Staff Software Engineer
Software Development
ProgrammaticExcel
WFA Digital Insight
As the demand for skilled software engineers continues to skyrocket, Amplitude is looking for a seasoned professional to join their team as a Staff Software Engineer. With the rise of AI and automated systems, the need for efficient and reliable OLAP engines has never been more pressing. According to recent market trends, the demand for data processing and analysis specialists grew by 25% in the past year alone. Amplitude stands out as a leader in this field, and this role offers a unique opportunity to work on a critical infrastructure project. Before applying, candidates should be aware that this role requires a deep understanding of complex distributed systems and a passion for driving technical direction.
Job Description
About the Role
The Staff Software Engineer role at Amplitude is a unique opportunity to work on a critical infrastructure project, building and evolving the core query engine infrastructure of their in-house OLAP engine, Nova. As a key member of the team, you will be responsible for driving meaningful improvements to performance, cost-efficiency, and reliability at scale. The role entails working across the full stack of a modern OLAP system, including query planning and execution, columnar storage and encoding, distributed compute, caching, and cloud infrastructure. Nova is a critical component of Amplitude's product, processing trillions of events in real-time and providing fast, trustworthy answers to thousands of product teams worldwide. As the demand for non-stop AI agents continues to grow, the need for a reliable and efficient OLAP engine has never been more pressing.What You Will Do
- Build and evolve core query engine infrastructure, including query planning, columnar storage formats, encoding and compression, caching, and cluster-level resource management
- Design and implement new capabilities to support more warehouse-imported data types, such as metrics, profiles, and dimensions
- Optimize JVM performance, including GC tuning, memory management, concurrency, and data layout decisions
- Identify systemic failure modes and drive durable fixes to strengthen Nova's reliability posture
- Participate in on-call rotation to root-cause incidents and turn one-off fixes into architectural improvements
- Contribute to capacity planning, safe rollout practices, and the operational tooling that keeps Nova healthy
- Lead the design and execution of multi-month projects to improve Nova's architecture, performance, or capabilities
- Mentor senior engineers on distributed systems thinking, production debugging, and system design
- Collaborate with Product, Middleware, Data Pipeline, and other engineering teams to ensure Nova's capabilities translate into customer value
What We Are Looking For
- Experienced systems engineer with a deep understanding of complex distributed systems
- Proven track record of building or significantly extending an OLAP engine, columnar database, query processor, or large-scale data processing system
- Strong skills in programming languages, such as Java, Scala, or C++
- Experience with cloud infrastructure, including AWS or GCP
- Strong understanding of data storage and encoding, including columnar storage and compression
- Experience with JVM performance optimization and troubleshooting
- Strong communication and mentorship skills, with the ability to lead design and architecture discussions
Nice to Have
- Experience with AI or machine learning applications
- Familiarity with Agile development methodologies
- Experience with programmatic and Excel skills
Benefits and Perks
- Competitive salary and equity package
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
- Generous PTO and holiday policy
- Remote work stipend and equipment budget
- Professional development budget and opportunities for growth
How to Stand Out
- To stand out in this role, make sure to highlight your experience with complex distributed systems and OLAP engines in your resume and cover letter.
- Be prepared to discuss your approach to performance optimization and troubleshooting in your interview.
- Familiarize yourself with Amplitude's product and technology stack to demonstrate your passion for the company and role.
- Showcase your ability to lead design and architecture discussions through examples of previous projects or experiences.
- Don't be afraid to ask about the company culture and values during the interview process to ensure it's a good fit for you.
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