Walmart

(USA) Senior Manager, Data Engineering

Walmart$143K — $286K *
Information Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7-10+ years in Data Engineering, with at least 3 years in a leadership role
  • Deep expertise in Data Engineering principles and data modeling
  • Strong experience with Kafka and event-driven architectures
  • Familiarity with modern AI technologies like Vector Databases and Knowledge Graphs
  • Experience with cloud platforms (GCP or Azure) for large data workloads
  • Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, or Scala

Responsibilities

  • Define the technical vision for a semantic layer in data architecture
  • Own the streaming architecture for real-time access to member context
  • Oversee the design of scalable data schemas and indexing for AI access
  • Lead the design of high-fidelity data pipelines for AI agents
  • Manage and mentor a high-performing engineering team
  • Optimize Retrieval-Augmented Generation strategy for knowledge discovery
  • Establish standards for telemetry and observability in AI workflows

Benefits

  • 401(k) match
  • Stock purchase plan
  • Paid maternity and parental leave
  • Multiple health plans
  • Tuition reimbursement for educational programs through Live Better U
Full Job Description
Position Summary...

What you'll do...
The Mission
At Sam's Club, we are no longer just building dashboards or static pipelines; we are building the "brain" of the retail experience. As the Senior Engineering Manager for Agentic Data, you will be at the forefront of the AI revolution. Your mission is to evolve our massive data ecosystem into a Semantic & Contextual Layer-the foundational intelligence that allows AI Agents to reason, plan, and act autonomously for millions of members.

You aren't just managing a team; you are architecting the bridge between raw data and autonomous action. You will lead the transition from traditional data structures to agent-ready environments, where data is not just stored, but understood in real-time.

What You'll Do
• Architect the Semantic Future: Define the technical vision for a unified semantic layer that transforms structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data into context-aware representations (Embeddings, Knowledge Graphs, and Metadata) consumable by LLMs and multi-agent workflows.
• Real-Time Agentic Intelligence: Own the streaming architecture that feeds our agents. You will leverage Kafka to build low-latency event-driven pipelines, ensuring agents have access to "up-to-the-second" member context and environmental state.
• Champion Data Fundamentals: Ensure the bedrock of our AI strategy is built on elite Data Engineering principles. You will oversee the design of scalable schemas, partitioning strategies, and high-performance indexing that make petabyte-scale data accessible to reasoning models.
• Build Agent-Ready Ecosystems: Lead the design of "Agentic Data" pipelines-ensuring that data provided to AI agents is high-fidelity, optimized for retrieval, and enriched with the necessary business logic to prevent hallucinations.
• Strategic Leadership: Manage and mentor a high-performing team of engineers. You will bridge the gap between AI/ML Research, Product, and Platform Engineering to align data roadmaps with long-term autonomous decision-making goals.
• Innovate Retrieval Systems: Own the strategy for Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) at scale, optimizing how our agents discover and interact with Sam's Club's vast proprietary knowledge base across both batch and streaming sources.
• Establish Operational Excellence: Define standards for "Agentic Observability"-implementing telemetry, lineage, and auditability patterns specifically for autonomous and regulated AI workflows.

What You'll Bring
• Experience: 7-10+ years in Data Engineering, building and operating large-scale, distributed, fault-tolerant data platforms, with at least 3+ years in a leadership role.
• Data Engineering Mastery: Deep-rooted expertise in Data Fundamentals. You must be an expert in data modeling (Star/Snowflake, Data Vault), storage formats (Parquet, Avro), and distributed computing concepts (sharding, replication, and CAP theorem).
• Real-Time Expertise: Deep experience with Kafka and event-driven architectures. You understand how to manage state, schema evolution, and consistency in streaming environments (Kafka Streams, Flink, or Spark Streaming).
• Semantic & AI Mastery: Deep familiarity with the modern AI stack-specifically Vector Databases (Pinecone, Milvus), Knowledge Graphs, and framework orchestration (LangChain, LlamaIndex, CrewAI).
• Cloud Scale Mastery: Proven track record in GCP or Azure, utilizing BigQuery, Dataflow, and Pub/Sub to handle petabyte-scale workloads.
• Data Modeling for LLMs: Expert-level understanding of how schema choices, latency, and context window management impact AI reasoning and retrieval quality.
• Engineering Rigor: Fluency in Python, Java, or Scala, with a deep engineering mindset around testability, maintainability, and high-performance system design.

Benefits & Perks:
Beyond competitive pay, you can receive incentive awards for your performance. Other great perks include 401(k) match, stock purchase plan, paid maternity and parental leave, PTO, multiple health plans, and much more.

The annual salary range for this position is $143,000.00 - $286,000.00

Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses.

Additional compensation for certain positions may also include :

- Stock








Minimum Qualifications...

Outlined below are the required minimum qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no minimum qualifications.

Option 1: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and 5 years' experience in software engineering or related field. Option 2: 7 years' experience in software engineering or related field. Option 3: Master's degree in Computer Science and 3 years' experience in software engineering or related field.
4 years' experience in data engineering, database engineering, business intelligence, or business analytics.
1 year's supervisory experience.

Preferred Qualifications...

Outlined below are the optional preferred qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no preferred qualifications.

Data engineering, database engineering, business intelligence, or business analytics, ETL tools and working with large data sets in the cloud, Master's degree in Computer Science or related field and 5 years' experience in software engineering or related field, We value candidates with a background in creating inclusive digital experiences, demonstrating knowledge in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards, assistive technologies, and integrating digital accessibility seamlessly. The ideal candidate would have knowledge of accessibility best practices and join us as we continue to create accessible products and services following Walmart's accessibility standards and guidelines for supporting an inclusive culture.

Primary Location...

809 11th Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94089-4731, United States of America

About Walmart

WalmartLabs is accelerating their development to redefine the shopping experience to meet the changing needs of our customers wherever they are —in a store, on our website, or on their mobile device.

Walmart Careers

Joining Walmart means becoming part of a world-renowned team that leads with innovation and is committed to creating impact. As the largest retailer globally, Walmart offers unparalleled job opportunities and career growth in an environment that values diversity and leadership. Work You’ll Do At Walmart, you will be part of a dynamic team that drives our mission to help people save money so they can live better. Engage in work that matters with a company that offers both stability and the flexibility to explore different career paths. Transform the retail landscape with your skills and help shape the future of millions of customers worldwide. Walmart is at the forefront of combining retail with advanced technology, making it an exciting place for professional growth and innovation. Lead with Us Step into a role that harnesses your potential and places you at the intersection of retail and technology. Walmart is not just a company; it's a community where you can develop your leadership skills and contribute to a culture that nurtures professional growth. Work with a diverse team of experts who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. Our commitment to diversity training ensures that all team members are valued and can thrive. Walmart Careers and Employment Opportunities We are continuously expanding our team to include enthusiastic professionals eager to drive change and make a significant impact. Explore a range of positions from entry-level to executive, each offering competitive benefits and the opportunity to advance. Innovate with Us Join Walmart and be part of a team that is dedicated to innovation and excellence. With over 2.3 million associates worldwide, you are joining the largest private employment group, ready to innovate, lead, and impact the global market. Internship Programs Kickstart your career with a Walmart internship. Gain invaluable experience, build your resume, and develop networking connections that will empower your career journey. Our internships provide a platform to apply your academic knowledge in real-world scenarios, preparing you for future employment. Be Part of a Great Team At Walmart, our team is our strength. We invest in our employees through robust training programs, leadership development, and opportunities for career advancement. Enjoy the benefits of working in a supportive and inclusive environment where every member’s contribution is valued. Future-Proof Your Career Your journey at Walmart can be as vast as your ambitions. With endless opportunities to grow, learn, and lead, you can take your professional experience to new heights. Benefit from our comprehensive training programs and develop the skills needed for tomorrow’s challenges. Stay Connected Join Our Team Search open positions that match your skills and interests. We are looking for passionate, curious, creative, and solution-driven team players. Explore the diverse job opportunities at Walmart and find where you can make a difference. Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. READ CAREERS BLOG Job Alert Emails Personalize your subscription to receive job alerts, latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Discover the exciting and rewarding opportunities that await at Walmart. SEARCH WALMART JOBS Join Walmart today and be part of a story of growth, innovation, and leadership.
Learn more about Walmart
Size
2,300 employees
Market Cap
$387 billion
Industry
Net Income
$13.5 billion
Founded
1962
5 Year Trend
+3.3%
Revenue
$559.1 billion
NASDAQ

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