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Distributed Systems Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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$499K - $820K/yr

Our Team The Ads Serving Platform engineering team sits within the Ad Serving & Decisioning org at Netflix Ads. We own the high-throughput, low-latency distributed systems that power real-time ad ...

Mid-Level Systems Engineer

Dayton, OH · On-site

$130K - $185K/yr

S. Government Security Clearance Experience: 3-8 years of experience in systems engineering, distributed systems, or complex software platforms Bachelor's degree in: * * Systems Engineering

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Distributed Systems Engineer information

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$53.5K

$127.2K

$167K

How much do distributed systems engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for distributed systems engineer in the United States is $127,215.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $98,000.00 and $157,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a Distributed Systems Engineer?

A Distributed Systems Engineer typically spends their days designing, implementing, and testing scalable systems that handle large volumes of data and user requests. You'll collaborate closely with software developers, DevOps engineers, and product managers to architect solutions that ensure reliability, performance, and fault-tolerance. Regular tasks may include reviewing system performance metrics, debugging distributed applications, writing detailed documentation, and participating in code reviews. Engaging in team meetings and cross-functional discussions is also common, as seamless cooperation is vital in this complex and fast-evolving field.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior distributed systems engineers, software engineers with expertise in scalable architectures, and those working in high-demand industries such as cloud computing or finance can earn $300,000 or more annually. Achieving this level typically requires extensive experience, advanced skills in distributed computing, and often working in senior or specialized roles at large technology companies.

What engineers make 200,000 a year?

Distributed Systems Engineers can earn $200,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills in cloud computing, distributed architecture, and proficiency in programming languages like Java or Go. Salaries vary based on location, company size, and expertise, with senior roles often reaching or exceeding this level.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Distributed Systems Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Distributed Systems Engineer, you need a strong background in computer science, experience with large-scale system design, and proficiency in languages such as Java, Go, or Python. Familiarity with cloud platforms (like AWS, GCP, or Azure), container orchestration tools (such as Kubernetes), and distributed databases is commonly required, and certifications in cloud computing can be advantageous. Strong problem-solving abilities, collaboration, and excellent communication skills help you navigate complex issues and work effectively across technical teams. These skills are fundamental for designing, implementing, and maintaining robust distributed systems that perform reliably at scale.

What does a distributed systems engineer do?

A distributed systems engineer designs, develops, and maintains systems that run across multiple computers or servers to ensure scalability, reliability, and performance. They work with technologies such as cloud platforms, networking, and programming languages like Java or Python, often focusing on fault tolerance and data consistency. Strong problem-solving skills and knowledge of system architecture are essential for this role.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior engineers in high-demand fields such as software engineering, especially those specializing in distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, or machine learning, can earn $500,000 or more annually. Achieving this level typically requires extensive experience, advanced skills, and often includes bonuses, stock options, or other compensation components.

What does a Distributed Systems Engineer do?

A Distributed Systems Engineer designs, builds, and maintains large-scale systems that run across multiple machines or data centers. They ensure reliability, scalability, and fault tolerance by using technologies like cloud computing, containerization, and distributed databases. Their work often involves solving complex problems related to data consistency, network latency, and system coordination.

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What cities are hiring for Distributed Systems Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Distributed Systems Engineer job openings:
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Infographic showing various Distributed Systems Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 96% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $127,215 per year, or $61.2 per hour.
Distributed Systems Engineer L5 - Delivery

Distributed Systems Engineer L5 - Delivery

Netflix

Los Gatos, CA

$201K - $238K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 10 days ago


Netflix rating

5.8

Company rating: 5.8 out of 10

Based on 15 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

59th of 67 rated media


Job description

Netflix is one of the world's leading entertainment services with 278 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.

The Role

It's an amazing time to be joining Netflix as we continue to transform entertainment. At Netflix, we want to entertain the world. To achieve this, we must be able to rapidly build and ship innovative experiences for our members and creators all around the globe.
Who we are
Delivery Core is a full-stack platform engineering team (we have frontend and backend engineers in one team) that enables continuous delivery of software and infrastructure changes across all Netflix services. We work cross-functionally with partners across engineering to make working inside the Netflix engineering ecosystem more efficient and enjoyable for all. We focus on increasing productivity, minimizing toil, and increasing the frequency and safety of software delivery.

What you could work on
Our team is primarily responsible for the developer platforms that roll out software and infrastructure changes to the entire Netflix fleet. We do this through our Continuous Delivery (CD) system Spinnaker, and our higher level declarative delivery-based platform, Managed Delivery. We are more closely unifying these products into one cohesive unified Delivery experience. Some example goals for projects include:
- Reduce friction and time to deploy software across our internal fleet
- Improve the safety of infrastructure changes
- Improve ease of use for configuring application deployment specifications

What We'll Expect From You
We are seeking a backend, distributed systems focused engineer who is comfortable writing, improving, maintaining, and sunsetting critical services at tremendous scale. Below are the specific behaviors and competencies important for this role.
Behaviors:

  • Cross-Functional - You enjoy collaborating with multiple teams on creating solutions and supporting solutions with a myriad of sometimes conflicting requirements.
  • Seeking Excellence - You enjoy the pursuit of engineering excellence by evangelizing, establishing and iterating on best practices.
  • Curiosity - You are curious and enjoy working on ambiguous problems where the solutions are not (yet) well defined.
  • Communication - You are proficient in verbal and written mediums at explaining topics that the audience was not familiar with previously.

Core competencies:

  • You possess strong software skills in Java or other JVM languages.
  • You are experienced with operating complex distributed systems components (like databases, APIs (REST, gRPC, GraphQL), and controllers). You know how to debug them and how they can fail.
  • You are proficient in backend services and integration layers.
  • You are able to break down complexity, iterate, and communicate progress to a wide variety of partners and stakeholders

Helpful competencies:

  • You possess strong software skills in Java or Kotlin.
  • You have worked on a developer platform team where other engineers were your customers.
  • You have worked on schema changes in a federated GraphQL gateway.
  • You are familiar with the Spring Boot framework.
  • You are proficient with high volume data stores.

What to Expect From Us:

  • High Impact - your work will touch every engineer at the company and be crucial for the ongoing success of Netflix.
  • Stunning Colleagues - you will be working with other excellent people with diverse perspectives, who value collaboration, working to excel as the "dream team".
  • Energizing Challenges - there is a wealth of opportunity when working on complex technical projects and our culture both enables and encourages you to rise to the challenges.
  • Feedback - you will constantly have opportunities for growth because meaningful positive and constructive feedback is part of everyday life at Netflix.

Our compensation structure consists solely of an annual salary; we do not have bonuses. You choose each year how much of your compensation you want in salary versus stock options. To determine your personal top of market compensation, we rely on market indicators and consider your specific job family, background, skills, and experience to determine your compensation in the market range. The range for this role is $100,000 - $720,000.
Netflix provides comprehensive benefits including Health Plans, Mental Health support, a 401(k) Retirement Plan with employer match, Stock Option Program, Disability Programs, Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts, Family-forming benefits, and Life and Serious Injury Benefits. We also offer paid leave of absence programs. Full-time hourly employees accrue 35 days annually for paid time off to be used for vacation, holidays, and sick paid time off. Full-time salaried employees are immediately entitled to flexible time off. See more detail about our Benefits here.
Netflix is a unique culture and environment. Learn more here.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and celebrate diversity, recognizing that diversity of thought and background builds stronger teams. We approach diversity and inclusion seriously and thoughtfully. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, caste, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic makeup, marital status, or military service.


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About Netflix

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with 222 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries, feature films and mobile games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

Industry

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Company size

5,001 - 10,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Los Gatos, CA, US

Year founded

1997