Staff Backend Engineer (Streaming and AI Infrastructure)

About the role

We are seeking a visionary Staff Software Engineer to lead the architectural design of a platform capable of processing over 100k+ events per second with sub-second, end-to-end latency. This system will serve as the central nervous system for Coupang, enabling real-time product and customer data and instant personalization.

Responsibilities

• Architect for Velocity: Lead the end-to-end design of a distributed streaming engine.
• Build the Best Team and Help Them Grow by setting the gold standard for high-throughput, low-latency architectural integrity.
• Define Extreme Performance: Design for "5-6 nines" (99.9999% availability) at a throughput of 100k+ events/sec.
• Dive Deep into JVM tuning, memory management, and network I/O to ensure sub-second latency across global clusters.
• AI-Driven Streaming: Integrate AI/ML models directly into the stream processing path. Implement predictive scaling and intelligent load balancing to ensure we Wow the Customer through seamless, real-time platform responsiveness.
• Solve Hard Problems: Address challenges related to distributed consistency, at times, exactly-once processing guarantees, and backpressure management. You must Be Data-Driven to validate architectural decisions against massive, bursty traffic patterns.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Electrical Engineering, Math, or a closely related field
• 4 years of experience in backend software development
• Proficiency in Java and the Spring Framework
• Experience working in cloud environments, particularly AWS

Preferred Qualifications

• Expert-level experience in Cassandra, TiDB, or DynamoDB
• Expert-level proficiency in Java and the Spring Framework
• Demonstrated experience in building and maintaining highly available, distributed systems in cloud environments (AWS)
• Experience with high-volume messaging systems (e.g., Kafka, SQS)
• Extensive Experience: 10+ years of professional software development experience building backend infrastructure that supports global-scale, real-time traffic
• Performance Expert: Proven track record of optimizing JVM applications for ultra-low latency (
• AI Integration: Experience or a strong architectural vision for using AI/ML to automate system-level functionality, such as real-time anomaly detection in data streams
• Distributed Systems Expert: Deep understanding of the CAP theorem, consensus algorithms, and building fault-tolerant systems from the ground up

Pay & Benefits

• Pay range: $152,000/year to $282,000/year
• Annual bonus is 0-20% of the base salary
• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life, AD&D insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) & Health Savings Account (HAS)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) program
• 401K Plan with Company Match
• 18-21 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) a year based on the tenure
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Paid Parental leave
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• MTV- [Free] Electric Car Charging Station

General Description of All Benefits

Annual bonus is 0-20% of the base salary
Medical/Dental/Vision/Life, AD&D insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) & Health Savings Account (HAS)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) program
401K Plan with Company Match
18-21 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) a year based on the tenure
12 Paid Holidays
Paid Parental leave
Pre-tax commuter benefits
MTV- [Free] Electric Car Charging Station

Recruitment Process and Others

Application Review - Phone Interview - Onsite (or Virtual Onsite) Interview – Offer

Details to Consider

This job posting may be closed prior to the stated end date for application if all openings are filled.
Coupang has the right to rescind an offer of employment if a candidate is found to have submitted false information as part of the application process.
Coupang does not discriminate against disabled applicants or those with veteran status. We are proud to offer equal opportunities for all applicants.

Privacy Notice

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EEO Statement

Coupang is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or gender (including pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, transgender status), national origin, age, disability, medical condition, HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis C status, marital status, military or veteran status, use of a trained dog guide or service animal, political activities, or affiliations, citizenship, or any other characteristic or class protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.