Senior Staff Software Engineer - job 1 of 9

It all started in sunny San Diego, California in 2004 when a visionary engineer, Fred Luddy, saw the potential to transform how we work. Fast forward to today — ServiceNow stands as a global market leader, bringing innovative AI-enhanced technology to over 8,100 customers, including 85% of the Fortune 500®. Our intelligent cloud-based platform seamlessly connects people, systems, and processes to empower organizations to find smarter, faster, and better ways to work. But this is just the beginning of our journey. Join us as we pursue our purpose to make the world work better for everyone.

The MetricBase team maintains and develops ServiceNow's proprietary time series platform. We empower ServiceNow internal application developers to build real-time applications for IoT, analytics, and cloud monitoring services. Our technology is purpose-built to handle the massive volumes of time-stamped data produced by sensors, applications, and computer infrastructure.

We're looking for a Senior Staff Software Engineer with deep expertise in database systems development to help us evolve our time series platform. You will lead the technical direction of Time-series specific components of PostgreSQL-based storage engine while maintaining our legacy Java-based time series database. This role requires hands-on experience with database internals, performance optimization at scale, and the ability to mentor a growing team of engineers.

What you get to do in this role:

• Lead the development of our custom time-series specific functionality for PostgreSQL-based storage engine
• Architect and implement high-performance APIs in Java that translate time series operations to optimized JDBC queries and leverage our custom Postgres extensions
• Drive performance, reliability, and scalability improvements across our database infrastructure, with a focus on handling billions of time-stamped data points
• Maintain our legacy Java-based time series database, focusing on critical bug fixes and security patches as we transition to the new platform
• Execute the migration strategy from our legacy system to the new Postgres-based architecture, ensuring zero downtime and data integrity
• Design and optimize PostgreSQL schemas, indexes, and query patterns specifically for time series workloads with high ingestion rates and complex analytical queries
• Partner with engineering leaders to establish best practices for database development, code reviews, performance testing, and operational excellence
• Mentor 4-5 junior to mid-level engineers, providing technical guidance on database internals, performance optimization, and software engineering principles
• Collaborate with product owners to understand requirements and translate them into scalable technical solutions that balance performance, maintainability, and extensibility
• Contribute to observability and monitoring of database systems, implementing instrumentation for performance analysis and proactive issue detection
• Build software that is extensible and customizable, allowing customers to adapt functionality to their specific time series use cases

To be successful in this role you have: 

• Experience in leveraging critical thinking about how to integrate AI into work processes, decision-making, or problem-solving. This may include using AI-powered tools, automating workflows, analyzing AI-driven insights, or exploring AI’s potential impact on the function or industry.  
• 12 years of experience in software engineering, with a track record of delivering high-quality products.  
• 12 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 8 years and a Master's degree; or a PhD with 5 years experience; or equivalent experience.
• Expert-level knowledge of database internals, including storage engines, query optimization, indexing strategies, transaction management, and concurrency control
• Strong proficiency in C++ for systems programming, specifically for developing PostgreSQL extensions, custom storage engines, and performance-critical database components
• Advanced Java development skills for building high-performance APIs and application-layer components that interact with database systems
• Deep understanding of PostgreSQL architecture, including the ability to work with its extension framework, query planner, and storage subsystems
• Proven experience optimizing databases for time series workloads, including strategies for data compression, retention management, downsampling, and efficient time-range queries
• Advanced knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and performance/scale considerations as they apply to database systems handling billions of records
• Experience with distributed systems principles, including replication, sharding, consistency models, and fault tolerance strategies
• Capability to manage complex technical projects with material risk across teams and processes; can serve as a technical lead driving architectural decisions
• Strong mentorship and leadership abilities, with a track record of elevating team capability through code reviews, design discussions, and knowledge sharing

Qualifications

• 10+ years of software engineering experience with demonstrated expertise in database systems development or similar infrastructure software
• Strong experience with C++ and Java (or similar OO languages) with the ability to design, develop, and optimize complex systems
• Hands-on experience with database internals development, such as storage engines, query processors, or database extensions
• Experience with PostgreSQL (or similar RDBMS) including performance tuning, schema design, and understanding of internal architecture
• Proficiency in continuous integration and continuous deployment practices, using tools like Jenkins or similar
• Working knowledge of distributed computing principles and experience designing systems for scalability and fault tolerance
• Experience in leveraging or critically thinking about how to integrate AI into work processes, decision-making, or problem-solving. This may include using AI-powered tools, automating workflows, analyzing AI-driven insights, or exploring AI's potential impact on the function or industry. 
• Experience in using AI Productivity tools such as Windsurf, Cursor, etc. is a plus or nice to have. 

Nice to have:

• Experience with columnar storage formats and compression algorithms for analytical workloads
• Familiarity with time series database concepts such as retention policies, continuous aggregation, and time-based partitioning
• Experience with data migration projects, including strategy, tooling, and validation
• Knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Experience with monitoring and observability tools for database systems
• Understanding of real-time data processing and streaming architectures
• Experience with performance profiling and optimization tools for both C++ and Java applications

Why Join Us:

• Build and deliver high-impact software that powers digital experiences for millions of users. 
• Collaborate in a culture that values craftsmanship, quality, and innovation. 
• Work symbiotically with AI and automation tools that enhance engineering excellence and drive product reliability. 
• Be part of a culture that encourages innovation, continuous learning, and shared success. 

FD21

For positions in this location, we offer a base pay of $187,600 - $328,300, plus equity (when applicable), variable/incentive compensation and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the base pay shown is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. We also offer health plans, including flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) Plan with company match, ESPP, matching donations, a flexible time away plan and family leave programs. Compensation is based on the geographic location in which the role is located and is subject to change based on work location.

Work Personas

We approach our distributed world of work with flexibility and trust. Work personas (flexible, remote, or required in office) are categories that are assigned to ServiceNow employees depending on the nature of their work and their assigned work location. Learn more here. To determine eligibility for a work persona, ServiceNow may confirm the distance between your primary residence and the closest ServiceNow office using a third-party service.

Equal Opportunity Employer

ServiceNow is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or nationality, ancestry, age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other category protected by law. In addition, all qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with legal requirements. 

Accommodations

We strive to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are unable to use this online application and need an alternative method to apply, please contact [email protected] for assistance. 

Export Control Regulations

For positions requiring access to controlled technology subject to export control regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), ServiceNow may be required to obtain export control approval from government authorities for certain individuals. All employment is contingent upon ServiceNow obtaining any export license or other approval that may be required by relevant export control authorities. 

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