Distributed Systems Engineer – Apache Big Data Internals (Remote)

About the role

We are looking for a senior Distributed Systems Engineer to work on the core internals of Apache big‑data projects. The position is fully remote and focuses on building, debugging, and optimizing the engines themselves rather than downstream applications.

Key responsibilities

• Write production‑grade code for Apache big‑data projects such as Spark, Flink, Trino, Hive, Kafka, Hadoop and related ecosystems.
• Debug and optimise engine components including query planning, distributed execution, scheduling, state management, replication, storage layers and metadata services at petabyte scale.
• Influence architectural decisions to improve performance and scalability of the engine layer.
• Profile and tune JVM behaviour (GC, memory layout, concurrency).
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams and open‑source committers on integrations and ecosystem work.
• Mentor senior engineers, conduct code reviews and lead design critiques.

Required profile

• 6+ years of professional software development experience.
• Strong proficiency in Java and/or Scala.
• Deep understanding of distributed systems and concurrent/parallel programming.
• Hands‑on experience with the internals of at least one Apache big‑data project (e.g., Spark, Flink, Trino, Hive, Kafka, Hadoop, etc.).
• Familiarity with JVM performance characteristics such as garbage collection, memory management and threading.
• Advanced English communication skills.

Required skills

• Java
• Scala
• JVM performance tuning (GC, memory, threading)
• Distributed systems design
• Concurrent programming
• Apache Spark
• Apache Flink
• Trino
• Apache Hive
• Apache Kafka
• Hadoop ecosystem (including HBase, Iceberg, NiFi, Ozone, Impala, Kudu)
• Kubernetes
• Cloud‑native deployment

What we offer

• Fully remote work arrangement.
• Competitive compensation in USD or local currency.
• Provided hardware and software for home office.
• Flexible schedule and paid parental leave, vacations and holidays.
• Multicultural, innovative environment with opportunities for open‑source contribution.