Key skills
PostgreSQL internalsDistributed SystemsSystem level featuresC/C++/C#/Java/JavaScript/PythonHigh AvailabilityDesign/code reviewsPerformance analysisJavaScriptPythonJavaC#C++CNoSQLPostgreSQLMongoDB
About this role
Microsoft is a company where passionate innovators come to collaborate and envision new possibilities. They are seeking a Principal Software Engineer with deep expertise in database internals and systems design to extend PostgreSQL for large scale document workloads, focusing on foundational features across query, indexing, and storage layers.
Responsibilities:
- Lead deep work on PostgreSQL internals (index access methods, operator classes) to design, implement and evolve indexing strategies for largescale unstructured / semi-structured data
- Extend PostgreSQL’s query engine by analyzing execution plans, introducing BSON aware operators, custom scan nodes and new cursor/continuation semantics to match NoSQL query needs and ensure efficient execution at scale
- Design and tune index pruning strategies that keep large tables and indexes lean without regressing query performance
- Collaborate across the PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Linux Foundation hosted DocumentDB communities to share vision, align on roadmap priorities, and contribute features that advance the open source DocumentDB engine
- Profile and analyze distributed system to identify performance bottlenecks
- Work across team and organizational boundaries to drive clarity and alignment
- Conduct and participate in design/code reviews and help shape and steer the team coding guidelines
- Embody our culture and values
Requirements:
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python OR equivalent experience
- Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role
- Experience with internals of PostgreSQL or similar Enterprise Database Management system, including Storage Engine and High Availability
- Experience building Distributed Systems with strong guarantees
- 5+ years of experience in designing, developing and shipping system level features in a large-scale cloud application or a backend distributed system
- 3+ years of experience developing and maintaining high-performance libraries or software engineering with a focus on large distributed systems involving concurrency, storage systems or databases