Director of Database Engineering

Key Skills

Algorithms, Database, Leadership, Mentoring, Optimization, Rust, Search Engine, Software Development

Job Description

If you’re excited about:

• Building massively scalable cutting-edge technology database architecture
• Developing engines that support millions of users on the free tier just as seamlessly as supporting large enterprise customers with massive scale requirements
• Leading and mentoring talent, and Working with people who value clarity, creativity, passion, initiative, and thoughtfulness. 
• Shaping the course of a fast-growing company and product category.

Then this is your opportunity to join an early-stage, fast-growing, and well-funded startup to shape the course of an entire industry.

Pinecone is pioneering search and database technology that's revolutionizing how developers build search systems. Our managed vector database provides customers with easy-to-use capabilities that until now have only been in the hands of a few tech giants. The demand for vector databases is growing incredibly fast, and it shows in our user base. We have a large audience of ML engineers, software engineers, data scientists, and technical architects who are eager to learn and build with our product.

The company emerged from stealth in January 2021 with $10M in seed funding — led by the same legendary investor as Snowflake — followed by $28M Series A funding announced in March 2022, and $100M Series B funding announced in April 2023. 

As the Director of Database, you will:

• End-to-End responsibility for the vision, performance, and deliverables of the core database.
• Owning Pinecone’s vector engine, includes both the algorithms that accelerate search, the efficient implementation of search indexing, querying, filtering and more.
• Hire, manage and mentor teams of software engineers and engineering managers.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive R&D strategy and company roadmap aligned with the company's goals and objectives.
• Collaborate with senior executives to align R&D efforts with business priorities.
• Manage cross-functional collaboration between R&D, product management, and engineering teams.
• Evolve the organizational structure to meet long-term objectives.
• Build strategic partnerships with external stakeholders such as leading cloud providers, AI companies (such as OpenAI), universities, and industry leaders.

Preferred experience:

• Experience in leading teams to build large-scale distributed cloud systems.
• Experience in building zero-to-one engines.
• In-depth knowledge of distributed systems, low-level optimizations, search algorithms or storage systems. 
• Proven experience in scaling engineering teams, including attracting, hiring, mentoring, and growing teams of both principal and early-career engineers.
• 3+ years of managing experience.
• 5+ years of backend/system software development
• B.Sc. in Computer Science or equivalent education

Bonus points if you:

• Hands-on experience developing significant components of databases or search engines
• Are a Rust fan