Senior Data Infrastructure Engineer (USD 5-6K/month CONTRACTOR)

We’re looking for a Senior/Staff-level engineer with deep experience in database internals, query engines, and data infrastructure to join a highly technical team working on next-generation data systems. This is not a typical backend engineering role. We’re specifically looking for someone who understands how query engines work under the hood — including query planning, execution, data formats, routing, optimization, and performance. If you’ve contributed to projects such as DuckDB, ClickHouse, Trino, DataFusion, Apache Arrow, Calcite, Databricks, Snowflake, SingleStore, Firebolt, Dremio, Materialize, Databend, or similar systems, we’d love to hear from you. [h3]What you’ll work on[/h3]
Build and evolve database/query engine infrastructure
Work on API proxies, protocol emulators, and query routing layers
Design systems for query routing, offloading, and execution
Work with vectorized query execution and performance optimization
Develop and optimize query planning and execution components
Work with modern analytical data formats and table formats
Analyze and improve query cost, scan estimation, and execution performance
Work with SQL parsing, transformation, optimization, and transpilation
Contribute to open-source data infrastructure and potentially upstream improvements
[h3]Technologies & Concepts[/h3] We’re particularly interested in experience with:
Apache Arrow
Apache DataFusion
Apache Iceberg / Delta Lake
Substrait
Apache Calcite
SQLGlot
Vectorized execution
Query routing / query offloading
Cost estimation / scan estimation
Database and query engine internals
API proxies and protocol emulation
[h3]What we’re looking for[/h3]
Strong software engineering background, ideally in Rust, C++, Java, or Go
Deep understanding of database internals and query execution
Experience building or contributing to query engines, data platforms, or database infrastructure
Strong understanding of SQL parsing, query planning, optimization, or execution
Experience working on high-performance data systems
Ability to reason about complex systems and performance bottlenecks
Strong English communication skills
[h3]Huge plus[/h3] We would be particularly excited to meet:
OSS contributors or committers to query engines or data infrastructure projects
Engineers from companies such as DuckDB, ClickHouse, Trino/Starburst, Databricks, Snowflake, SingleStore, Firebolt, Databend, Materialize, Dremio, InfluxData, or similar companies
Engineers who have built database proxies, emulators, query routers, or compatibility layers
Engineers who have worked directly on query execution engines or database internals
[h3]Why this role is different[/h3] We’re looking for someone who can go beyond using databases and data tools — someone who understands how the engine itself works. If terms like DataFusion, Substrait, vectorized execution, query planning, Apache Arrow, or cost-based optimization immediately resonate with you, this could be a great fit.

Work arrangement
Yes