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Senior Distributed Systems Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

MLabs

Distributed Systems Engineer

$180K - $300K/yr

Systems Programming: Advanced proficiency in Rust and strong systems programming experience. * Distributed Systems: Extensive experience building or operating distributed systems with real-world ...

Moment

Distributed Systems Engineer

Manhattan, NY · On-site

... distributed systems at scale, event-driven pipelines, and data platforms that have to perform under the weight of the financial world. • Work closely with engineering leadership and across the team ...

Censys

Distributed Systems Engineer

$143K - $177K/yr

Role Summary: We're looking to hire a Distributed Systems Engineer to build scalable services, APIs, frameworks, and internal tooling that process large amounts of data and make them highly available ...

Moment Technology

Distributed Systems Engineer

New York, NY · On-site

$200K - $325K/yr

Distributed Systems Engineer Build the future of investment management with us The infrastructure managing $300 trillion in assets was built in the 90s. Now, all of it is up for grabs. The winner of ...

Archil

Distributed Systems Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Role As a distributed systems engineer, you'll work across the stack to solve problems as they come up and help build Archil volumes. You'll have significant influence over the technical and product ...

Fluidstack

Distributed Systems Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$175K - $300K/yr

Distributed systems and data pipeline engineering. Time-series observability stacks (Prometheus, Thanos, VictoriaMetrics). API design and versioning at scale. Workflow and orchestration engines ...

TecTammina

Distributed Systems Engineer

Portland, OR · On-site

... engineering practices like unit testing, profiling and effective logging. Experience in functional/scaleable languages (Scala preferred, Python, R may be considered) Experience delivering distributed ...

IonQ

Senior Staff Distributed Systems Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$122K - $167K/yr

We are looking for a deeply hands-on Senior Staff Distributed Systems Engineer to join the team building IonQ's Network and Security Platform. You will own the backend services - ingestion pipelines ...

Axiom

Distributed Systems Engineer

New York, NY · On-site +1

$125K - $250K/yr

The Role We are looking for a distributed systems engineer to join a startup using zero-knowledge proofs to scale smart contract applications. You will be responsible for building Rust-based rollup ...

Netflix

Distributed Systems Engineer, L5

$100K - $700K/yr

We are looking for Distributed Systems Engineers to help evolve and innovate our infrastructure. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team to bring new perspectives as we solve the ...

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Senior Distributed Systems Engineer information

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$56K

$124.7K

$176K

How much do senior distributed systems engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior distributed systems engineer in the United States is $124,732.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $104,500.00 and $143,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Senior Distributed Systems Engineer vs Cloud Solutions Architect?

AspectSenior Distributed Systems EngineerCloud Solutions Architect
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in CS or related, experience with distributed systemsBachelor's/Master's in CS, IT, or related, cloud certifications (AWS, Azure)
Work EnvironmentDesigning, developing, and maintaining distributed systems in tech companiesDesigning cloud infrastructure solutions for clients or internal teams
Industry UsageTech, finance, e-commerce, and enterprise sectorsIT consulting, cloud service providers, enterprise IT departments

The Senior Distributed Systems Engineer focuses on building and optimizing distributed computing systems, while the Cloud Solutions Architect designs cloud infrastructure solutions. Both roles require technical expertise and often overlap in cloud environments, but their primary responsibilities differ in scope and focus.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

Senior Distributed Systems Engineers can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, specialized skills in cloud infrastructure, and leadership roles. Compensation often includes base salary, bonuses, and stock options in large tech companies or startups with high growth potential.

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

A Senior Distributed Systems Engineer requires deep expertise in computer science fundamentals, scalable system architecture, and proficiency in programming languages such as Java, Go, or Python, often supported by a relevant degree and significant experience in distributed systems. Familiarity with tools like Kubernetes, Docker, Kafka, and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) is typically expected, along with knowledge of monitoring and CI/CD pipelines. Strong problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills help in tackling complex engineering challenges and collaborating across teams. These skills are crucial for designing robust, scalable, and reliable systems that support organizational growth and high availability.

What engineers make $200,000 a year?

Senior distributed systems engineers often earn $200,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills in cloud computing, and expertise in scalable architecture. Compensation can vary based on industry, location, and company size, with some roles in tech giants or specialized fields reaching or exceeding this level.

What are some common challenges Senior Distributed Systems Engineers face when designing scalable systems?

Senior Distributed Systems Engineers often encounter challenges such as managing data consistency, ensuring fault tolerance, and minimizing latency across multiple nodes. Balancing trade-offs between availability and partition tolerance (as outlined by the CAP theorem) is a frequent consideration. Additionally, coordinating between development and operations teams to maintain system reliability and efficiently resolve issues that arise in production environments is crucial. Strong communication skills and a deep understanding of distributed architectures help address these complexities effectively.

What are Senior Distributed Systems Engineers?

Senior Distributed Systems Engineers are experienced professionals who design, build, and maintain large-scale computing systems that run across multiple machines or locations. They focus on ensuring reliability, scalability, and performance of distributed applications, often dealing with challenges like data consistency, fault tolerance, and network latency. These engineers typically have deep expertise in distributed computing principles, programming languages, and cloud infrastructure. They also mentor junior team members and help architect robust solutions for complex technical problems.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior distributed systems engineers, software engineers in specialized fields like cloud infrastructure, and senior engineers with extensive experience and advanced skills can earn $300,000 or more annually. High compensation often depends on expertise in areas such as distributed architecture, performance optimization, and familiarity with tools like Kubernetes and cloud platforms, along with relevant certifications and a strong track record of project delivery.

Is L5 at Google Senior?

L5 at Google typically corresponds to a senior-level engineering role, often called Software Engineer II or equivalent, with significant experience and technical expertise. It is considered a mid-to-senior level position, with responsibilities including project leadership and mentorship. Advancement to higher levels generally requires demonstrated impact and leadership in projects.
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Senior Distributed Systems Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior 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 $124,732 per year, or $60 per hour.

Distributed Systems Engineer

MLabs

Remote

$180K - $300K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 15 days ago

Job description

Location: Remote - Flexible work location (Preference is North America)
Remote Full-time
Compensation: $180K - $300K
We are hiring on behalf of our client who is an innovative organization building the next generation of market infrastructure to redefine how value is discovered, priced, and distributed in real time. The mission centers on bringing structure, transparency, and efficiency to systems where value is currently fragmented and opaque.
Operating at the intersection of distributed systems, market structure, and applied cryptography, the firm is defining a new category for MEV distribution that merges economic efficiency with emerging regulatory frameworks. Based in New York and San Francisco, the organization consists of a high-leverage team focused on building systems that impact real-world economic flows.
The successful candidate will design and build core systems from first principles. This is an opportunity to turn ambiguous problems into production-grade infrastructure, defining architecture and making critical tradeoffs in a fast-moving environment. The role involves working across the full stack of real-time distributed systems, including data ingestion, low-latency execution, and auction mechanisms.
Key Responsibilities
  • System Architecture: Design and implement the core system architecture for a real-time, high-stakes distributed platform.
  • End-to-End Ownership: Own systems from initial concept and design through implementation and production deployment.
  • Technical Problem Solving: Translate ambiguous, high-level objectives into concrete, scalable technical solutions.
  • Performance Optimization: Identify and resolve performance bottlenecks, latency constraints, and complex system failures.
  • Technical Leadership: Drive technical direction across various components and services while establishing engineering best practices and code quality standards.
  • Collaboration: Work closely with product and business functions to ensure technical decisions align with intended economic outcomes.
  • Cultural Impact: Define engineering standards, influence future hiring, and set the cultural bar for the engineering organization.

Requirements
  • Systems Programming: Advanced proficiency in Rust and strong systems programming experience.
  • Distributed Systems: Extensive experience building or operating distributed systems with real-world constraints regarding latency, scale, and fault tolerance.
  • Architecture & Design: A proven ability to design complex systems from scratch, demonstrating a strong intuition for tradeoffs between performance, complexity, and reliability.
  • Autonomy: A track record of taking end-to-end ownership of products or systems in ambiguous environments with minimal structure.
  • Modern Workflows: Experience leveraging AI tools and agent-based workflows to accelerate the development lifecycle.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Background in systems where both correctness and low latency are mission-critical.
  • Experience with blockchain consensus internals, validator client architecture, or low-level protocol development.
  • Familiarity with virtual machines or low-level execution environments.

Benefits
  • Competitive Compensation: Competitive base salary commensurate with experience.
  • Equity: Significant equity stake as an early member of the engineering team.
  • High Impact: Opportunity to shape the foundational engineering culture and build systems that mediate real economic flows.

Interview Process
The following stages outline the evaluation process for this role:
  1. Initial Interview: A discussion with the Founder/CEO to align on vision and role expectations.
  2. Technical Assignment: A take-home assignment designed to evaluate practical problem-solving and architectural skills.
  3. Technical Review: A deep-dive interview focused on the review of the take-home assignment and broader technical expertise.

Due to the high volume of applications we anticipate, we regret that we are unable to provide individual feedback to all candidates. If you do not hear back from us within 4 weeks of your application, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion. We genuinely appreciate your interest and wish you the best in your job search.
Commitment to Equality and Accessibility:
At MLabs, we are committed to offer equal opportunities to all candidates. We ensure no discrimination, accessible job adverts, and providing information in accessible formats. Our goal is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace with equal opportunities for all. If you need any reasonable adjustments during any part of the hiring process or you would like to see the job-advert in an accessible format please let us know at the earliest opportunity by emailing human-resources@mlabs.city.
MLabs Ltd collects and processes the personal information you provide such as your contact details, work history, resume, and other relevant data for recruitment purposes only. This information is managed securely in accordance with MLabs Ltd's Privacy Policy and Information Security Policy, and in compliance with applicable data protection laws. Your data may be shared only with clients and trusted partners where necessary for recruitment purposes. You may request the deletion of your data or withdraw your consent at any time by contacting legal@mlabs.city.

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