Principal Software Engineer - Postgres

ClickHouse; United States; On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work environment

Healthcare contributions

Company equity

Flexible time off

$500 Home office setup

Global Gatherings

Job summary

ClickHouse is looking for a Principal Engineer to drive the development of next-generation database systems. In this high-impact role, you will lead design and implementation efforts while optimizing performance and contributing to Postgres internals. This position demands 10+ years of experience in systems software and a deep understanding of database internals.

Join us in redefining how databases are built and operated at scale, while enjoying our flexible work environment and competitive compensation.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience building systems software.
• Deep knowledge of PostgreSQL or other database engine internals.
• Proven ability to ship large-scale systems or core infrastructure features.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and implementation of advanced systems features.
• Contribute to and extend Postgres internals.
• Profile and optimize database performance.
• Provide technical leadership and mentor senior engineers.

Skills

C/C++ or Rust

PostgreSQL internals

Concurrency

Performance engineering

Systems software experience

Job description

Recognized on the 2025 Forbes Cloud 100 list, ClickHouse is one of the most innovative and fast-growing private cloud companies. With more than 3,000 customers and ARR that has grown over 250 percent year over year, ClickHouse leads the market in real-time analytics, data warehousing, observability, and AI workloads.

The company’s sustained, accelerating momentum was recently validated by a $400M Series D financing round. Over the past three months, customers including Capital One, Lovable, Decagon, Polymarket, and Airwallex have adopted the platform or expanded existing deployments. These customers join an established base of AI innovators and global brands such as Meta, Cursor, Sony, and Tesla.

We’re on a mission to transform how companies use data. Come be a part of our journey!

About the Role

ClickHouse is expanding its capabilities in the database systems domain, building next-generation infrastructure that redefines performance, scalability, and developer experience. We’re looking for a Principal Engineer with deep expertise in systems programming and database internals — particularly Postgres — to help us push boundaries in how databases are built and operated at scale.

This is a strategic and high-impact role for an engineer who can work independently across complex technical areas: from storage and performance optimization to distributed coordination and extension development. You’ll shape critical components of our data platform, mentor other engineers, and drive architectural direction for systems that serve massive workloads.

What You’ll Do

• Lead design and implementation of advanced systems features across areas like storage, replication, query execution, and performance optimization.
• Contribute to and extend Postgres internals — improving reliability, scalability, and efficiency.
• Prototype and build extensions that expand Postgres’s core capabilities and integrate with cloud-native infrastructure.
• Collaborate with product, infrastructure, and cloud platform teams to deliver robust, developer-friendly experiences.
• Profile and optimize database performance using low-level instrumentation and benchmarking.
• Provide technical leadership, set standards for engineering excellence, and mentor senior engineers.
• Operate with significant autonomy and ownership — driving projects from concept to production.

About You

• 10+ years of experience building systems software in C/C++ or Rust (Go experience a plus).
• Deep knowledge of PostgreSQL or other database engine internals, including storage, execution, or replication subsystems.
• Strong understanding of concurrency, operating systems, and performance engineering.
• Proven ability to ship large-scale systems or core infrastructure features end-to-end.
• Experience contributing to open-source databases or similar complex systems is highly desirable.
• Pragmatic problem solver with a bias for simplicity and measurable impact.
• Thrives in a high-autonomy, high-velocity environment.

Why Join Us

• Work on foundational database technologies at the intersection of performance, reliability, and usability.
• Shape the future of Postgres-based systems and cloud data infrastructure.
• Operate with autonomy in a small, high-talent team that values depth, craftsmanship, and impact.
• Contribute to an ambitious vision: making data systems faster, simpler, and more powerful for developers everywhere.

Salary Range (US)

Typical starting salary: $140,000 – $200,000 USD. In premium markets such as the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City Metro Area: $158,000 – $232,000 USD.

Compensation and Benefits

For roles based in the United States, the typical starting salary range for this position is listed above. In certain locations, a premium market range may apply.

These salary ranges reflect what we reasonably and in good faith believe to be the minimum and maximum pay for this role at the time of posting. The actual compensation may be higher or lower than the amounts listed, and the ranges may be subject to future adjustments.

An individual’s placement within the range will depend on various factors, including (but not limited to) education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, location, performance, and the needs of the business or organization.

• Flexible work environment – ClickHouse is a globally distributed company and remote-friendly. We currently operate in over 20 countries.
• Healthcare – Employer contributions towards your healthcare.
• Equity in the company – Every new team member who joins our company receives stock options.
• Time off – Flexible time off in the US, generous entitlement in other countries.
• A $500 Home office setup if you’re a remote employee.
• Global Gatherings – We believe in the power of in-person connection and offer opportunities to engage with colleagues at company-wide offsites.

Equal Opportunity & Privacy

ClickHouse provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type based on factors such as race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

ClickHouse respects privacy and provides a statement on privacy practices.