Research Scientist Graduate, (Distributed NoSQL Database Systems) - 2026 Start (PhD)

ByteDance; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 156,000 - 316,800; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) savings plan with company match

Paid parental leave

Short-term and long-term disability coverage

Life insurance

Paid holidays and sick days

Paid Personal Time

Job summary

ByteDance is seeking a software engineer in San Jose, California, to design and develop distributed NoSQL databases. Candidates should have a strong background in computer science with a focus on coding in languages like C++, Java, and Python.

The ideal candidate will possess a Ph.D. in a relevant field and experience with distributed systems. The role offers competitive compensation, starting from $156,000 to $316,800 annually, along with comprehensive benefits, including medical insurance and 401(k). This position emphasizes collaboration and technical expertise.

Qualifications

• Final year or recent graduate with a background in software development, computer science, computer engineering, or related technical discipline.
• Strong coding skills in a Linux environment.
• Deep understanding of database principles and multi-threaded programming, with hands-on experience in distributed storage.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop distributed NoSQL databases including caches and document databases.
• Optimize compute and storage engines for cloud-native global deployments.
• Provide technical guidance for system optimization and performance improvement.

Skills

C

C++

Java

Go

Python

Rust

Education

Ph.D. in Computer Science or related fields

Tools

RocksDB

Redis

MongoDB

HBase

TiDB

Neo4j

Elasticsearch

JanusGraph

YugabyteDB

CockroachDB

Job description

Responsibilities

• Design and develop distributed NoSQL databases, with a focus on one of the following: distributed caches, key‑value stores, document databases, graph databases, wide‑column stores, search engines, or multi‑model databases.
• Build high‑performance, low‑latency, and highly available distributed systems to support mission‑critical business operations with scalability and cost efficiency.
• Optimize compute and storage engines for cloud‑native global deployments, improving efficiency and reducing operational costs.
• Provide technical guidance to internal business teams, identifying opportunities for system optimization to improve stability, functionality, and performance.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to develop robust database products and solutions.
• Address technical challenges in cloud service architectures, ensuring scalable solutions for large‑scale, high‑traffic systems.

Qualifications

Final year or recent graduate with a background in software development, computer science, computer engineering, or related technical discipline.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Computer Science or related fields with strong database systems or AI research experience.
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages (C, C++, Java, Go, Python, Rust) with strong coding skills in a Linux environment.
• Deep understanding of database principles, distributed system design, and multi‑threaded programming, with hands‑on experience in distributed storage and computing technologies.
• Strong knowledge of distributed consensus algorithms, with experience in database kernel development.
• Practical experience with large‑scale cloud‑native architectures and distributed system control platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Publications at top‑tier conferences (e.g., SIGMOD, VLDB, NeurIPS, MLSys, ICDE).
• Familiarity with popular database systems and source code such as RocksDB, Redis, MongoDB, HBase, TiDB, Neo4j, Elasticsearch, JanusGraph, YugabyteDB, or CockroachDB.

Job Information

Compensation Description (Annually): The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $156,000–$316,800 annually.

Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.

Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day‑one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short‑term and long‑term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).

The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.

Fair Chance Employment and Criminal History

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:

• Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
• Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems;
• Exercising sound judgment.

Reasonable Accommodation

ByteDance is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/RA-request.