Principal Software Engineer, Managed Databases
DigitalOcean · Posted Oct 5
Cloud infrastructure, virtual machines, managed database, and AI inference services
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About the role
DigitalOcean builds the simplest scalable cloud, and this role sits within the team responsible for its DBaaS (managed databases) platform. The team is modernizing managed database services into an AI-native ecosystem that supports high-concurrency AI inference, continuous data streaming, and data-heavy cloud workloads. As Principal Engineer, the role owns technical execution for DBaaS systems engineering, driving distributed computing and scale solutions, control plane throughput, platform resiliency, and lifecycle capabilities such as failover, backups, and point-in-time recovery.
What you will do
- Architect and execute solutions for large-scale DBaaS distributed computing challenges, improving control plane throughput, platform scalability, and multi-region infrastructure.
- Set and execute the multi-year technical roadmap for DBaaS infrastructure, preparing systems for high-concurrency AI workloads, continuous data streaming, and AI inference pipelines.
- Take accountability for low-level DBaaS performance, resource utilization, and fault tolerance to maintain high service availability under heavy operational loads.
- Expand DBaaS control plane and underlying infrastructure to scale managed database services for compute-heavy AI inference and customer demand.
- Enhance existing core lifecycle capabilities—scaling automated failovers, continuous backups, point-in-time recovery (PITR), and maintenance workflows to handle higher data volumes and stricter SLAs.
- Author architectural technical blueprints, define execution standards, lead design reviews, and mentor staff and senior engineers.
Skills used in this role
What the employer is looking for
- 15+ years of experience architecting, building, and operating large-scale platform infrastructure and distributed computing systems.
- Proven track record of diagnosing and solving complex, high-concurrency engineering problems in production cloud environments.
- Working knowledge of relational database engine internals—specifically PostgreSQL and/or MySQL—to optimize query performance, replication, and scale (preferred).
- Practical experience scaling distributed services to meet the compute, memory, and networking demands of AI inference and data-intensive workloads.
- Expertise in system profiling, identifying IO/CPU/network bottlenecks, and implementing changes that improve database service performance.
- Deep experience driving system resiliency, scaling platform availability, and optimizing recovery mechanisms for distributed environments.
- Demonstrated ability to take technical ownership, convert business requirements into clear architecture blueprints, and mentor engineering talent.
Benefits and support
- Dedicated learning stipends, conference budgets, and structured pathways for principal-level technical progression
- Competitive compensation—including performance bonuses, equity options, and ESPP participation—alongside local healthcare coverage and flexible time off
- Reimbursement for relevant conferences, training, and education
- Access to LinkedIn Learning's 10,000+ courses to support continued growth and development
- Employee Assistance Program, local employee meetups, and flexible time off policy
- Equity grants upon hire and the option to participate in our Employee Stock Purchase Program
About DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean is an American cloud infrastructure provider and AI-native cloud platform built for developers, startups, and small-to-medium-sized businesses. The company provides simple, scalable virtual machines, managed databases, Kubernetes, and specialized inference engines designed to run modern application and agentic AI workloads.
- Industry
- Cloud Computing
- Company size
- 1001-5000 employees
- Founded
- 2011-06-24
- Location
- Broomfield, Colorado, USA
- Funding stage
- Public Company
Funding
Public Company · $174M raised
- 2013-07-01Seed$3.2M
- 2014-03-01Series A$37.2M
- 2014-12-01Debt Financing$50M
- 2015-07-01Series B$83M
- 2016-04-01Debt Financing$130M
- 2020-05-01Venture Round$50M
- 2021-03-24IPO$775.5M
Leadership
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Product and Technology Officer
Chief Marketing Officer
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