Who you are

- This role requires a deep understanding of systems programming, compiler theory, and multi-dimensional data modeling to serve high-concurrency read loads in a microservices environment

- 15+ years in software engineering with a focus on backend systems and data infrastructure

- Strong theoretical and practical knowledge of compilers, ASTs, eBNF, and query planning

- In-depth understanding of SQL, query optimization, and the internal workings of columnar databases

- Expert proficiency in Java, specifically regarding multi-threading, asynchronous I/O, networking, and memory management

- Proven experience in designing distributed caching layers and managing state across microservices

- Ability to decompose complex data problems into scalable architectural components

- Clear verbal and written communication skills, with a strong tendency to document thoughts and architectural ideas
- A rigorous approach to software craftsmanship, including testing, telemetry, and performance benchmarking

- Minimum of 1 year of experience using AI coding agents to enhance development productivity

- Prior experience developing financial systems such as ERP, EPM, or General Ledger platforms is an added plus

What the job involves

- As a Principal Engineer, you will be responsible for the architectural design and end-to-end implementation of a high-performance OLAP query engine and semantic layer. The primary goal is to develop a custom JSON-based query language (DSL) and a translation engine that converts these requests into optimized SQL for columnar databases

- Architectural Design & Query Execution

- Compiler & DSL development: Design a custom JSON-based OLAP query language.



Define eBNF grammars and build a translation layer to convert functional formulas and DSL requests into an optimized execution plan

- SQL generation & optimization: Implement and oversee the generation of highly optimized SQL tailored for columnar databases including ClickHouse, SingleStore, and DuckDB

- Semantic layer management: Architect the representation of multi-dimensional data models within columnar structures, ensuring efficient data retrieval and aggregation

- Custom function logic: Implement logic for custom functions, determining the optimal balance between SQL push-down and application-layer execution

- Multi-dimensional caching: Envisage and implement a distributed caching strategy for multidimensional data, utilizing shared memory systems like Redis

- Concurrency & scaling: Build and maintain high-performance microservices using Java (Micronaut or Spring Boot) with Project Loom (Virtual Threads) to handle massive concurrent read loads

- Low-level optimization: Manage system-level performance including connection pooling, array pooling, and off-heap memory management

- JVM tuning: Apply expert knowledge of Java Garbage Collectors (including ZGC and Shenandoah) to maintain low-latency response times

- AI-augmented development: Leverage AI coding agents and tools to accelerate the software development lifecycle, from prototyping to debugging

- Technical documentation: Maintain a disciplined approach to software development by documenting architectural decisions, design patterns, and technical specifications

- Technical leadership: Act as the primary technical authority on query engine internals, providing guidance on complex systems-level challenges

Perks

- 12 weeks fully paid parent leave

- Flexible working hours
- Full medical, dental, vision benefits

- Work from home opportunities

- Health insurance

📌 Principal Architect (Canada)
🏢 Planful
📍 Canada