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Distributed Systems Software Engineer Jobs in California

Figma

Software Engineer, Distributed Systems

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$203K - $241K/yr

We'd Love to Hear From You If You Have: * 5+ years of Software Engineering experience, specifically in backend or infrastructure engineering.. * Deep understanding of distributed systems concepts ...

Apple

Systems Software Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$183K - $217K/yr

The Product Integrity group is looking for a Systems Software Engineer to develop future products ... debugging distributed applications Experience debugging at all levels of an operating system ...

Meta

Software Systems Engineer

Fremont, CA

$144K/yr

Meta is seeking a Software Systems Engineer to join our Production Systems Engineering organization ... Experience designing and operating distributed systems software at scale, including monitoring ...

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Distributed Systems Software Engineer information

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Distributed Systems Software Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Distributed Systems Software Engineer, you need strong programming skills (often in languages like Java, Go, or C++), a deep understanding of algorithms, networking, and distributed computing concepts, typically supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with tools and frameworks such as Kubernetes, Apache Kafka, Docker, and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) is highly valued, as are certifications in cloud or devops technologies. Excellent problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills help you design scalable solutions and collaborate across teams. These skills are crucial for building reliable, efficient, and scalable distributed systems that power modern applications and services.

What is the difference between Distributed Systems Software Engineer vs Cloud Software Engineer?

AspectDistributed Systems Software EngineerCloud Software Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in CS or related, experience with distributed architecturesBachelor's in CS, experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure)
Work EnvironmentDevelops scalable distributed applications, often in data centers or on-premisesBuilds and maintains cloud-based solutions, deploying on cloud platforms
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, data centers, distributed computing firmsCloud service providers, SaaS companies, enterprises adopting cloud
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding roles in distributed architectureComparing cloud-focused development roles

While both roles involve building scalable software, a Distributed Systems Software Engineer focuses on designing and implementing distributed architectures, whereas a Cloud Software Engineer specializes in deploying and managing applications on cloud platforms. The roles often overlap but differ mainly in their environment and specific technical focus.

What are the typical challenges faced by Distributed Systems Software Engineers when ensuring system reliability?

Distributed Systems Software Engineers often encounter challenges like handling network partitioning, ensuring data consistency across nodes, and effectively managing system failures. They need to design resilient architectures that can recover gracefully when components fail, and implement robust monitoring to detect issues early. Collaborating closely with DevOps, QA, and other engineering teams is crucial to address these challenges and maintain high availability and performance in complex, distributed environments.

What are Distributed Systems Software Engineers?

Distributed Systems Software Engineers are professionals who design, develop, and maintain software that runs across multiple computers or servers, working together to achieve a common goal. They build systems that are reliable, scalable, and efficient, often handling large volumes of data and user requests. Their work involves solving challenges related to network communication, data consistency, fault tolerance, and system coordination. These engineers frequently use technologies like cloud computing platforms, message queues, and databases to ensure smooth operation across distributed environments.
What are popular job titles related to Distributed Systems Software Engineer jobs in California? For Distributed Systems Software Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Distributed Systems Software Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Distributed Systems Software Engineer jobs in California are:
Distributed Systems Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Distributed Systems Software Engineer job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 87% Full Time, 9% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution.

Software Engineer, Distributed Systems

Figma

San Francisco, CA • On-site, Remote

$203K - $241K/yr

Other

Posted 24 days ago

Job description

At Figma, infrastructure is at the heart of everything we build. As a Software Engineer on our Infrastructure team, you'll help design, build, and operate the systems that power our real-time collaborative design tools used by millions of people worldwide. We're scaling fast, and we're looking for experienced distributed systems engineers across a variety of teams. Whether you're passionate about storage, compute orchestration, developer tooling, networking, or real-time data systems, this role offers an opportunity to shape the technical foundation of one of the most beloved design platforms in the world.

This is a full time role that can be held from one of our US hubs or remotely in the United States.

What You'll Do at Figma:
  • Design, build, and maintain scalable and reliable infrastructure systems that support product innovation and user collaboration at scale.
  • Architect and evolve distributed systems including storage platforms, streaming infrastructure, and compute orchestration.
  • Improve developer experience by building internal platforms, CI/CD systems, build tools, and APIs.
  • Collaborate across product and infrastructure teams to design secure, maintainable, and performant systems.
  • Participate in shaping platform strategy, roadmaps, and engineering best practices across the organization.
  • Debug and resolve complex production issues that span services and layers of the stack.
  • Mentor engineers and foster a culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and technical excellence.
We'd Love to Hear From You If You Have:
  • 5+ years of Software Engineering experience, specifically in backend or infrastructure engineering..
  • Deep understanding of distributed systems concepts such as sharding, replication, consistency, and eventual convergence.
  • Experience with cloud-native environments (AWS, GCP, or Azure), infrastructure-as-code, and container orchestration.
  • Proficiency in languages such as Go, TypeScript, Python, Rust, or Ruby.
  • Strong system design skills and a track record of architecting resilient production systems.
  • Excellent communication skills, with experience collaborating across teams and mentoring others.
While it's not required, it's an added plus if you also have:
  • Experience scaling storage platforms (e.g., Postgres, Redis, S3, DynamoDB) or operating streaming systems like Kafka.
  • Background in traffic management, DDoS mitigation, or service mesh technologies (e.g., Envoy, Istio).
  • A history of developing complex, realtime distributed systems at scale.
  • A passion for building developer productivity tools, including development environments, CI/CD pipelines, and build systems.
  • Experience with evolving large-scale, shared developer platforms to improve reliability and developer velocity.
  • Strong problem-solving skills and a bias for action-especially when tackling high-impact, gritty challenges.
At Figma, one of our values is Grow as you go. We believe in hiring smart, curious people who are excited to learn and develop their skills. If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with the points outlined in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

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