Principal Database Performance Engineer - Core Engineering (C++)

NOTE: this role can be located anywhere ClickHouse has a hiring presence. ClickHouse — Core Analytics Database

About the Role: ClickHouse is looking for a Principal Database Performance Engineer to join the team behind our high-performance analytics database service. In this role, you will drive performance and scalability improvements across the stack, taking on ambiguous, high-impact technical challenges most engineers never get to touch. Our performance team owns the core of query execution - filters, aggregation, joins, and the index structures that make them fast. We're looking for a sharp, passionate engineer who wants to own database performance end-to-end on a petabyte-scale cloud database, from initial analysis and implementation, through production rollout.

What you will do:

• Identify impactful performance and scalability opportunities in customer or benchmark workloads
• Architect and implement optimized database algorithms and data structures across core relational operators, indexes, query processing, memory management and scheduling
• Drive the performance roadmap for latency, throughput, memory efficiency and hardware utilization improvements
• Participate in the development of a complex, high-performance database system, including meticulous testing and safe production rollout
• Represent the company externally through presentations, blog posts, and community contributions
• Mentor and support junior engineers on the team

What You'll Bring

• 5+ years of experience in database performance engineering, distributed systems

• Master or PhD in databases or a related field

• Strong fluency in C++ and a background in performance-critical software or systems programming

• A track record of driving complex performance improvements end-to-end

• Deep understanding of computer science fundamentals, data structures, and algorithms

• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with a proactive, goal-driven mindset Perks

• Flexible work environment - ClickHouse is a globally distributed company and remote-friendly. We currently operate in over 25 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 USD$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.

Culture - We All Shape It As part of a rapidly scaling start-up, you will be instrumental in shaping our culture. Are you interested in finding out more about our culture? Learn more about our values here. Check out our blog posts or follow us on LinkedIn to find out more about what’s happening at ClickHouse. 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. Please see here for our Privacy Statement.