Senior​/Lead Software Engineer, Database System

PhoenixAI is the Agentic AI Database, purpose-built to give autonomous AI agents sub-second access to live enterprise data at massive scale. The platform unifies real-time and at-rest data in a single AI-native engine, combining the speed and concurrency that agentic workloads demand with the governance and deployment flexibility enterprises require to put AI into production. Formerly known as Celer Data, PhoenixAI is headquartered in Menlo Park, California.

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We’re looking for talented Software Engineers to join our team and help drive the development of Star Rocks, our high-performance SQL engine purpose-built for composable lake houses. If you are passionate about developing advanced database systems and enjoy solving challenging technical problems in a collaborative, open-source-oriented environment, we invite you to join our team at PhoenixAI and help shape the future of data analytics.

• Develop, enhance, and maintain the Star Rocks database system, ensuring it meets rigorous performance and reliability standards.

• Implement advanced software features and technology enhancements to keep Star Rocks at the forefront as a SQL engine for composable lake houses.

• Deliver robust, scalable code that meets the demanding technical requirements of major enterprise clients.

• Analyze and address challenges related to fault tolerance, high availability, performance, and scalability.

• Collaborate with external contributors from the open-source community to integrate improvements and ensure that our technology remains cutting-edge and comprehensive.

• 5+ years of professional experience in developing commercial or open-source software applications.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related fields is required (Master’s or PhD preferred).

• Advanced proficiency in C++ and Java, with a proven track record in designing and implementing complex functionalities in performance-critical environments.

• Experience with large-scale distributed systems, including transaction management and consistency models.

• Evidence of active participation in open-source projects or a deep understanding of technologies such as Star Rocks, Apache Iceberg, Parquet, Spark, Trino, or similar big data solutions.

* Please note that this role is remote friendly to senior+ candidates.

Every PhoenixAI hire is held to the same operating bar: own the outcome, seek truth and build trust, move fast with judgment, work AI-first, and raise the bar without ego.

The base salary range for this role in the San Francisco Bay Area is $160,000 to $240,000
. The offer also includes equity and PhoenixAI's full benefits package. Where you land in the range depends on your experience, scope, and interview results.

PhoenixAI is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome candidates of all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.