Research Engineer​/Scientist -AI Databases

Position Overview

Research Engineer / Scientist - AI for Databases

The Infrastructure System Lab is a hybrid research and engineering team dedicated to building the next generation of AI-native data infrastructure. Operating at the crossroads of databases, large-scale systems, and AI, the team works on advanced vector databases, multi-modal databases for large-scale retrieval, intelligent infrastructure optimization, and high-performance cache systems. In this role, you will design and implement intelligent systems that enhance the performance, scalability, and usability of modern databases through innovative query optimization, indexing strategies, workload forecasting, and self-managing database solutions. You’ll have opportunities to publish in top-tier conferences, contribute to open-source projects, attend leading industry events, and work in an innovation-driven environment.

Location: San Jose
Salary: $136800 - $359720 annually
Compensation: May vary based on qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience; additional bonuses/incentives and restricted stock units may apply.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct research and development in applying AI/ML techniques to database management systems.
• Develop intelligent algorithms for query planning, indexing, storage management, and workload prediction/scheduling.
• Collaborate with data infrastructure and engineering teams to integrate AI models into production systems.
• Analyze large-scale datasets from database workloads to uncover optimization opportunities.
• Publish findings in top-tier conferences and journals (e.g., VLDB, SIGMOD, ICDE, NeurIPS).
• Contribute to open-source projects or internal tools supporting AI-enhanced databases.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related field with a focus on databases, systems, or machine learning.
• Strong publication record in top-tier venues (e.g., SIGMOD, VLDB, ICDE, NeurIPS) related to AI and databases.
• In-depth knowledge of database internals (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, or modern cloud-native databases).
• Hands-on experience with machine learning frameworks (e.g., XGBoost, LightGBM, TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn).

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency in Python, C++, or Java.
• Experience with cloud database platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) is a plus.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Familiarity with LLMs, reinforcement learning, neural architecture search, or automated database tuning.

Benefits & Perks

• Access to medical, dental, and vision insurance starting on day one.
• 401(k) savings plan with company match.
• Paid parental leave.
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• Life insurance and wellbeing benefits.
• 10 paid holidays and 10 paid sick days per year.
• 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire).