Software Engineer - Database

MotherDuck is on a mission to make data warehousing fun and efficient for developers and data practitioners. The Software Engineer - Database role involves owning major projects related to DuckDB's dual execution stack and collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance user experience and database performance.

Responsibilities:

• Own major projects in our dual execution stack, so DuckDB can process queries seamlessly whether they're running locally or in the cloud
• Help build a cloud platform that dynamically assigns resources, so DuckDB stays efficient whether someone's running a tiny workload or pushing our biggest, highest-memory instances
• Lead cross-functional work with our frontend, platform, and infrastructure teams to keep the user experience coherent end to end
• Push the state of the art in embedded database performance, distributed execution, and DuckDB internals
• Deepen your DuckDB expertise and share it with the rest of the company through mentorship and documentation
• Work directly with our support team to debug issues, learn from real usage patterns, and prioritize the improvements that matter most
• Improve systems holistically... spotting architectural challenges early and clearing bottlenecks before they become problems
• Mentor teammates and help raise the bar for engineering practices across the team
• Work closely with DuckDB Labs (which grew out of the Database Architectures group at CWI, where vectorized execution and DuckDB were born) to help align on APIs and shape where DuckDB goes next

Requirements:

• You've built and shipped complex backend systems, and you know what great looks like
• You're fluent in a backend language like C++, Rust, Java, or similar systems languages, and you're comfortable working close to the metal. (C++ and Rust are the biggest plus here, and we love a great Java engineer too.)
• A good foundation in query engines, execution plans, indexing, and performance optimization techniques
• You've worked with cloud infrastructure, networking, and building low-latency distributed systems
• You can scope and lead projects that span multiple collaborators and cross-functional dependencies
• You take pride in clear thinking, careful design, and thoughtful tradeoffs
• You're comfortable mentoring peers and helping build a collaborative, high-agency environment
• You enjoy engaging with the wider community, whether that's open-source conversations or working directly with DuckDB Labs
• Hands-on experience with DuckDB is a huge plus, no matter what level you're coming in at