Principal Software Engineer - MySQL (Remote)

Percona; Toronto; Remote; CAD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading open-source database company is seeking a Principal Software Engineer with deep expertise in MySQL internals, including the optimizer and InnoDB. This remote role requires a strong track record in C/C++ development and a passion for open-source innovation. Join a globally distributed team committed to solving complex problems with flexible work hours and supportive benefits.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Equipment support

Career development funds

Work/life balance programs

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on C / C++ development experience.
• Deep understanding of MySQL internals.
• Solid grasp of DBMS internal algorithms.

Responsibilities

• Architect and develop cutting-edge features.
• Lead key initiatives from concept to delivery.
• Diagnose and resolve critical bugs.
• Collaborate with seasoned engineers.
• Mentor other engineers.

Skills

C / C++ development

MySQL internals

Query Optimizer

InnoDB Storage Engine

Group Replication

AI/ML concepts

Tools

git

gdb

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Principal Software Engineer - MySQL (Remote)

Join to apply for the Principal Software Engineer - MySQL (Remote) role at Percona.

Overview

Percona is seeking a Principal Software Engineer with deep expertise in MySQL internals — ideally in one or more of the following: the optimizer, InnoDB, or Group Replication. This senior individual contributor role is for an engineer who thrives on solving hard problems, values technical ownership, and is passionate about open-source innovation.

We are looking for someone with a strong track record of developing new features, capable of delivering under tight deadlines, and open to learning new technologies, including AI/ML integrations with databases.

You will work on Percona Server for MySQL, Percona XtraBackup, Percona XtraDB Cluster, and Oracle MySQL. This is a remote role, allowing you to work from home while collaborating with a globally distributed team using modern online tools. Occasional travel—typically once per year—may be expected for team meetups or company events. A stable, high-speed internet connection is required.

We offer flexible working hours and provide necessary equipment, including a laptop and internet access support.

Responsibilities

1. Architect and develop cutting-edge features and improvements.
2. Lead key initiatives from concept to delivery with attention to quality, scalability, and performance.
3. Diagnose and resolve critical bugs in Percona Server for MySQL, Percona XtraBackup, Percona XtraDB Cluster, and upstream MySQL products.
4. Collaborate with other seasoned engineers to push the boundaries of open-source database innovation.
5. Perform periodic source code merges from other open source repositories.
6. Stay ahead of the curve on AI, distributed systems, and cloud-native technologies — and help integrate these into Percona’s future roadmap.
7. Mentor other engineers and contribute to a culture of technical excellence.
8. Represent Percona in the open-source community by speaking, blogging, and contributing upstream.

Qualifications

1. 10+ years of hands-on C / C++ development experience, with at least 5 years working on database internals.
2. Deep understanding of MySQL internals, with specialization in at least one of: Query Optimizer, InnoDB Storage Engine, Group Replication.
3. Proven history of shipping complex new features, not just bug fixes or backports.
4. Experience delivering projects under tight deadlines while maintaining code quality.
5. Solid grasp of DBMS internal algorithms such as query optimizer, B-tree indexing, multiversion concurrency control, ARIES crash recovery, etc.
6. Experience with high concurrency threading models, atomics, and locking primitives.
7. Knowledge of programming and scripting languages such as BASH, Perl, and Python.
8. Proficiency with tools like gdb and strace.
9. Proficiency with git, github, and source code management methodologies.
10. Experience with client/server or distributed network communication systems.
11. Passion for clean code, performance tuning, and algorithmic efficiency.
12. Interest or experience in applying AI/ML concepts to databases or workflows (bonus).
13. Familiarity with Linux internals, distributed systems, and threading/concurrency challenges.

Preferred Skills

1. Contributing to upstream MySQL or MariaDB.
2. Experience fixing tough issues on multi-threaded cluster solutions.
3. Knowledge of high-performance algorithms on modern multicore hardware.
4. History of driving performance enhancements.
5. Experience with CI/CD tools (Jenkins, CircleCI, Travis).
6. Familiarity with Linux packaging systems, virtualization, and containerization tools like Docker and Kubernetes.
7. Linux systems administration experience, including hardware, file systems, and networking.
8. Experience working remotely in a distributed environment using email, Slack, and voice calls.

Why Percona?

At Percona, we believe an open world is a better world. Our mission is to enable everyone to innovate freely, by providing the best open source database software, support, and services. We are a remote-only, globally dispersed workforce with colleagues in over 50 countries, fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture.

We offer benefits including flexible hours, equipment support, career development funds, connectivity allowances, and participation in our equity plan. We promote work/life balance with programs like The Percona Adventure Team, Work-from-Anywhere, FlowDays, FryDays, and more. We also support social responsibility through initiatives like PAVE and Women Transforming Technology.

If you’re excited about working with a high-growth tech company leading in the open-source database space, we want to hear from you!

Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to stay updated. We look forward to connecting!

Additional Details

Seniority level: Mid-Senior level

Employment type: Full-time

Job function: Engineering and IT

Industry: Software Development