Principal Engineer - Managed Databases

Principal Engineer – Managed Databases at Core Weave

Core Weave is The Essential Cloud for AI™. Built for pioneers by pioneers, Core Weave delivers a platform of technology, tools, and teams that enables innovators to build and scale AI with confidence. Trusted by leading AI labs, startups, and global enterprises, Core Weave combines superior infrastructure performance with deep technical expertise to accelerate breakthroughs and turn compute into capability. Founded in 2017, Core Weave became a publicly traded company (Nasdaq: CRWV) in March 2025.

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We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Principal Engineer to lead the architecture, development, and operations of Managed databases for AI workloads. In this role, you will help shape the vision and direction on how customers and internal stakeholders store and access operational data for AI/ML workloads. Further, the role will define the strategy and lead vertical stack integration of data needs for AI inferencing and Agentic flows.

You will have direct access to customers and work closely with engineering stakeholders across Core Weave products.

• Define and drive Core Weave’s Managed databases technical roadmap and strategy.
• Design and implement advanced database solutions applicable to AI workloads, while ensuring fault tolerance, high‑scale and low‑latency.
• Build solutions that offer programmatic access to creating, scaling, and modifying databases.
• Champion initiatives to improve reliability, durability, and self‑healing capabilities of systems, and assume operational responsibilities.
• Develop operational review practices to assess performance against targets and iterating on those targets.
• Mentor and guide engineering teams on best practices in product engineering, fostering a customer‑focused approach to systems design and technical excellence.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in distributed systems, with a focus on reliability and scale. Hands‑on technical leader.
• Prior experience with managed databases as a SaaS offering.
• Proven experience building products to address customer needs.
• Prior experience building AI features in production is a plus.
• Proficiency in Golang or Python.
• Strong understanding of cloud computing infrastructure using Kubernetes, scalable architectures, and automation.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to synthesize problem statements from interactions with customers and design solutions given ambiguous requirements.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, able to convey storage engineering strategies and practices to technical and non‑technical audiences.

Wondering if you’re a good fit? We believe in investing in our people, and value candidates who can bring their own diversified experiences to our teams – even if you aren't a 100% skill or experience match.

• Be Curious at Your Core
• Act Like an Owner
• Empower Employees
• Deliver Best‑in‑Class Client Experiences
• Achieve More Together

The base salary range for this role is $227,000 to $303,000. The starting salary will be determined based on job‑related knowledge, skills, experience, and market location. We strive for both market alignment and internal equity when determining compensation. In addition to base salary, our total rewards package includes a discretionary bonus, equity awards, and a comprehensive benefits program (all based on eligibility).

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance – 100% paid for by Core Weave
• Company‑paid Life Insurance
• Voluntary supplemental life insurance
• Short and long‑term disability insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Savings Account
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)
• Mental Wellness Benefits through Spring Health
• Family‑Forming support provided by Carrot
• Paid Parental Leave
• Full‑service childcare support with Kinside
• 401(k) with a generous employer match
• Flexible PTO
• Catered lunch each day in our office and data center locations
• A casual work environment
• Work culture focused on innovative disruption

We prioritize a…