📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Platform Engineer, Core Services
Company: Lambda
Location: San Francisco, California, United States
Job Type: Hybrid (4 days on-site per week)
Category: DevOps, Infrastructure
Date Posted: 2025-06-11
Experience Level: Mid-level (2-5 years)
Remote Status: On-site (San Francisco/San Jose office) 4 days per week, with one designated work-from-home day (currently Tuesday)

🚀 Role Summary

Key Role Aspects:
- Maintain and enhance CI/CD tooling to support engineering teams
- Manage and onboard SaaS services using Terraform and other infrastructure-as-code tools
- Create reusable templates and best practices for common CI/CD workflows
- Develop and maintain internal tooling to empower engineers and improve workflows
- Collaborate with customer teams to identify and address areas of improvement within the team's scope
- Participate in an on-call rotation to provide coverage for critical systems and support the team
📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong customer-centric mindset and a willingness to wear multiple hats within a highly collaborative team. Candidates should be comfortable working with CI/CD systems and have a solid foundation in infrastructure-as-code and cloud environments.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

🔧 Maintain and Improve CI/CD Tooling:
- Ensure the reliability and performance of CI/CD systems
- Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to CI/CD workflows
- Continuously monitor and optimize CI/CD processes
🛠 Manage and Onboard SaaS Services:
- Use Terraform and other tools to configure, manage, and onboard SaaS services
- Collaborate with vendors to ensure smooth integration and compliance with Lambda's standards
- Document and maintain up-to-date records of SaaS services and their configurations
🌟 Create Reusable Templates and Best Practices:
- Develop and maintain reusable templates for common CI/CD workflows
- Establish and enforce best practices for CI/CD processes and infrastructure management
- Share knowledge and expertise with the team to ensure consistent and efficient workflows
🛠 Develop and Maintain Internal Tooling:
- Build and maintain internal tools to support and empower engineering teams
- Collaborate with engineers to understand their needs and develop tailored solutions
- Ensure the reliability, performance, and security of internal tools and services
🤝 Collaborate with Customer Teams:
- Work closely with customer teams to identify and address areas of improvement within the team's scope
- Gather feedback and requirements to inform the development of new features and tools
- Provide technical guidance and support to customer teams to enhance their workflows
📞 Participate in On-Call Rotation:
- Provide coverage for critical systems and support the team by triaging incoming requests
- Write documentation and runbooks to ensure smooth issue resolution and knowledge sharing
- Collaborate with the team to ensure timely and effective incident response

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience)

Experience: 2+ years of experience with infrastructure-as-code/configuration management tooling (e.g., Ansible, Terraform) and 2+ years working in a cloud environment (e.g., AWS, GCP)

Required Skills:

Strong proficiency in infrastructure-as-code/configuration management tools (e.g., Terraform, Ansible)
Experience working with CI/CD systems (e.g., GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, CircleCI)
Proficient in cloud environments (e.g., AWS, GCP) and related services
Excellent communication and collaboration skills
Strong customer-centric mindset and a focus on empowering peers
Comfortable working with Linux systems and command-line interfaces

Preferred Skills:

Production-quality coding skills in Python
Experience working with Kubernetes
Familiarity with virtualization and/or containerization tooling (e.g., KVM, Docker)
Experience managing baremetal systems
Exposure to compliance efforts (e.g., SOC II, SOX)
Familiarity with managing SaaS vendors

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

🛠 Infrastructure-as-Code Projects: Showcase projects demonstrating your proficiency in infrastructure-as-code tools, such as Terraform or Ansible
🔧 CI/CD Project: Highlight a project that showcases your experience with CI/CD systems and workflows
🌟 Internal Tooling Project: Include a project that demonstrates your ability to develop and maintain internal tools to support and empower engineering teams

Technical Documentation:

📝 Infrastructure-as-Code Documentation: Provide clear and concise documentation for your infrastructure-as-code projects, explaining the purpose, architecture, and usage of each component
📝 CI/CD Documentation: Document the CI/CD pipelines and workflows used in your projects, including any relevant configuration files and scripts
📝 Internal Tooling Documentation: Include detailed documentation for your internal tools, explaining their purpose, functionality, and usage

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $180,000 - $250,000 annually (based on market data and other factors)

Benefits:

Health, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
Commuter/work from home stipends for select roles
401k Plan with 2% company match (USA employees)
Flexible Paid Time Off Plan
Generous cash and equity compensation
Opportunities to work with top-tier investors and partners

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with one designated work-from-home day (currently Tuesday)

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Company Size: Founded in 2012, with ~350 employees (2024) and growing fast
Founded: 2012
Team Structure: Lambda is a highly collaborative and customer-centric team, with a strong focus on empowering engineers and fostering innovation
Development Methodology: Lambda uses Agile methodologies to develop and manage its products and services, with a focus on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: Mid-level (2-5 years) DevOps or Infrastructure Engineer, with opportunities for growth into senior roles and technical leadership positions
Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Manager of Engineering Operations and collaborates closely with various engineering teams and stakeholders
Technical Impact: The Platform Engineer, Core Services role has a significant impact on Lambda's CI/CD processes, infrastructure management, and internal tooling, directly contributing to the company's mission to be the world's top AI computing platform

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Lambda's offices are modern, collaborative workspaces designed to foster innovation and teamwork
Office Location(s): San Francisco and San Jose, California, United States
Workspace Context:
- Lambda provides state-of-the-art hardware and software tools to support its engineers' productivity and creativity
- The workspace encourages collaboration and knowledge sharing, with regular team meetings, workshops, and social events
- Lambda offers flexible work arrangements, including remote work options and flexible hours, to accommodate employees' needs and preferences

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

📝 Initial Screening: A brief phone or video call to discuss your background, experience, and fit for the role
🛠 Technical Deep Dive: A hands-on technical assessment focused on infrastructure-as-code, CI/CD, and cloud environments
🤝 Team Fit: A conversation with the team to discuss your collaboration style, cultural fit, and alignment with Lambda's values and mission
📝 Final Interview: A final conversation with the hiring manager or other senior stakeholders to discuss your career aspirations, growth opportunities, and next steps

Portfolio Review Tips:

🛠 Infrastructure-as-Code Portfolio: Highlight your proficiency in infrastructure-as-code tools by showcasing projects that demonstrate your ability to manage and automate infrastructure
🔧 CI/CD Portfolio: Showcase your experience with CI/CD systems by including projects that highlight your ability to automate workflows and ensure reliable and efficient deployment processes
🌟 Internal Tooling Portfolio: Include projects that demonstrate your ability to develop and maintain internal tools to support and empower engineering teams, with a focus on user experience, performance, and scalability

Technical Challenge Preparation:

🛠 Infrastructure-as-Code Challenge: Familiarize yourself with the latest features and best practices for infrastructure-as-code tools, such as Terraform or Ansible
🔧 CI/CD Challenge: Brush up on your knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, workflows, and best practices, and be prepared to discuss your approach to optimizing and automating deployment processes
🌟 Internal Tooling Challenge: Prepare to discuss your approach to developing and maintaining internal tools, with a focus on user experience, performance, and scalability

ATS Keywords:

Programming Languages: Python, Bash, Terraform, Ansible
Web Frameworks: N/A (DevOps/Infrastructure role)
Server Technologies: AWS, GCP, Kubernetes, Docker
Databases: N/A (DevOps/Infrastructure role)
Tools: Git, GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, CircleCI, Terraform, Ansible, AWS CloudFormation, Google Cloud Deployment Manager
Methodologies: Infrastructure-as-Code, CI/CD, Agile, DevOps, ITIL
Soft Skills: Communication, Collaboration, Problem-Solving, Customer-Centric Mindset, Adaptability
Industry Terms: Cloud Computing, AI Computing, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Infrastructure Management, CI/CD, DevOps

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong customer-centric mindset and a willingness to wear multiple hats within a highly collaborative team. Candidates should be comfortable working with CI/CD systems and have a solid foundation in infrastructure-as-code and cloud environments.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Frontend Technologies: N/A (DevOps/Infrastructure role)

Backend & Server Technologies:

🛠 Infrastructure-as-Code Tools: Terraform, Ansible
🔧 CI/CD Tools: GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, CircleCI
🌟 Cloud Platforms: AWS, GCP
🛠 Containerization Tools: Docker, Kubernetes
🛠 Configuration Management Tools: Ansible, Puppet, Chef
🛠 Monitoring Tools: Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog

Development & DevOps Tools:

🛠 Version Control Systems: Git
🛠 Container Orchestration Platforms: Kubernetes
🛠 Infrastructure Automation Tools: Terraform, Ansible, AWS CloudFormation, Google Cloud Deployment Manager
🛠 CI/CD Pipelines: GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, CircleCI
🛠 Monitoring and Logging Tools: Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog, ELK Stack
🛠 Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Tools: Terraform, Ansible, AWS CloudFormation, Google Cloud Deployment Manager

👥 Team Culture & Values

💡 Web Development Values:

🛠 Customer-Centric Mindset: Lambda prioritizes customer satisfaction and empowers its engineers to make decisions that prioritize the needs and preferences of its users
🔧 Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Lambda fosters a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing, with regular team meetings, workshops, and social events to encourage learning and growth
🌟 Innovation and Continuous Learning: Lambda values innovation and continuous learning, with a strong focus on staying up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in AI, machine learning, and infrastructure management
🛠 Quality and Reliability: Lambda emphasizes quality and reliability in its products and services, with a focus on delivering high-performance, secure, and scalable solutions to its customers

🤝 Collaboration Style:

🛠 Cross-Functional Integration: Lambda encourages collaboration and communication between its engineering teams and other departments, such as design, marketing, and business teams
🔧 Code Review Culture: Lambda values code reviews as a means of ensuring code quality, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement
🌟 Knowledge Sharing and Mentoring: Lambda fosters a culture of knowledge sharing and mentoring, with regular workshops, training sessions, and one-on-one mentoring opportunities

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

🛠 Technical Challenges:

🛠 Infrastructure-as-Code Challenges: Staying up-to-date with the latest features and best practices for infrastructure-as-code tools, such as Terraform or Ansible
🔧 CI/CD Challenges: Optimizing and automating deployment processes to ensure reliable and efficient workflows
🌟 Internal Tooling Challenges: Developing and maintaining internal tools that support and empower engineering teams, with a focus on user experience, performance, and scalability

🌟 Learning & Development Opportunities:

🛠 Technical Skill Development: Lambda offers opportunities for technical skill development, with regular training sessions, workshops, and access to industry-leading conferences and events
🔧 Conference Attendance and Certification: Lambda encourages its employees to attend industry conferences and obtain relevant certifications to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in AI, machine learning, and infrastructure management
🌟 Technical Mentorship and Leadership: Lambda provides opportunities for technical mentorship and leadership, with a focus on developing the skills and expertise needed to succeed in senior roles and technical leadership positions

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

🛠 Infrastructure-as-Code Questions: Be prepared to discuss your experience with infrastructure-as-code tools, such as Terraform or Ansible, and your approach to managing and automating infrastructure
🔧 CI/CD Questions: Brush up on your knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, workflows, and best practices, and be prepared to discuss your approach to optimizing and automating deployment processes
🌟 Internal Tooling Questions: Prepare to discuss your approach to developing and maintaining internal tools, with a focus on user experience, performance, and scalability

Company & Culture Questions:

📝 Company Values: Research Lambda's values and be prepared to discuss how you align with the company's customer-centric mindset, collaboration, innovation, and quality focus
🛠 Team Dynamics: Familiarize yourself with Lambda's team structure and be prepared to discuss how you would collaborate and communicate with various engineering teams and stakeholders
🔧 Problem-Solving Approach: Prepare to discuss your approach to problem-solving and decision-making, with a focus on prioritizing customer needs and preferences

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

🛠 Infrastructure-as-Code Portfolio: Highlight your proficiency in infrastructure-as-code tools by showcasing projects that demonstrate your ability to manage and automate infrastructure
🔧 CI/CD Portfolio: Showcase your experience with CI/CD systems by including projects that highlight your ability to automate workflows and ensure reliable and efficient deployment processes
🌟 Internal Tooling Portfolio: Include projects that demonstrate your ability to develop and maintain internal tools to support and empower engineering teams, with a focus on user experience, performance, and scalability

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Platform Engineer, Core Services position at Lambda:

📝 Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your relevant experience with infrastructure-as-code, CI/CD, and cloud environments, and emphasize your customer-centric mindset, collaboration, and problem-solving skills
🛠 Prepare Your Portfolio: Showcase your proficiency in infrastructure-as-code, CI/CD, and internal tooling by including relevant projects and documentation that demonstrate your skills and expertise
🔧 Research Lambda: Familiarize yourself with Lambda's values, team structure, and culture, and be prepared to discuss how you align with the company's mission and goals
🌟 Practice Technical Interview Questions: Brush up on your knowledge of infrastructure-as-code, CI/CD, and internal tooling, and practice answering technical interview questions to ensure you are well-prepared for the assessment

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web development/server administration industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Platform Engineer, Core Services