How to Apply to dbt Labs

Key Takeaways

dbt Labs is a mission-driven company at the center of the modern data stack — demonstrating genuine passion for data transformation and analytics engineering is essential for any role.
Written communication is a core competency at dbt Labs; treat every written touchpoint in your application — from resume to cover letter to Greenhouse form responses — as a demonstration of this skill.
Community involvement with dbt (Slack, conferences, open-source contributions, blog posts) can significantly differentiate your application from other candidates.
Your resume will be processed through Greenhouse ATS, so use clean formatting, standard section headers, and relevant keywords from the job description to ensure proper parsing.
Tailor your application to the specific role and level — dbt Labs hires across engineering, sales, legal, education, and finance, and each function has distinct evaluation criteria.
Quantify your impact wherever possible; as a data company, dbt Labs likely appreciates candidates who can articulate their contributions in measurable terms.
Prepare for a structured, values-driven interview process that emphasizes problem-solving approach, cultural alignment, and communication clarity over rote technical knowledge.
If you hold the dbt Analytics Engineering Certification or have hands-on experience with dbt Core or dbt Cloud, make this prominently visible on your resume.

About dbt Labs

dbt Labs is the company behind dbt (data build tool), one of the most widely adopted open-source tools in the modern data stack. Founded in 2016 and originally known as Fishtown Analytics, dbt Labs has grown into a category-defining company that enables analytics engineers to transform data in their warehouses using SQL-based workflows. The company offers dbt Cloud, a managed platform that extends the open-source dbt Core with collaboration, orchestration, and governance features. dbt Labs has cultivated one of the most passionate developer communities in the data ecosystem, with tens of thousands of practitioners participating in its community Slack, annual coalesce conference, and open-source contributions. The company's culture is commonly described as transparent, community-driven, and deeply technical, with a strong emphasis on written communication, async-first collaboration, and intellectual curiosity. As a venture-backed startup that has raised significant funding, dbt Labs operates at the intersection of data engineering, analytics, and developer tooling — competing in a rapidly evolving landscape alongside companies like Databricks, Snowflake, and Fivetran. With approximately 42 active job openings spanning engineering, sales, legal, curriculum development, and finance, dbt Labs appears to be in an active growth phase across multiple functions.

Application Process

Explore Open Roles on the Careers Page
Start by visiting dbt Labs' careers page at getdbt.com/community/join-the-team. Browse the 42+ active openings across departments including engineering, sales, operations, legal, and education. Pay close attention to location requirements — some roles like the Commercial Sales Director specify Austin, while others like the Enterprise Sales Director target the Bay Area. dbt Labs has historically supported remote work, but specific roles may have geographic preferences or requirements. Read each job description thoroughly, as dbt Labs tends to write detailed, thoughtful postings that reveal a lot about team culture and expectations.
Submit Your Application Through Greenhouse
dbt Labs uses Greenhouse as its applicant tracking system (ATS). When you click 'Apply' on a role, you'll be directed to a Greenhouse-hosted application form. You'll typically need to upload your resume, provide contact information, and may encounter role-specific questions or short-answer prompts. Some positions may ask for links to portfolios, GitHub profiles, or writing samples. Take these supplemental questions seriously — at a company that values written communication as much as dbt Labs does, your written responses in the application itself can serve as an early signal of your communication skills.
Initial Recruiter Screen
If your application advances, you'll typically be contacted by a recruiter for an initial phone or video screen. Based on common patterns at companies like dbt Labs, this conversation usually lasts 30-45 minutes and covers your background, interest in the role, alignment with dbt Labs' mission, and logistical details like location and compensation expectations. This is also your opportunity to ask questions about the team structure, growth trajectory, and what success looks like in the role. Demonstrating familiarity with dbt as a product and the broader analytics engineering movement can help you stand out at this stage.
Hiring Manager Interview and Technical/Functional Assessment
Following the recruiter screen, candidates commonly move to a hiring manager conversation and some form of skills assessment. For engineering roles like Senior Software Engineer II, this may involve a technical interview, coding exercise, or system design discussion. For sales roles like the Enterprise Sales Director, expect scenario-based questions, pipeline reviews, or mock presentations. For specialized roles like Lead Curriculum Developer, you might be asked to submit a writing sample or develop a short lesson plan. dbt Labs is known for valuing depth of thought over speed, so assessments may emphasize problem-solving approach and communication clarity.
Team Interviews and Cross-Functional Conversations
Many applicants report that dbt Labs conducts a panel or series of interviews with potential teammates and cross-functional partners. This stage typically involves 3-5 conversations over the course of a half-day or full-day virtual onsite. Interviewers commonly assess both technical competence and cultural alignment — particularly around values like transparency, community orientation, and intellectual humility. For senior and leadership roles, expect questions about how you've built teams, navigated ambiguity, and driven strategic outcomes. dbt Labs' emphasis on async communication means you may also be evaluated on how clearly and concisely you articulate complex ideas.
Final Decision, References, and Offer
After the interview loop, the hiring team typically debriefs and makes a decision. You may be asked to provide professional references at this stage. If selected, you'll receive an offer that commonly includes competitive compensation, equity in the form of stock options (typical for venture-backed startups), and benefits. The recruiter will walk you through the offer details and answer any questions. Based on patterns at similar-stage startups, there may be some room for negotiation, particularly around equity and start date. The entire process from application to offer typically spans 3-6 weeks, depending on the role and scheduling.

Resume Tips for dbt Labs

Critical Demonstrate Data Ecosystem Fluency

dbt Labs sits at the center of the modern data stack. Regardless of your role, your resume should reflect an understanding of or experience with data-related technologies and concepts. For engineering roles, highlight experience with SQL, Python, data warehouses (Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift), and CI/CD pipelines. For non-technical roles, demonstrate that you understand the data industry landscape — mention experience working with data teams, selling to data practitioners, or creating content for technical audiences. Using terminology like 'analytics engineering,' 'data transformation,' and 'ELT' where appropriate signals that you speak the language of dbt Labs' ecosystem.

Critical Showcase Community Engagement and Open-Source Contributions

dbt Labs was built on the strength of its open-source community. If you've contributed to dbt packages, participated in the dbt Community Slack, spoken at or attended Coalesce, written blog posts about dbt, or created dbt tutorials, make sure this is prominently featured on your resume. Even if your contributions are modest — like answering questions in community forums or maintaining a personal dbt project — this demonstrates genuine enthusiasm for the product and mission. For roles like Lead Curriculum Developer, community involvement is likely especially valued.

Critical Quantify Impact with Metrics and Outcomes

dbt Labs is a data company, so it's reasonable to assume they appreciate data-driven thinking in candidates. Wherever possible, quantify your achievements: 'Reduced data pipeline processing time by 40%,' 'Grew territory revenue from $2M to $5M ARR,' 'Developed curriculum adopted by 10,000+ learners.' For sales roles like Commercial Sales Director or Enterprise Sales Director, include quota attainment percentages, deal sizes, and pipeline metrics. For engineering roles, reference system performance improvements, deployment frequency, or reduction in incidents. Concrete numbers make your contributions tangible and memorable.

Critical Emphasize Written Communication Skills

dbt Labs is widely known for its strong writing culture. The company has published extensively about the importance of written communication, documentation, and async-first collaboration. Your resume itself is a writing sample — ensure it is clear, concise, and well-structured. Consider including a link to a blog, technical writing portfolio, or published documentation you've authored. For roles like Corporate Counsel or Lead Curriculum Developer, writing quality is likely a primary evaluation criterion. Even for sales and operations roles, demonstrating that you can communicate complex ideas in writing will resonate with dbt Labs' culture.

Tailor Your Resume to the Specific Role and Level

With roles ranging from Senior Revenue Accountant to Senior Software Engineer II to Enterprise Sales Director, dbt Labs is hiring across a wide spectrum of functions and seniority levels. Avoid submitting a generic resume. For senior and director-level roles, emphasize leadership experience, strategic thinking, and cross-functional collaboration. For individual contributor roles, focus on depth of technical expertise and hands-on accomplishments. Mirror the language used in the job description — if the posting mentions 'analytics engineering,' 'data mesh,' or 'revenue operations,' incorporate those terms naturally into your resume where they apply to your experience.

Use a Clean, ATS-Compatible Format

Since dbt Labs uses Greenhouse, your resume will be parsed by its built-in resume parsing engine. Use a clean, single-column layout with standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills). Avoid tables, text boxes, graphics, headers/footers, and multi-column designs that can confuse ATS parsers. Use a standard file format — PDF is generally safe for Greenhouse. Ensure your contact information, job titles, company names, and dates are clearly formatted so the parser can extract them accurately. A well-parsed resume ensures recruiters see your information correctly from the start.

Highlight Startup and High-Growth Experience

As a venture-backed startup, dbt Labs likely values candidates who thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments. If you have experience at startups or high-growth companies, highlight it — especially if you can demonstrate how you built processes from scratch, wore multiple hats, or scaled a function. For roles like Senior Sales Operations Analyst, showing that you've implemented tools and processes during rapid growth is particularly relevant. Even if your background is primarily at larger companies, emphasize instances where you operated with startup-like agility or led transformative initiatives.

Include Relevant Certifications and Learning

dbt Labs offers its own certification program (dbt Analytics Engineering Certification), and holding this credential can signal genuine product knowledge and commitment. If you've completed the certification or relevant courses from dbt Labs' learning platform, include them. Additionally, certifications in cloud data platforms (Snowflake SnowPro, Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer, AWS Data Analytics) or related tools can strengthen your profile, particularly for technical roles. For non-technical roles, certifications in your functional area (CPA for accounting, relevant bar admission for legal) should be prominently listed.

ATS System: Greenhouse

Greenhouse is one of the most widely used applicant tracking systems among technology companies and startups. It provides structured hiring workflows, resume parsing, interview scorecards, and candidate management tools. When you apply to dbt Labs, your resume is uploaded into Greenhouse where it is parsed into structured fields (name, contact info, work history, education, skills). Recruiters and hiring managers then review applications within the Greenhouse interface, often using filters, tags, and search functionality to identify strong candidates. Greenhouse also supports structured interview processes with standardized scorecards, which aligns with dbt Labs' likely emphasis on fair, consistent evaluation.

Use standard resume section headers like 'Work Experience,' 'Education,' and 'Skills' to ensure Greenhouse's parser correctly categorizes your information.
Submit your resume as a PDF unless the application specifically requests another format — Greenhouse handles PDFs well and they preserve your formatting across devices.
Avoid using images, charts, icons, or complex formatting elements that can cause parsing errors — stick to clean text-based layouts with consistent formatting.
Include relevant keywords from the job description naturally throughout your resume, as recruiters may use Greenhouse's search and filter features to surface candidates with specific skills or experience.
Fill out all fields in the Greenhouse application form completely — leaving optional fields blank can make your application appear less thorough compared to candidates who provide comprehensive information.
If the application includes custom questions or short-answer prompts, treat these as mini cover letters — they're often used as early screening criteria and may be weighted heavily in initial reviews.

Complete Greenhouse Resume Guide

Interview Culture

dbt Labs' interview culture is commonly described as thoughtful, rigorous, and values-driven. The company has publicly shared its commitment to building an inclusive, transparent workplace, and this philosophy typically extends to its hiring process. Candidates frequently report that interviews at dbt Labs feel more like genuine conversations than interrogations — interviewers are often curious about your thought process, how you approach problems, and how you communicate, rather than testing you on trivia or gotcha questions. For technical roles like Senior Software Engineer II, expect interviews that assess both coding ability and system design thinking, with an emphasis on how you'd work within a collaborative, open-source-oriented engineering culture. dbt Labs' engineering team works on a product used by tens of thousands of data practitioners, so interviewers may explore how you think about developer experience, API design, or building tools that serve a technical community. For go-to-market roles like Commercial Sales Director or Enterprise Sales Director, interviews likely focus on your understanding of developer-led and community-driven sales motions, your ability to navigate complex enterprise deals, and your experience selling to data and analytics buyers. Given dbt Labs' product-led growth model, demonstrating an understanding of how open-source adoption translates into commercial revenue is likely valuable. Across all roles, dbt Labs appears to place significant weight on cultural alignment. The company's publicly stated values — including transparency, community, and craftsmanship — are likely explored during interviews. Candidates who demonstrate intellectual humility, a genuine passion for the data ecosystem, and strong written and verbal communication skills tend to be well-positioned. Many applicants note that the process feels well-organized, with clear communication from recruiters and timely feedback throughout.

What dbt Labs Looks For

Deep familiarity with the modern data stack and genuine enthusiasm for analytics engineering as a discipline
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, reflecting dbt Labs' async-first, documentation-heavy culture
Community orientation — a track record of contributing to open-source projects, communities, or knowledge-sharing initiatives
Intellectual curiosity and a growth mindset, with demonstrated ability to learn new technologies and adapt to evolving landscapes
Experience thriving in startup or high-growth environments with ambiguity, rapid iteration, and cross-functional collaboration
Strong ownership mentality — the ability to take initiative, drive projects to completion, and operate with minimal oversight
Alignment with dbt Labs' values of transparency, craftsmanship, and putting the community first
For technical roles: proficiency in SQL, Python, and cloud data platforms, with an appreciation for developer experience and tooling
For commercial roles: understanding of product-led growth, developer-focused sales motions, and the ability to sell to technical buyers

Frequently Asked Questions

Does dbt Labs offer remote work options?

dbt Labs has historically been known as a remote-friendly company, and many of its roles appear to support distributed work. However, some positions — such as the Commercial Sales Director (Austin) and Enterprise Sales Director (Bay Area) — specify geographic preferences or requirements. Always check the individual job listing for location details, and clarify remote work policies during your recruiter screen.

Do I need to know how to use dbt to apply for non-technical roles?

While hands-on dbt experience isn't typically required for non-technical roles like Corporate Counsel or Senior Revenue Accountant, demonstrating a basic understanding of what dbt does and why it matters to the data community can set you apart. Spending time exploring dbt's documentation, watching a Coalesce talk, or reading the dbt blog can help you speak credibly about the product and mission during interviews.

How long does the dbt Labs hiring process typically take?

Based on common patterns at similar-stage startups using Greenhouse, the hiring process at dbt Labs likely spans 3-6 weeks from initial application to offer, depending on the role's seniority and complexity. Senior and director-level positions may involve additional interview rounds and take longer. Staying responsive to recruiter communications and being flexible with scheduling can help keep the process moving efficiently.

Should I include a cover letter with my dbt Labs application?

While not always explicitly required, submitting a thoughtful cover letter is commonly recommended for dbt Labs given the company's strong writing culture. A well-crafted cover letter that explains your connection to dbt Labs' mission, your relevant experience, and why you're excited about the specific role can serve as a powerful differentiator. Keep it concise — typically one page or less — and focus on what you'd uniquely bring to the team.

What programming languages and technologies should I highlight for engineering roles?

For engineering roles at dbt Labs, SQL and Python are foundational — dbt itself is built with Python and operates primarily in the SQL transformation layer. Depending on the specific role, experience with cloud data warehouses (Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, Databricks), CI/CD tools, testing frameworks, and open-source development practices is likely valued. Familiarity with dbt Core's architecture, Jinja templating, and the dbt package ecosystem can be particularly compelling.

How important is the dbt Analytics Engineering Certification for my application?

Holding the dbt Analytics Engineering Certification can be a meaningful signal of product knowledge and commitment, particularly for roles that involve working directly with dbt or the data community (such as Lead Curriculum Developer or customer-facing engineering roles). For other roles, it's a nice-to-have rather than a requirement. If you don't have the certification, demonstrating practical dbt experience through projects, community contributions, or professional work can serve a similar purpose.

Can I apply to multiple roles at dbt Labs simultaneously?

Greenhouse allows candidates to apply to multiple positions, and it's generally acceptable to do so if you're genuinely qualified for each role. However, applying to too many unrelated positions can signal a lack of focus. If you're interested in more than one role, consider applying to your top 1-2 choices and tailoring each application specifically. You can also mention your interest in other roles during your recruiter screen to explore the best fit.

What is dbt Labs' company culture like?

dbt Labs is commonly described as having a transparent, community-first culture with a strong emphasis on craftsmanship and intellectual curiosity. The company grew out of a consulting firm (Fishtown Analytics) and retains a collaborative, practitioner-oriented ethos. Written communication and documentation are central to how the company operates, and async-first collaboration is a key part of the work style. The dbt community — with its active Slack, conferences, and open-source ecosystem — is deeply intertwined with the company's identity, and employees are often encouraged to participate in and contribute to this community.

How should I prepare for a sales interview at dbt Labs?

For sales roles at dbt Labs, preparation should include understanding the product-led growth model that drives dbt's commercial business. Study how dbt Core's open-source adoption creates a pipeline for dbt Cloud enterprise sales. Be prepared to discuss your experience selling to technical buyers (data engineers, analytics engineers, data platform teams) and navigating complex enterprise procurement cycles. Familiarize yourself with dbt Labs' competitive landscape, including how it complements and competes with platforms like Databricks, Snowflake, and other data transformation tools. Demonstrating that you can credibly engage with technical practitioners while driving commercial outcomes is likely essential.

Sample Open Positions

Sources

dbt Labs Careers Page — dbt Labs
dbt Labs - About Us — dbt Labs
dbt Community and Resources — dbt Labs
Greenhouse ATS - How It Works — Greenhouse Software
dbt Labs Blog — dbt Labs
dbt Analytics Engineering Certification — dbt Labs