CPT Senior Principal Data Engineer Jobs
Senior Principal Data Engineer roles sit at the intersection of architecture, governance, and cross-functional leadership, making them a strong CPT fit for graduate students in data science, computer science, or information systems programs. Your DSO must confirm the role is an integral part of your curriculum before you start, so align the job description with your program's learning objectives early.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios, and beyond.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As a Senior Engineer on the Autonomy Data Curation team, you’ll help build a data flywheel. You’ll collect the data that matters most from internal and external fleets of drones and turn it into high-quality, model-ready datasets that Autonomy teams can consume quickly and confidently for training and model development. Close peers will include the Deep Learning and Computer Vision teams. This role is an individual contributor who will report to the Director of Autonomy Data Curation.
HOW YOU’LL MAKE AN IMPACT
- Build and operate pipelines that transform raw autonomy logs & media into curated datasets with strong observability and clear ownership to make curated data more broadly reusable.
- Build tooling that makes data discovery and slicing fast and self-serve for Autonomy teams. For example: media search tooling and hard mining loops with infra for auto-routing data to annotation.
- Improve dataset quality and repeatability: versioning, provenance, and automated checks.
- Apply privacy and security requirements in throughout our processes (access controls, retention, redaction/anonymization).
- Build with a data-driven and impact-forward mindset with dashboards highlighting cost, dataset balance, and audit details.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of professional software engineering experience (or equivalent), with significant ownership of production systems.
- Strong proficiency in programming, demonstrable in at least one of our most frequently used languages (Python/C++).
- Hands-on experience building data pipelines for large-scale datasets (ETL/ELT, streaming or batch, orchestration).
- Experience with data modeling, schema evolution, and dataset/version management.
- Solid understanding of reliability engineering: monitoring, incident response, backfills, and operational rigor.
- Ability to work across ambiguous interfaces (data + tooling + model consumers) and drive decisions.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with autonomy/robotics data: flight logs, self-driving car data, sensor fusion traces, video, geospatial metadata.
- Experience with labeling workflows, annotation tooling, and labeling QA at scale.
- Familiarity with privacy concepts (PII handling, redaction, access control, audit logs).
- Experience with vector/semantic search over media or telemetry.
- Experience building hard-mining evaluation loops for ML models.
WORKING STYLE
- Clarity foremost: written proposals, crisp interfaces, measurable outcomes.
- Pragmatic designs: build what’s needed, buy/borrow when it saves time, be judicious.
- Toolbelt-aware: use the right tools for the job, lean into finding ways to upskill yourself, and leverage generative AI coding and agentic workflows.
COMPENSATION
At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $170,000 - $240,000*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.
- For some positions the pay may be dependent upon the individual's regional location.
At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.
For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/
INTRODUCTION
Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios, and beyond.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As a Senior Engineer on the Autonomy Data Curation team, you’ll help build a data flywheel. You’ll collect the data that matters most from internal and external fleets of drones and turn it into high-quality, model-ready datasets that Autonomy teams can consume quickly and confidently for training and model development. Close peers will include the Deep Learning and Computer Vision teams. This role is an individual contributor who will report to the Director of Autonomy Data Curation.
HOW YOU’LL MAKE AN IMPACT
- Build and operate pipelines that transform raw autonomy logs & media into curated datasets with strong observability and clear ownership to make curated data more broadly reusable.
- Build tooling that makes data discovery and slicing fast and self-serve for Autonomy teams. For example: media search tooling and hard mining loops with infra for auto-routing data to annotation.
- Improve dataset quality and repeatability: versioning, provenance, and automated checks.
- Apply privacy and security requirements in throughout our processes (access controls, retention, redaction/anonymization).
- Build with a data-driven and impact-forward mindset with dashboards highlighting cost, dataset balance, and audit details.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of professional software engineering experience (or equivalent), with significant ownership of production systems.
- Strong proficiency in programming, demonstrable in at least one of our most frequently used languages (Python/C++).
- Hands-on experience building data pipelines for large-scale datasets (ETL/ELT, streaming or batch, orchestration).
- Experience with data modeling, schema evolution, and dataset/version management.
- Solid understanding of reliability engineering: monitoring, incident response, backfills, and operational rigor.
- Ability to work across ambiguous interfaces (data + tooling + model consumers) and drive decisions.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with autonomy/robotics data: flight logs, self-driving car data, sensor fusion traces, video, geospatial metadata.
- Experience with labeling workflows, annotation tooling, and labeling QA at scale.
- Familiarity with privacy concepts (PII handling, redaction, access control, audit logs).
- Experience with vector/semantic search over media or telemetry.
- Experience building hard-mining evaluation loops for ML models.
WORKING STYLE
- Clarity foremost: written proposals, crisp interfaces, measurable outcomes.
- Pragmatic designs: build what’s needed, buy/borrow when it saves time, be judicious.
- Toolbelt-aware: use the right tools for the job, lean into finding ways to upskill yourself, and leverage generative AI coding and agentic workflows.
COMPENSATION
At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $170,000 - $240,000*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.
- For some positions the pay may be dependent upon the individual's regional location.
At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.
For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/
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Get Access To All JobsSenior Principal Data Engineer CPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Senior Principal Data Engineer role qualify for CPT?
Yes, if your graduate program includes coursework in data systems, distributed architecture, or engineering leadership that directly aligns with the role's duties. CPT qualification depends on your specific curriculum, not the job title. Your DSO will review the offer letter and confirm whether the work is an integral part of your program before issuing CPT authorization on your I-20.
Can I do full-time CPT for this role without affecting my OPT eligibility?
Full-time CPT is allowed, but 12 or more months of full-time CPT eliminates your OPT eligibility entirely. Part-time CPT, defined as 20 hours or fewer per week, has no impact on OPT. If you plan to use OPT for post-graduation employment or as a bridge to H-1B sponsorship, you'll want to structure your CPT engagement carefully with your DSO before signing an offer.
What should the CPT offer letter include for a senior engineering role?
The letter should specify your official job title, a description of duties tied to your academic program, your start and end dates, whether the position is full-time or part-time, your work location, and your supervisor's contact information. Senior Principal roles often involve strategic scope across teams, so the duty description should reference technical leadership, data platform ownership, or system design to satisfy your DSO's curriculum alignment review.
How do I find employers who understand CPT for senior data engineering positions?
Search for Senior Principal Data Engineer roles on Migrate Mate, which surfaces employers with verified LCA and H-1B filing history in data engineering. Employers who've sponsored these roles before are familiar with work authorization requirements and are more likely to support your CPT paperwork, offer competitive terms, and provide a clear path to post-graduation sponsorship.
Will working as a Senior Principal Data Engineer on CPT affect my H-1B sponsorship path?
CPT itself doesn't affect H-1B eligibility, but it does affect OPT if used full-time for 12 or more months. Most F-1 students transition from OPT to H-1B sponsorship after graduation. A Senior Principal Data Engineer role on CPT can strengthen your H-1B petition because it demonstrates direct specialty occupation experience at a high technical level, which supports the employer's case to USCIS that the role requires a degree in a specific field.
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