About the role

The Role

We’re looking for a driven and innovative Senior Software Engineer, Distributed Database to help shape the future of our open-source, Google Zanzibar-inspired database, built to manage security-critical application permissions. In this role, you'll leverage your deep expertise in database engineering to push the boundaries of performance, scalability, and efficiency in SpiceDB OSS and Enterprise. You’ll focus on low-latency query optimization, refining database architecture, and ensuring the system is robust and reliable for large-scale, mission-critical applications.

What You’ll Do

Research, design, implement, test and release new database features and enhancements.
Troubleshoot correctness, stability or performance issues related to statement planning and execution in a complex distributed system.
Drive Optimization efforts by gathering statistics, refining query planning, and implementing materialized views and incremental view maintenance (IVM).
Apply indexing, partitioning, and caching strategies to improve query efficiency and overall database performance.
Contribute to both our open source and enterprise database product, SpiceDB.
Collaborate closely with product, engineering, and support teams.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field or equivalent experience.
5+ years of experience working in system-level languages like Golang, C/C++, Rust or Zig.
In-depth knowledge of database concepts, and how they are implemented: compilers, indices, query planning, optimization, materialized views, etc.
Strong Systems engineering background (e.g. distributed systems, operating systems, databases).
Proven ability to diagnose performance bottlenecks and propose creative solutions.
Excellent communication skills with a proven ability to articulate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Ability to collaborate effectively with remote teams across time zones.
Familiarity with modern software development practices and tools, such as continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD), Docker, and Git.

Nice to Have:

Master’s level coursework in database systems.
Experience with Golang.
Experience with cloud infrastructure and managing databases in cloud-native environments.
Familiarity with modern authorization systems and access control models.

Benefits

Opportunities to work with cutting-edge technology in a growing sector.
A supportive environment where your ideas lead to real impacts.
Competitive salary based on experience.
Stock options at an early-stage startup.
Comprehensive benefits including healthcare (in the US) and other insurance.
This role is fully remote, with flexible working hours to accommodate different time zones. You’ll also get to enjoy periodic travel for bi-yearly team on-sites, where we focus on team bonding, collaboration, and having fun together!

Join a supportive and innovative team with a remote-first culture, where your contributions directly impact our growth and success.

About authzed

We’re pioneering open-source authorization solutions for scaling businesses tackling complex end-user permissions in zero-trust architectures. Our focus is on providing SpiceDB—the most mature open-source permissions database inspired by Google’s Zanzibar system—and building managed services that enable planet-scale production authorization services.

Our strategic approach to capital-raising has empowered us to efficiently utilize our $3.9M seed fund and recently secure a $12M Series A. This funding has allowed us to further develop SpiceDB, now the open-source standard in authorization database technology, fortify our reputation as authorization experts, accelerate our open-source community growth, and scale revenue with robust enterprise products.

AuthZed is a fully remote company with employees across the US and Europe. We’re a hardworking group with a software-driven culture; even our sales team understands and loves our technology! We bring integrity to all our interactions, fostering confidence in decision making - trusting and respecting each voice on our team, every day.

Company Values

Agency
- Everyone should have the capability, freedom, and confidence to bring about changes to our business and product. Organizational processes exist to clearly define our goals, but not restrict how progress is made.
Collaboration
- Success is defined in various dimensions and no single person can be an expert in all of them. Without valuing the opinions of others, finding compromises, and sharing mutual trust and respect, you cannot arrive at the best possible solution.
Open-mindness
- Without asking questions, testing assumptions, and questioning our pre-existing biases we risk operating within an echo-chamber. We celebrate the representation of diverse perspectives and backgrounds as a catalyst for creating an inclusive work environment that everyone can appreciate.