knowledge of statistics, SQL, and people analytics tools is a differentiator.

People Analysts in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who can translate complex people data into actionable insights for retention, diversity, and growth strategies. The field offers opportunities from HR analyst to head of people analytics, with a focus on data-driven people management.

About Customer Success

Customer Success is the area responsible for ensuring clients achieve their goals when using the product or service. It is a strategic function for retention, expansion, and customer satisfaction.

Key skills include account management, churn analysis, NPS, onboarding, upsell, and cross-sell. Knowledge of CS tools like Gainsight, Totango, and ChurnZero is a differentiator.

CS is becoming increasingly strategic in SaaS companies, with professionals directly contributing to recurring revenue growth (MRR/ARR).

About Advertising

The Advertising area is aimed at the planning, creation, and delivery of communication campaigns to promote brands, products, ideas, or services. Professionals in the sector work in advertising agencies or in-house marketing departments in creative fields (art direction, copywriting), strategic planning, account management, and media buying.

About Social Media

The Social Media area is one of the most dynamic and constantly evolving fields in digital marketing. Social media professionals are responsible for creating, managing, and optimizing brand presence on digital platforms, building engagement and community with the target audience.

Key skills include social media management (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube), social media content creation, community management, paid social media (Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, TikTok Ads), metrics analysis, and strategic planning. Tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Buffer, Later, and analytics platforms are essential.

Social media professionals in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master paid social, social media analytics, and content strategies for different platforms. The field offers opportunities from analyst to head of social media, with a focus on growth, engagement, and return on investment.

About Content

The Content and Social Media area is essential for building digital presence and audience engagement. Professionals create content strategies, manage social networks, and develop impactful brand narratives.

Key skills include copywriting, storytelling, community management, metrics analysis, audiovisual production, and knowledge of each platform algorithms.

With the growth of influencer marketing and social commerce, this area continues to generate new career opportunities.

Career Guides

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Planning, skills, interviews, and professional growth in IT, Data Science, DevOps, and Product.

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Marketing Career Guide

SEO, Paid Media, Growth, Content Marketing. Certifications, tools, and strategies to grow in Digital Marketing.

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Finance Career Guide

Financial market, investments, corporate finance, certifications, and strategies to grow in the financial field.

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Communication Career Guide

Journalism, PR, Corporate Communication, Content Marketing, and Multimedia Production.

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Administration Career Guide

Business Management, HR, Logistics, Consulting, Project Management, and Entrepreneurship.

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Data Career Guide

Data Science, Data Engineering, BI, Machine Learning, and AI. From training to the job market.

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Product Career Guide

Product Management, Product Ownership, Agile, Scrum, and OKRs. From strategy to execution.

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Tech & Remote Glossary

Stop getting lost in interviews and job descriptions

The job market, especially within tech and global companies, has developed its own dialect. Not understanding these acronyms can make you lose valuable opportunities or poorly negotiate your contract. To end this problem, we created the Definitive Glossary for the Remote Professional.

🏢 Work Models & Routine

Async (Asynchronous Work)
A communication model where responses don't need to be immediate. Instead of back-to-back meetings, the team relies on well-structured documents, threads, and messages. It's the gold standard for global companies spanning multiple time zones.
Sync (Synchronous Work)
The opposite of Async. It requires the team to be online and available at the same time for meetings, live chats, and real-time collaboration.
Daily / Stand-up
A quick daily meeting (usually 15 minutes) common in Agile (Scrum) methodologies. The team answers three questions: What did I do yesterday? What will I do today? Are there any blockers?
All-Hands / Town Hall
A company-wide meeting involving all employees. Usually led by the founders (C-Levels) to present results, new goals, and answer team questions.
1:1 (One-on-One)
A recurring individual meeting between a professional and their direct manager. It is used for career alignment, feedback, and problem-solving, not just for project status updates.

💰 Contracts, Benefits & Compensation

PTO (Paid Time Off)
Instead of strict, categorized leave policies, modern US companies usually offer a flexible pool of days (e.g., 20 days of PTO, or even "Unlimited PTO") that you can use for vacations, sick days, or personal matters, while receiving your regular compensation.
Equity / Stock Options
Company ownership. The startup offers you the right to buy shares at a heavily discounted strike price in the future. If the company grows, goes public, or is acquired, these shares can be highly lucrative.
Vesting (Vesting Schedule)
The rule that controls your Equity. It usually lasts 4 years. You don't get all the shares on day one; you "earn" them gradually as you stay with the company. A "1-year Cliff" means you must stay for at least one year to receive your first batch of shares.
RSUs (Restricted Stock Units)
Unlike Stock Options (where you have the right to buy the stock), RSUs are actual shares the company grants you as a bonus or part of your compensation package, following a strict Vesting schedule.
Independent Contractor (1099 / B2B)
The most common international hiring model for global talent working for US companies. You act as a service provider (business-to-business), receiving the gross salary (often six-figure compensation) without standard local payroll tax deductions at the source.

🤖 Recruitment & Hiring Process

ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
The "robot" that reads your resume. Software like Greenhouse, Ashby, and Workday are used to filter candidates by keywords before a human even looks at the document. (Pro tip: this is why your resume must be clean, semantic, and have the right keywords).
JD (Job Description)
The document that lists the responsibilities, technical requirements, and benefits of the open position.
Cultural Fit
The interview stage that evaluates if your core values, communication style, and worldview align with the company's culture. This is the ultimate test of your Soft Skills.
Onboarding
The integration process. It's the period of your first few weeks at the company, where you get your access credentials, learn about the culture, study the internal documentation, and understand how the product works.

🚀 How to use this to your advantage?

The secret isn't just knowing what these acronyms mean, but using them actively. If during an interview for a premium tech role you ask, "How does your PTO policy and Vesting schedule work?", the recruiter will immediately perceive you as a high-level professional, familiar with the global market standards.

The remote job market requires preparation. And having the right vocabulary is the first big step to securing six-figure proposals and standing out among thousands of applicants.

Expert Tip

Agile and Project Management in Today's Market

1. Move Beyond "Doing Agile": Deliver Real Value

One of the biggest mistakes candidates make in interviews for Agile roles is focusing too much on ceremonies (Dailies, Plannings, Retrospectives) and forgetting their actual purpose. Recruiters from global tech companies want to know how you eliminated bottlenecks and boosted team efficiency.

"True Agile success isn't measured by how many practices you implement, but by how much value you deliver to the customer and how quickly you do it."

Instead of writing "facilitated Scrum ceremonies" on your resume, use a results-driven approach: "Reduced team Cycle Time by 20% by identifying and removing bottlenecks in the value stream."

2. Certifications That Actually Bypass the ATS

While practical experience is the ultimate deciding factor, Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) used by top US companies (like Greenhouse, Ashby, and Workday) filter resumes strictly through keywords. Holding the right certifications ensures you pass this first robotic barrier and get your profile in front of a human recruiter.

  • Professional Scrum Master (PSM I, II) by Scrum.org: Highly respected because it doesn't require renewal and features a rigorous, Scrum Guide-based exam.
  • Project Management Professional (PMP) by PMI: The gold standard for traditional, predictive, and hybrid Project Management.
  • PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP): Excellent for demonstrating broad knowledge across multiple Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, Lean).
  • SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework): Absolutely essential if you are targeting Enterprise-level corporations that have scaled Agile across thousands of employees.

3. Mastering Flow Metrics and Tools (Hard Skills)

The modern Agile professional must be data-driven. Companies offering six-figure compensation expect you to extract actionable insights from tools like Jira, Confluence, or Azure DevOps.

During technical interviews, be prepared to discuss how you utilize flow metrics, such as:

  • Lead Time and Cycle Time: To measure efficiency and the actual time it takes to deliver requests.
  • Throughput: The number of work items completed in a given timeframe.
  • Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD): To visually identify bottlenecks in the workflow.
  • OKRs (Objectives and Key Results): To align the development team's daily work with the company's high-level strategic goals.

4. Soft Skills and Conflict Resolution in Async Teams

In global, remote-first, and asynchronous environments, communication is the biggest challenge. A top-tier Project Manager or Scrum Master acts as a shield for the tech team and a bridge for stakeholders.

Demonstrate emotional intelligence, empathy, and negotiation skills. You will often face situational questions like: "How would you handle a Product Owner who constantly changes the Sprint scope mid-cycle?" Your answer should highlight peaceful, data-driven negotiation focused on business impact and team predictability.

Conclusion: Your Competitive Edge

To land premium Project Management and Agile roles, you must position yourself as a strategic business partner, not just a process enforcer. Understand the product, master the metrics, and know how to guide people towards continuous improvement.

References & Useful Links