Don’t let the quirky name fool you: At MotherDuck, we’re on a mission to make data warehousing fun, frictionless, and ducking awesome for developers and data practitioners building blazing fast internal and customer-facing analytics experiences. We're building a cloud-hosted version of DuckDB, working hand-in-hand with the creators of the fastest-growing and fastest-improving query engine on the planet. Unlike other databases, MotherDuck was architected to unify local development with cloud operations to bridge the gap between software and data engineering workflows. Our team is a mix of thoughtful, passionate, and empathetic data industry veterans.
What you will do
The Database team is the bridge between DuckDB and the cloud. We own the core server and client extension logic that lets DuckDB run seamlessly, whether it's local or in the cloud, and we work in C++ right alongside the DuckDB codebase itself. Our mission is to push the boundaries of embedded database performance, distributed execution, and user experience, all while staying closely connected to DuckDB Labs (the team behind DuckDB) to align on APIs and shape what's next.
Day to day, we drive major projects in dual execution, resource assignment, and system reliability, while also handling incoming issues and lending our DuckDB expertise to other teams. We collaborate closely across MotherDuck and with the wider DuckDB community, making sure people get the best of both local and cloud worlds. It's a small, high-agency team with big ambitions... the kind of place where engineers own impactful projects, share what they learn, and help shape how modern analytics gets built.
This role is ideally based in New York City but also open to great candidates remotely on the East Coast.
Key Responsibilities:
Own major projects in our dual execution stack, so DuckDB can process queries seamlessly whether they're running locally or in the cloud.
Help build a cloud platform that dynamically assigns resources, so DuckDB stays efficient whether someone's running a tiny workload or pushing our biggest, highest-memory instances.
Lead cross-functional work with our frontend, platform, and infrastructure teams to keep the user experience coherent end to end.
Push the state of the art in embedded database performance, distributed execution, and DuckDB internals.
Deepen your DuckDB expertise and share it with the rest of the company through mentorship and documentation.
Work directly with our support team to debug issues, learn from real usage patterns, and prioritize the improvements that matter most.
Improve systems holistically... spotting architectural challenges early and clearing bottlenecks before they become problems.
Mentor teammates and help raise the bar for engineering practices across the team.
Work closely with DuckDB Labs (which grew out of the Database Architectures group at CWI, where vectorized execution and DuckDB were born) to help align on APIs and shape where DuckDB goes next.
What you bring
You've built and shipped complex backend systems, and you know what great looks like.
You're fluent in a backend language like C++, Rust, Java, or similar systems languages, and you're comfortable working close to the metal. (C++ and Rust are the biggest plus here, and we love a great Java engineer too.)
A good foundation in query engines, execution plans, indexing, and performance optimization techniques.
Hands-on experience with DuckDB is a huge plus, no matter what level you're coming in at.
You've worked with cloud infrastructure, networking, and building low-latency distributed systems.
You can scope and lead projects that span multiple collaborators and cross-functional dependencies.
You take pride in clear thinking, careful design, and thoughtful tradeoffs.
You're comfortable mentoring peers and helping build a collaborative, high-agency environment.
You enjoy engaging with the wider community, whether that's open-source conversations or working directly with DuckDB Labs.
What we provide
The opportunity to participate and contribute to DuckDB, one of most popular modern open source analytical databases.
Feather-ruffling compensation – competitive salary and stock options so you have a stake in our flock’s success.
Top-notch healthcare coverage – 100% paid medical, dental, and vision for employees, plus 80% coverage for dependents (because we care about your whole nest).
Flexible PTO – take the time you need to recharge, explore, or just have a lazy day by the pond.
401k plan – because even ducks need to plan for the future.
Legendary company events – we bring the whole flock together twice a year for unforgettable summits in fun locations, plus 1-2 team gatherings a year to keep our bonds strong.
Flexible work environment - spend most of the week in the office collaborating with the flock, and work from wherever you're most productive the rest of the time. Specifics are role dependent and as agreed upon with your manager
Please Apply
Does this role sound appealing to you, but you’re missing some of the requirements or don’t quite think you’re qualified? Please apply anyway. Research has shown that underrepresented groups in technology often shy away from roles which aren’t a 100% match. We aim to build a diverse team and will strongly consider applicants who bring many of the requirements plus have other experiences which round out their qualifications.
MotherDuck is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. MotherDuck is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and mental disabilities
Please Apply
Does this role sound appealing to you, but you’re missing some of the requirements or don’t quite think you’re qualified? Please apply anyway. Research has shown that underrepresented groups in technology often shy away from roles which aren’t a 100% match. We aim to build a diverse team and will strongly consider applicants who bring many of the requirements plus have other experiences which round out their qualifications.
MotherDuck is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. MotherDuck is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and mental disabilities.
Listed by MotherDuck for a position based in the United States. Employers on this board attest they are hiring domestically.
ABOUT MOTHERDUCK
Don’t let the quirky name fool you: At MotherDuck, we’re on a mission to make data warehousing fun, frictionless, and ducking awesome for developers and data practitioners building blazing fast internal and customer-facing analytics experiences. We're building a cloud-hosted version of DuckDB, working hand-in-hand with the creators of the fastest-growing and fastest-improving query engine on the planet. Unlike other databases, MotherDuck was architected to unify local development with cloud operations to bridge the gap between software and data engineering workflows. Our team is a mix of thoughtful, passionate, and empathetic data industry veterans.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
The Database team is the bridge between DuckDB and the cloud. We own the core server and client extension logic that lets DuckDB run seamlessly, whether it's local or in the cloud, and we work in C++ right alongside the DuckDB codebase itself. Our mission is to push the boundaries of embedded database performance, distributed execution, and user experience, all while staying closely connected to DuckDB Labs (the team behind DuckDB) to align on APIs and shape what's next.
Day to day, we drive major projects in dual execution, resource assignment, and system reliability, while also handling incoming issues and lending our DuckDB expertise to other teams. We collaborate closely across MotherDuck and with the wider DuckDB community, making sure people get the best of both local and cloud worlds. It's a small, high-agency team with big ambitions... the kind of place where engineers own impactful projects, share what they learn, and help shape how modern analytics gets built.
This role is ideally based in New York City but also open to great candidates remotely on the East Coast.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own major projects in our dual execution stack, so DuckDB can process queries seamlessly whether they're running locally or in the cloud.
- Help build a cloud platform that dynamically assigns resources, so DuckDB stays efficient whether someone's running a tiny workload or pushing our biggest, highest-memory instances.
- Lead cross-functional work with our frontend, platform, and infrastructure teams to keep the user experience coherent end to end.
- Push the state of the art in embedded database performance, distributed execution, and DuckDB internals.
- Deepen your DuckDB expertise and share it with the rest of the company through mentorship and documentation.
- Work directly with our support team to debug issues, learn from real usage patterns, and prioritize the improvements that matter most.
- Improve systems holistically... spotting architectural challenges early and clearing bottlenecks before they become problems.
- Mentor teammates and help raise the bar for engineering practices across the team.
- Work closely with DuckDB Labs (which grew out of the Database Architectures group at CWI, where vectorized execution and DuckDB were born) to help align on APIs and shape where DuckDB goes next.
WHAT YOU BRING
- You've built and shipped complex backend systems, and you know what great looks like.
- You're fluent in a backend language like C++, Rust, Java, or similar systems languages, and you're comfortable working close to the metal. (C++ and Rust are the biggest plus here, and we love a great Java engineer too.)
- A good foundation in query engines, execution plans, indexing, and performance optimization techniques.
- Hands-on experience with DuckDB is a huge plus, no matter what level you're coming in at.
- You've worked with cloud infrastructure, networking, and building low-latency distributed systems.
- You can scope and lead projects that span multiple collaborators and cross-functional dependencies.
- You take pride in clear thinking, careful design, and thoughtful tradeoffs.
- You're comfortable mentoring peers and helping build a collaborative, high-agency environment.
- You enjoy engaging with the wider community, whether that's open-source conversations or working directly with DuckDB Labs.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
- The opportunity to participate and contribute to DuckDB, one of most popular modern open source analytical databases.
- Feather-ruffling compensation – competitive salary and stock options so you have a stake in our flock’s success.
- Top-notch healthcare coverage – 100% paid medical, dental, and vision for employees, plus 80% coverage for dependents (because we care about your whole nest).
- Flexible PTO – take the time you need to recharge, explore, or just have a lazy day by the pond.
- 401k plan – because even ducks need to plan for the future.
- Legendary company events – we bring the whole flock together twice a year for unforgettable summits in fun locations, plus 1-2 team gatherings a year to keep our bonds strong.
- Flexible work environment - spend most of the week in the office collaborating with the flock, and work from wherever you're most productive the rest of the time. Specifics are role dependent and as agreed upon with your manager
PLEASE APPLY
Does this role sound appealing to you, but you’re missing some of the requirements or don’t quite think you’re qualified? Please apply anyway. Research has shown that underrepresented groups in technology often shy away from roles which aren’t a 100% match. We aim to build a diverse team and will strongly consider applicants who bring many of the requirements plus have other experiences which round out their qualifications.
MotherDuck is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. MotherDuck is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and mental disabilities
PLEASE APPLY
Does this role sound appealing to you, but you’re missing some of the requirements or don’t quite think you’re qualified? Please apply anyway. Research has shown that underrepresented groups in technology often shy away from roles which aren’t a 100% match. We aim to build a diverse team and will strongly consider applicants who bring many of the requirements plus have other experiences which round out their qualifications.
MotherDuck is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. MotherDuck is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and mental disabilities.
Listed by MotherDuck for a position based in the United States. Employers on this board attest they are hiring domestically.
ABOUT MOTHERDUCK
Don’t let the quirky name fool you: At MotherDuck, we’re on a mission to make data warehousing fun, frictionless, and ducking awesome for developers and data practitioners building blazing fast internal and customer-facing analytics experiences. We're building a cloud-hosted version of DuckDB, working hand-in-hand with the creators of the fastest-growing and fastest-improving query engine on the planet. Unlike other databases, MotherDuck was architected to unify local development with cloud operations to bridge the gap between software and data engineering workflows. Our team is a mix of thoughtful, passionate, and empathetic data industry veterans.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
At MotherDuck, we're building a delightful, cloud-native analytics platform powered by DuckDB. We believe in simplifying data without dumbing it down... and we're looking for a Senior Sales Engineer who can help our customers see how magical (and fast!) data can be. This role is perfect for someone who's waddled through the world of data engineering and is now ready to ruffle some feathers in a customer facing role. You'll be the technical tailwind for our sales team, showing prospects how MotherDuck can help them fly through their data challenges with ease.
This is a hybrid role that can be based out of our New York City, Seattle or San Francisco office.
Key responsibilities include
- Partner with Account Executives to lead the technical side of sales, from discovery through to technical win.
- Design elegant data architectures using DuckDB, MotherDuck, and the modern data stack... always with simplicity and performance in mind.
- Create and deliver tailored demos and proof-of-concepts that really get customers flapping with excitement.
- Translate business needs into scalable, cost-effective, and delightful technical solutions.
- Work cross-functionally with Product and Engineering to bring customer feedback to the nest and shape the roadmap.
- Be a trusted technical advisor, helping customers navigate their journey with MotherDuck from pilot to production.
- Build and deploy AI-powered automations that scale your own impact... think less manual prep, more time wowing customers.
WHAT YOU BRING
- 5+ years of experience as a data engineer, analytics engineer, or similar, with hands-on skills in SQL, Python, and cloud-native data tooling.
- 2+ years in a pre-sales or solutions engineering role, ideally in the data or analytics space.
- Proven, hands-on experience with OLAP workloads... you've designed and optimized for analytical query patterns
- You've built with or alongside AI systems in a real way... not just using AI tools to go a bit faster, but actually automating workflows, building agents, and multiplying your own output through smart systems.
- You've worked with tools like BigQuery, Snowflake, dbt, Airflow, and you're always curious about what's hatching in the modern data stack.
- You’ve worked with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or other agent harnesses to empower yourself and others.
- You love talking to customers, whiteboarding solutions, and quacking confidently in front of both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Deep familiarity with data warehouse architecture, performance optimization, and data modeling.
- Experience working in a fast-paced startup environment.
- [nice to have] Experience with DuckDB and/or MotherDuck (or at least a strong curiosity to learn and dive deep).
WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE SAYING IF YOU’RE DOING DUCKING AWESOME
- "They can land any POC like a pro... our prospects leave every demo flapping their wings in excitement."
- "They just get the modern data stack and know how to explain it without a 30-slide deck."
- "They made complex data pipelines feel like a walk in the park... with breadcrumbs."
- "They're the go-to for any technical deep dive. Calm under pressure, sharp as a beak."
- "Our customers ask for them by name. Total ducking rockstar."
- "They always bring clarity, confidence, and a splash of charm to every sales call."
- "They turned our most skeptical prospect into a lifelong fan... and did it with a smile."
- "They've automated half their own prep work with AI and still somehow seem to do more than anyone else on the team."
WHAT WE PROVIDE
- Feather-ruffling compensation – competitive salary and stock options so you have a stake in our flock’s success.
- Top-notch healthcare coverage – 100% paid medical, dental, and vision for employees, plus 85% coverage for dependents (because we care about your whole nest).
- Flexible PTO – take the time you need to recharge, explore, or just have a lazy day by the pond.
- 401k plan – because even ducks need to plan for the future.
- Flexible work environment - spend most of the week in the office collaborating with the flock, and work from wherever you're most productive the rest of the time. Specifics are role dependent and as agreed upon with your manager.
OUR INTERVIEW PROCESS
We like to keep things transparent, so here's what to expect if you apply...
1. Intro call with our recruiting team to get acquainted and make sure we're a mutual fit
2. Technical & account handling chat with our Sales Engineering lead
3. A set of deeper conversations covering cross-functional storytelling, OLAP technical depth, AI technical chops, and customer obsession
4. A final conversation with our CEO focused on values and vision
PLEASE APPLY
Does this role sound appealing to you, but you’re missing some of the requirements or don’t quite think you’re qualified? Please apply anyway. Research has shown that underrepresented groups in technology often shy away from roles which aren’t a 100% match. We aim to build a diverse team and will strongly consider applicants who bring many of the requirements plus have other experiences which round out their qualifications.
MotherDuck is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. MotherDuck is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and mental disabilities.
Listed by MotherDuck for a position based in the United States. Employers on this board attest they are hiring domestically.
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