# Principal Software Engineer I - Metadata

**Company:** [Snowflake](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/snowflake)
**Location:** Menlo Park, CA
**Role:** Backend Engineering
**Salary:** $264k – $380k/yr
**Experience:** 15+ years
**Skills:** Java, Distributed Systems, Data Structures, Algorithms, Multi-Threading, Memory Management, Networking, Storage Systems, Fault Tolerance, High Availability
**Posted:** 2026-03-23

> Designs and builds fault-tolerant, scalable distributed systems for Snowflake's metadata, Snowgrid, and data sharing features. Requires 15+ years experience, strong CS fundamentals, Java fluency, and ability to mentor juniors while solving performance and scale challenges.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Solve real business needs at large scale by applying software engineering and analytical problem solving skills.
- Design, develop and support fault-tolerant scalable distributed systems for Snowgrid and Data Sharing teams.
- Create architecture and design, influence product roadmap, and take ownership over new projects.
- Analyze fault-tolerance and high availability issues, performance and scale challenges, and solve them.
- Mentor and grow junior engineers.
- Understand trade-offs between consistency, performance and costs to build solutions which can meet the demands of rapidly growing services.
- Ensure operational readiness of the services and meet commitments to customers regarding durability, availability and performance.

## Requirements
- 15+ years of industry experience designing, building and supporting large scale distributed services.
- Strong computer science fundamentals including data structures, algorithms, and distributed systems.
- Excellent understanding of operating systems concepts including multi-threading, memory management, networking and storage, performance and scale.
- Fluency in **Java** or other similar procedural object-oriented language.
- Track record of identifying and implementing creative solutions to complex problems.
- Ability to work effectively across engineering teams in multiple locations.
- **BS** in Computer Science; Masters or **PhD** preferred.

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**Canonical:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/8851fa3b-008f-4f5e-93f9-ca01a0ea30b6