Staff Software Engineer- Public Sector

Databricks Inc.; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 180,500 - 248,150; Full time

Job summary

Databricks Inc. is seeking a Software Engineer for their Public Sector team in Virginia, Minnesota. This role involves architecting scalable backend services for their Data Intelligence Platform, addressing high-scale infrastructure challenges. Candidates should have 9+ years of experience, a BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science, and strong skills in distributed systems and cloud application development. The salary ranges from $180,500 to $248,150, along with comprehensive benefits and a commitment to diversity.

Qualifications

• 9+ years of professional software development experience.
• Deep understanding of distributed systems and concurrency.
• Strong production-level experience in at least one of Java, Scala, Go, or C++.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement highly scalable backend services.
• Solve complex architectural trade-offs around concurrency and storage.
• Ensure backend services meet high security and compliance standards.

Skills

Cloud Experience

Distributed Systems

Performance Optimization

Java

Scala

Go

C++

Education

BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science or related field

Job description

At Databricks, we are passionate about enabling data teams to solve the world's toughest problems — from making the next mode of transportation a reality to accelerating the development of medical breakthroughs. We do this by building and running the world's best data and AI infrastructure platform so our customers can use deep data insights to improve their business. Founded by engineers — and customer obsessed — we leap at every opportunity to solve technical challenges, from designing next-gen UI/UX for interfacing with data to scaling our services and infrastructure across millions of virtual machines. And we're only getting started.

The Role

At Databricks, we don’t just build software for the cloud; we are 'cloud maximalists.' We run our platform across every region of every major cloud provider (AWS, Azure, and GCP) simultaneously, creating a technical surface area that is unique in the industry. As a Software Engineer on our Public Sector team, you will be responsible for the core backend engineering that allows our Data Intelligence Platform for the Public Sector to operate at massive scale within sovereign and air-gapped cloud environments.

We are looking for world‑class Software Engineers to join our core Backend Engineering teams. You will design, build, and scale the distributed systems that power one of the largest data and AI infrastructures in the world. You will tackle high‑scale infrastructure challenges where 'zero‑waste' compute efficiency and 100% system resilience are mandatory. From optimizing massive data storage layers to architecting low‑latency microservices that must function in disconnected regions, you will own the end‑to‑end lifecycle of mission‑critical code.

The Impact You’ll Have

• Architect Scalable Systems: Design and implement highly available backend services using Scala, Java, Go, C++/C or similar.
• Distributed Systems Engineering: Design and implement highly scalable backend services in Java, Scala, or Go that power our Data Intelligence Platform across sovereign and air‑gapped clouds.
• Infrastructure at Scale: Solve complex architectural trade‑offs around concurrency, storage, and networking to ensure the platform remains resilient in high‑consequence public sector environments.
• Performance Optimization: Drive 'zero‑waste' compute initiatives, optimizing our engine and services to perform in resource‑constrained or specialized regions (e.g., GovCloud).
• Security & Reliability: Partner with Production Engineering to ensure all backend services meet the highest security standards and compliance guardrails while maintaining high availability.

What We Look For

• Required: Candidates must be eligible for a Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance.
  • Nice to have: Possession of a current polygraph (Counterintelligence or Full Scope) is highly desired and considered a significant plus.
• Technical Breadth: BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science or a related field.
• Experience: Staff : 9+ years of professional software development experience.
• Systems Expertise: Deep understanding of Distributed Systems, concurrency, and performance optimization.
• Language Proficiency: Strong production‑level experience in at least one of: Java, Scala, Go, C++ or similar.
• Cloud Experience: Experience building and deploying large‑scale SaaS or cloud‑native applications.

Pay Range Transparency

Local Pay Range

$180,500 — $248,150 USD

Benefits

At Databricks, we strive to provide comprehensive benefits and perks that meet the needs of all of our employees.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At Databricks, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone can excel. We take great care to ensure that our hiring practices are inclusive and meet equal employment opportunity standards. Individuals looking for employment at Databricks are considered without regard to age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio‑economic status, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.

Compliance

If access to export‑controlled technology or source code is required for performance of job duties, it is within Employer's discretion whether to apply for a U.S. government license for such positions, and Employer may decline to proceed with an applicant on this basis alone.