The Search Query team at MongoDB builds the core infrastructure behind MongoDB Search and Vector Search. Our mission is to make advanced search capabilities feel native to the database, so developers can build powerful, scalable applications without standing up separate systems or compromising transactional performance.We are the team behind mongot, the indexing and query execution engine that powers Search and Vector Search across MongoDB Atlas and self-managed deployments. Our work sits at the intersection of distributed systems, databases, and search infrastructure. We integrate Apache Lucene with MongoDB using native query operators like $search and $vectorSearch, build asynchronous change-stream-driven indexing pipelines that scale independently from transactional workloads, and support deployments across cloud, on-prem, and hybrid environments. Engineers on this team own meaningful subsystems, influence architectural decisions, and work on core database technology used by developers globally.We are looking to speak to candidates who are based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for our hybrid working model.What You'll Do: This is a rare opportunity to set the technical direction for one of MongoDB's most strategic investments. You will harden our infrastructure by implementing advanced resource management, admission control, and system safeguards to ensure high availability. You’ll serve as a force multiplier for the Search and Vector teams, building the foundational tooling, observability, and safeguards needed to ship high performance systems at scale.In this role, you will:Own the cross-system data infrastructure layer for MongoDB's next-generation Search and Vector Search capabilities, carrying outcomes that span 6-18 monthsDefine the technical roadmap for Atlas Search, identifying gaps, proposing solutions, and driving alignment across engineering teams globallyLead the architecture and evolution of the core mongot and MongoDB infrastructure, making durability, consistency, and scale decisions with convictionDrive complex, multi-team initiatives by building technical consensus, navigating ambiguity, and setting direction when there is no clean playbookServe as a trusted technical partner to leadership on roadmap, architecture, and engineering process, advising rather than just informingRaise the technical ceiling of the team through mentoring, rigorous code review, and knowledge-sharing that creates leverage beyond your own outputStandardize how engineering teams across the globe contract with one another, reducing coordination costs and increasing execution velocity at scaleWhat We're Looking For:8+ years of experience in data management systems or related distributed infrastructureDeep proficiency in modern programming languages and techniques, e.g., Java, RustDemonstrable experience designing and operating distributed systems, cloud services, or SaaS products at scaleThe ability to reason about systems at the physical layer: data consistency, durability guarantees, concurrency, and failure modes in distributed environmentsA track record of operating at Staff or Principal scope: defining technical direction, resolving cross-team ambiguity, and personally championing initiatives from conception to deliveryPreferred (not required):Experience designing or maintaining search platforms or distributed databasesExperience building query engines or information retrieval systemsContributor to Lucene or other similar projectsThe profile we hire at this level: Operational Architects.You understand the physical limits of the stack. You can articulate why a system breaks at 100x load, reason about the risks of a dual-write migration strategy, and make data consistency and durability decisions with conviction.Scale-First Thinkers.You identify risks before they surface. You think in migration paths, failure modes, and second-order architectural consequences, not just implementation details.Technical Force Multipliers.You create leverage across teams. You challenge requirements rather than execute them, set technical direction independently, and hold a high bar for architectural clarity whether you are mentoring a struggling engineer or reviewing a design with a principal.Systems Intuitionists.You connect operational constraints to design decisions in concrete terms. You know why fsync matters. You know how atomic operations behave under contention. You have built systems where these things were not hypothetical.MongoDB is committed to providing any necessary accommodations for individuals with disabilities within our application and interview process. To request an accommodation due to a disability, please inform your recruiter.MongoDB is an equal opportunities employer.#J-18808-Ljbffr