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The Senior Principal Software Engineer serves as a technical leader for the Vertica database platform, defining and driving the architecture, design, and implementation of strategic innovations across the core server. This role is responsible for advancing Vertica's foundational database technologies, including query optimization, distributed execution, storage, scalability, and performance, while influencing the long-term technical direction of the product.
As a recognized subject matter expert, the Senior Principal Software Engineer combines deep expertise in database internals with a proven track record of delivering innovative technologies that improve performance, reliability, and competitive differentiation in large-scale analytical data platforms. The role partners closely with Engineering, Product Management, Support, Sales Engineering, and customers to identify opportunities, define technical strategy, and deliver high-impact capabilities that strengthen Vertica's position in the market.
This role is particularly well suited for engineers who have previously driven major innovations in commercial analytical database systems and can leverage deep domain expertise to shape the next generation of Vertica’s core platform.
Key Responsibilities
- Acts as the subject matter expert across multiple Vertica core server domains, including query optimization, distributed query execution, storage, concurrency, and database infrastructure.
- Responsible for the technical direction and architecture of or more critical components of the Vertica database engine.
- Synthesizes customer requirements, market trends, product strategy, and engineering input into technical direction and product requirements.
- Advises on architectural decisions and their impact on product capabilities, scalability, performance, reliability, and business outcomes.
- Defines and drives the long-term architectural vision for core database technologies.
- Researches and evaluates state-of-the-art database algorithms, distributed systems techniques, and emerging technologies, driving their practical application within the Vertica platform.
- Identifies opportunities for innovation and delivers foundational enhancements that improve performance, scalability, reliability, and operational efficiency.
- Architects complex database features and infrastructure that support large-scale analytical workloads across distributed environments.
- Leads the design and implementation of highly concurrent, high-performance C++ software within mission-critical database systems.
- Guides the evolution of Vertica’s query optimizer, execution engine, distributed architecture, and related core server technologies.
- Documents and communicates complex technical concepts, architectures, and design decisions across the organization.
- Works effectively with all groups involved in the software development process to ensure solutions consider downstream impacts across the product lifecycle.
- Provides thought leadership and innovation within database systems and distributed data processing domains.
- Regularly proposes and implements innovative ideas that improve Vertica’s competitive position and customer value.
- Identifies, socializes, and drives improvements that have significant impact across products, teams, and customer workloads.
- Applies deep knowledge of algorithms, data structures, database internals, and distributed systems to develop optimal solutions balancing performance, reliability, scalability, and security.
- Provides forward-thinking designs that leverage existing platform capabilities in novel and impactful ways.
- Actively participates in strategic planning, roadmap development, feature scoping, estimation, and prioritization of major initiatives.
- Works with software architects and product owners to ensure roadmaps and backlogs align with long-term architectural objectives.
- Guides testing strategies, including functional, performance, scalability, resiliency, and stress testing.
- Collaborates directly with customers, support teams, and field organizations to understand real-world challenges and translate them into impactful technical solutions.
- Mentors engineers and technical leaders across the organization, fostering engineering excellence and innovation.
- Communicates effectively across the organization, including with senior leadership.
- Demonstrates the ability to manage multiple competing priorities while maintaining focus on strategic objectives.
Experience and Qualifications
- Minimum 12 years of software engineering experience, including significant experience developing complex systems software.
- Proven track record of successful software innovation, problem solving, and product delivery at increasing scale and complexity.
- Deep expertise in or more database engine domains, including query optimization, query execution, storage engines, transaction processing, concurrency control, distributed systems, or database infrastructure.
- Expert knowledge of C++ and performance-oriented systems programming.
- Strong understanding of algorithms, data structures, operating systems, and multi-threaded programming.
- Demonstrated experience designing and implementing large-scale distributed systems.
- Strong knowledge of SQL and relational database technologies.
- Ability to evaluate emerging research and translate innovative concepts into production-quality software.
- Able to take ownership of the design and development of large architectural components and define interactions across subsystems.
- Able to review designs and anticipate performance, scalability, reliability, and maintainability considerations.
- Proven success leading cross-functional technical initiatives and influencing engineering strategy across multiple teams.
- Recognized by peers as a superior technical contributor and technical leader.
- Exemplary at dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity.
- Proven success mentoring and developing software engineers at all levels.
- Excellent technical communication and collaboration skills.
- Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Database Systems, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline is strongly preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related technical discipline required.
Preferred Experience
- Expertise in commercial database internals and database kernel development.
- Experience designing or implementing cost-based query optimizers.
- Experience developing distributed query processing or execution frameworks.
- Experience building highly scalable analytical database systems or massively parallel processing (MPP) database platforms.
- Experience shaping the architectural direction of a mature enterprise software platform.
- Record of innovation reflected through patents, publications, significant product contributions, or industry-recognized technical achievements.
- Prior experience contributing to the Vertica database engine or other large-scale analytical database platforms.
- Deep familiarity with Vertica core server architecture, query optimization, distributed execution, storage, catalog, transaction management, or related subsystems is highly valued.
- Demonstrated ability to influence the technical direction of a complex database platform through architectural leadership and long-term innovation.
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Annual salary range for this position is between $143,000.00 - $193,050.00 gross before taxes.
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- What Rocket Software can offer you in USA:
Unlimited Vacation Time as well as paid holidays and sick time
Health and Wellness coverage options for Rocketeers and dependents
Life and disability coverage
Fidelity 401(k) and Roth Retirement Savings with matching contributions
Monthly student debt benefit program
Tuition Reimbursement and Certificate Reimbursement Program opportunities
Leadership and skills training opportunities
EOE M/F/Vet/Disability. Rocket Software Inc. is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Rocket Software Inc. is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.
At Rocket Software, we believe AI is a critical enabler of innovation and productivity. All Rocketeers are expected to actively leverage AI-powered tools and technologies, where appropriate, to enhance efficiency, improve decision-making, and deliver greater impact in their roles. Embracing continuous learning and the responsible use of AI is an essential part of how we work.
Rocket is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you need special assistance or an accommodation while seeking employment, please call: 781-577-4321 or send an email to [email protected]. We will make a determination on your request for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis.
As part of our commitment to a safe and trustworthy workplace, we include background and reference checks in our hiring process.
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
If you like wild growth and working with happy, enthusiastic over-achievers, you'll enjoy your career with us!
