Principal Engineer, Data Path / Metadata / Performance (StorageGRID)

NetApp, Inc.; Morrisville (NC); Hybrid; USD 228,000 - 339,000; Full time

Job summary

NetApp is seeking a Principal Engineer for the StorageGRID S3 data path. You will own architecture and technical direction for end-to-end performance across hundreds of nodes and exabytes of capacity. This is a hands-on leadership role at the intersection of distributed systems and storage internals.

You will set the architectural north star for data movement and resolve the hardest performance and scaling challenges, influencing teams across engineering and field organizations.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in systems, storage, distributed systems, or performance engineering.
• Strong hands-on programming in C/C++, Go, or Python with debugging distributed software on Linux.
• Built or owned an object storage system or S3 implementation including data path, placement, replication/erasure coding, consistency and failure handling.
• Ability to influence technical direction across teams without direct authority.
• Mentor engineers on data path internals and performance optimization.

Responsibilities

• Own the Datapath Architecture for StorageGRID S3 data path from ingest to metadata storage.
• Lead performance analysis, benchmarking, and deliver improvements.
• Design for scale and geo-distribution with multi-site replication at exabyte scale.
• Drive large cross-cutting data path initiatives from architecture to release readiness.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership and high-quality design standards.

Skills

C/C++

Go

Python

Distributed systems

Performance engineering

Tools

Apache Cassandra

Job description

Job Summary

Job Summary

NetApp is pioneering object storage - S3-compatible, software-defined storage that powers the exponential growth of AI data lakes, analytics, and exabyte-scale enterprise data. As a Principal Engineer for Datapath / Performance, you will own the architecture and technical direction of the StorageGRID S3 data path and its end-to-end performance.

This role is ideal for a deeply hands-on technical leader who thrives at the intersection of distributed systems, storage internals, and high-scale performance engineering. You will set the bar for a mission-critical product deployed at hundreds of nodes and exabytes of capacity across the world's largest enterprises and hyperscalers.

Role Overview

As a Principal Engineer on the StorageGRID team, you will be the technical authority for the S3 data path including metadata and performance. You will define the architectural north star for how StorageGRID moves and serves data and resolve the hardest performance and scaling problems affecting AI data lakes.

At the Principal level, the role requires exceptional hands-on technical depth, sound architectural judgment, and the ability to influence direction across engineering, QA, product management, and field teams.

Job Responsibilities

• Datapath Architecture
• Own the architecture and technical implementation of the StorageGRID S3 data path - from ingest/retrieve/delete to metadata storage to the on-disk replicated/erasure-coded data flow.
• Lead performance analysis, benchmarking then identify performance improvements and deliver.
• Design for scale and geo-distribution- multi-site, cross-grid replication, and global/federated namespace behavior at hundreds of nodes and exabyte scale
• Drive large, cross-cutting data path initiatives from architecture through implementation, validation, and release readiness
• Hands-On Technical Leadership
• Stay deep in the code and the hardest bugs; set the technical bar through high-quality design, reviews, root-cause analysis, and pragmatic engineering standards
• Lead StorageGRID designs and drive architectural alignment across data path engineering.

Job Requirements

• 12+ years of experience in systems, storage, distributed systems, or performance engineering, with a track record of technical leadership
• Strong hands-on programming skills in one or more of C/C++, Go, or Python, and experience debugging distributed software in Linux-based environments
• Built or owned an object storage system, S3 implementation, or large-scale distributed storage/database product including request data path, data placement, replication/erasure coding, consistency, and failure handling
• Experience with Apache Cassandra or comparable distributed databases at scale
• Proven ability to influence technical direction across teams without direct authority
• Mentor Senior and MTS engineers on data path internals, performance optimization, distributed-systems design, and debugging practices
• Collaborate with quality engineering, product management, supportability, support, and field teams to translate customer requirements into data path and performance improvements

Nice to Have Qualifications

• Experience with S3 protocol semantics (multipart, versioning, Object Lock/WORM) and the data path implications of the API contract
• Experience with load balancing, network, storage media (NVMe/SSD/HDD), and x86 hardware
• Experience with AI-assisted development and observability tooling for analysis, debugging, testing, and documentation

Education

IC - Typically requires a minimum of 15 years of related experience.Mgr & Exec - Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience.

Compensation:
The target salary range for this position is 227,800 - 338,800 USD and for Vancouver, Canada$225,250 - $291,500 CAD.The salary offered will be determined by the candidate's location, qualifications, experience, and education and may be outside of this range. The range is based on 'On Target Earnings' (OTE) representing the total potential earnings, which is the sum of the base salary and potential commission earned when performance targets are achieved. Final compensation packages are competitive and in line with industry standards, reflecting a variety of factors, and include a comprehensive benefits package. This may cover Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Retirement or Pension Plans, Paid Time Off, various Leave options, employee stock purchase plan, and/or restricted stocks (RSU's). These offerings are subject to regional variations and governed by local laws, regulations, and company policies. We will provide detailed information about the specific benefits for your region during the recruitment process.

At NetApp, we embrace a hybrid working environment designed to strengthen connection, collaboration, and culture for all employees. This means that most roles will have some level of in-office and/or in-person expectations, which will be shared during the recruitment process.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

NetApp is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and to compliance with all federal, state and local laws that prohibit employment discrimination based on age, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information, pregnancy, protected veteran status, and any other protected classification.

Why You'll Thrive at NetApp

At NetApp, you won't wait for the perfect moment—you'll make it. The early planning, the extra thought, the bold idea that turns good into great: That's how our people operate and how we continue to push the boundaries of data infrastructure.

NetApp is the trusted partner for organizations transforming data into opportunity. As the only enterprise-grade storage service natively embedded in Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure, we empower customers to run everything from traditional workloads to enterprise AI with unmatched performance, resilience, and security.

Our culture

We celebrate mold breakers, bold thinkers, and problem solvers. We reward initiative, impact, and ownership. We provide flexibility so you can balance professional ambition with your personal life. Here, differences are not just welcomed—they drive everything we do.

AI Disclosure

For select roles, some stages of our hiring process may use artificial intelligence tools to help evaluate applications and candidate selection. These tools support - rather than replace - human decision-making.