Software Engineer, Internship, Query Engines
Palantir Technologies
About the Role
Palantir builds software for data-driven decisions and operations. This role is on a software engineering team applying open-source data technologies to complex problems. You will work within the data processing infrastructure that supports Palantir Foundry, focusing on computation representation, query plan optimization, operator execution, and efficient data reading/writing. You will contribute to areas such as no-code pipelines, interactive analysis, and data processing for the Ontology.
Key Responsibilities
- Work deep inside systems related to computation representation, query plan optimization, operator execution, and efficient data reading/writing.
- Build on and extend Apache Spark, Apache DataFusion, and Apache Iceberg.
- Take on real problems in production systems, such as writing a new planning rule, adding a capability to a native execution engine, or improving large table scan performance.
- See work through design, code review, testing, and release.
- Learn how modern data systems work from the inside and apply knowledge to consequential problems.
Requirements & Tech Stack
- Java, Scala, Rust, and Python
- Apache Spark, Apache DataFusion, Apache Comet, and Velox for data processing and query execution
- Apache Iceberg for table management and catalog interoperability
- Apache Arrow and Apache Parquet for in-memory data processing and columnar storage
- Gradle and Cargo for builds
- GitHub for collaboration
Prior experience with these technologies is not required; learning is expected.
Qualifications
- Currently pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, Software Engineering, Physics, or a similar field, or equivalent practical experience.
- Proficiency in at least one language such as Java, Rust, Scala, C++, or C.
- Strong foundations in algorithms, data structures, and concurrency.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Coursework or projects in databases, compilers, operating systems, or distributed systems.
- Contributions to open-source projects.
- Must be planning on graduating in 2028. This should be your final internship before graduating.
What We Value
- Curiosity about how data systems work.
- A high bar for correctness and a willingness to dig to understand behavior.
- Comfort following a problem across languages, services, and layers of the stack.
- A practical approach to performance, grounded in measurement.
- Eagerness to learn, ask questions, and incorporate feedback.
- Interest in applying deep systems engineering to real-world problems.
Salary
- Estimated salary: $10,500/month.
- Total compensation determined by qualifications, experience, skills, and other factors.
- Excludes benefits and potential future value of long-term incentives.