Rubrik, inc.

Software Engineer - Callisto

Palo Alto, CA Full Time

About the team

Rubrik is defining the future of enterprise data security and management. To power this mission, we require an ultra-reliable, planet-scale data foundation. Our team owns the Metadata Store—a mission-critical, high-throughput component powered by a distributed SQL database. This is not a standard deployment; we operate deep within the stack, pushing the limits of the engine to meet non-negotiable demands for strong consistency, ultra-low latency, and extreme availability across petabytes of data.

We are the core enablers, responsible for:

  • Customizing the Core: Developing custom extensions and patches to the database engine to solve complex challenges that off-the-shelf solutions can't handle.
  • Zero-Downtime Infrastructure: Pioneering solutions for seamless, disruption-free cluster lifecycle management, including complex schema and semantic changes during Rolling Upgrades (as showcased in our Metadata support for Rolling Upgrades).
  • Foundational Resilience: Building critical infrastructure tools like Kronos (Distributed Time Synchronization) to manage clock drift and ensure transaction correctness in a distributed environment.

Join us to master the complexities of distributed consensus, transactional systems, and high-performance computing at scale, whether on-prem or in the cloud.

About the Role : Master Distributed Database Internals

Are you passionate about the intricacies of distributed systems and ready to live deep within the database engine? We're seeking a relentless problem-solver to join our core team. Your mission will be to ensure our metadata store remains the most reliable and performant component of the entire Rubrik stack.

Key Responsibilities and Impact:

  • Database Core Development: Dive into the database engine and ancillary components to optimize transaction protocols, improve query planning, and enhance storage engine durability mechanisms. Your code will directly impact latency at the 99th percentile.
  • Distributed Consistency: Design and implement robust mechanisms for extreme data availability and consistency, including advanced work on building Change Data Capture (CDC) infrastructure and fault injection tooling like Sysfail (Sysfail).
  • Performance Engineering: Conduct low-level performance profiling and root cause analysis to diagnose and resolve the most complex system issues (e.g., distributed deadlocks, I/O bottlenecks, and race conditions).
  • Architectural Influence: Collaborate with senior architects to define the next generation of our data storage layer, directly advising other engineering teams (File System, Reporting, API) on optimal, high-performance data access patterns.
  • Drive Technical Roadmap: Own projects end-to-end, from architectural design discussions to deployment, maintenance, and long-term stability.

This opportunity offers a potent mix of dynamism, serious technical challenges, and influence across many teams at the heart of Rubrik's technology stack.

What you’ll do : The Foundation Builder

We are looking for candidates who demonstrate an intrinsic curiosity about how databases and distributed systems truly work under the hood.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • 3-5 Years of professional experience in building, maintaining, or contributing to large-scale distributed systems with a specific focus on database internals, storage engines, or distributed consensus protocols (e.g., Raft, Paxos).
  • Strong grasp of low-level concepts in Operating Systems (concurrency, memory management, I/O) and Networking (TCP, failure domains, latency-sensitive design).
  • High proficiency in one or more systems-level languages: Go (preferred, as our services use it), C++, or Java.
  • B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Direct experience working with or contributing to distributed SQL databases (CockroachDB, TiDB, YugabyteDB) or large-scale NoSQL stores (Cassandra, DynamoDB).
  • Experience in high-reliability, fault-tolerant system design.
  • A proven track record of contributions to open-source software, particularly in core infrastructure projects.

 

 

 

 

The minimum and maximum base salaries for this role are posted below; additionally, the role is eligible for bonus potential, equity and benefits. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the role based on U.S. location. Within the range, the salary offered will be determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
US Pay Range
$152,400$228,700 USD

Join Us in Securing the World's Data

Rubrik (RBRK), the Security and AI company, operates at the intersection of data protection, cyber resilience and enterprise AI acceleration. The Rubrik Security Cloud platform  is designed to deliver robust cyber resilience and recovery including identity resilience to ensure continuous business operations, all on top of secure metadata and data lake. Rubrik’s offerings also include Predibase to help further secure and deploy GenAI while delivering exceptional accuracy and efficiency for agentic applications.

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Inclusion @ Rubrik

At Rubrik, we are dedicated to fostering a culture where people from all backgrounds are valued, feel they belong, and believe they can succeed. Our commitment to inclusion is at the heart of our mission to secure the world’s data.

Our goal is to hire and promote the best talent, regardless of background. We continually review our hiring practices to ensure fairness and strive to create an environment where every employee has equal access to opportunities for growth and excellence. We believe in empowering everyone to bring their authentic selves to work and achieve their fullest potential.

Our inclusion strategy focuses on three core areas of our business and culture:

  • Our Company: We are committed to building a merit-based organization that offers equal access to growth and success for all employees globally. Your potential is limitless here.

  • Our Culture: We strive to create an inclusive atmosphere where individuals from all backgrounds feel a strong sense of belonging, can thrive, and do their best work. Your contributions help us innovate and break boundaries.

  • Our Communities: We are dedicated to expanding our engagement with the communities we operate in, creating opportunities for underrepresented talent and driving greater innovation for our clients. Your impact extends beyond Rubrik, contributing to safer and stronger communities.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Rubrik is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

Rubrik provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Rubrik complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please contact us at hr@rubrik.com if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.

EEO IS THE LAW

NOTIFICATION OF EMPLOYEE RIGHTS UNDER FEDERAL LABOR LAWS