Senior Distributed Systems Engineer

Censys

Senior Distributed Systems Engineer building scalable data services for Censys, an Internet intelligence company. Developing distributed systems, pipelines, APIs, and security-focused platform capabilities.

Posted 8/24/2026full-timeRemote • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $151,000 - $191,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in building large-scale, real-time services and applications, with a strong focus on distributed systems, cloud technologies, and data pipeline development. Proficient in collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance security and efficiency through innovative solutions.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Distributed Systems DevelopmentObject-Oriented Programming in GoCloud Provider Experience (AWS, Azure, GCP)Message Queue Technologies (AWS Kinesis, Kafka)Containerized Services in Kubernetes

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Software EngineeringData Pipeline DevelopmentDatabase Management (BigTable, Cloud Spanner)Scalability and Fault ToleranceAI FamiliarityGRPC or RESTData Serialization (Protobuf, MessagePack)Messaging SystemsSecurity Domain KnowledgeTestable and Maintainable Code

Soft Skills

Strong Communication SkillsCollaboration with Engineers and Product Managers

Tools & Technologies

KubernetesAWSAzureGCPKafkaGoogle Pub/SubCassandraHBaseCloud SpannerProtobuf

Certifications & Qualifications

Identity Verification through CLEAR

Industry Keywords

Real-Time ServicesInternal APIsExternal ApplicationsData Platform InitiativesDeveloper Experience

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

AWSAzureCassandraCloudDistributed SystemsGoGoogle Cloud PlatformGRPCHBaseKafkaKubernetes

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Build large-scale, real-time services and applications leveraging massive datasets for internal APIs and external applications
Build tooling, libraries, frameworks, and services supporting security, research, and data platform initiatives
Productionize prototypes into reliable internal tools, services, or platform capabilities
Participate in planning and technical discussions with engineering and product teams
Develop and maintain data pipelines, messaging systems, databases, caching layers, and cloud or on-premises services
Collaborate with Machine Learning Engineers and Security Researchers on solutions affecting security outcomes
Consider ongoing maintenance, monitoring, delivery, developer experience, and future extensibility

Requirements

What you’ll need

5+ years of software engineering experience building distributed systems
Experience with object-oriented programming; Censys uses Go
Experience with at least one cloud provider, such as AWS, Azure, or GCP
Experience or familiarity with message queue technologies, such as AWS Kinesis, Google Pub/Sub, or Kafka
Experience working with databases, such as BigTable, Cloud Spanner, HBase, or Cassandra
Understanding of scalability, fault tolerance, and reliability
Familiarity with using AI
Ability to write understandable, testable, maintainable code
Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively with engineers and product managers
Openness to using AI responsibly to improve efficiency and impact
Familiarity with gRPC or REST
Familiarity with data serialization technologies such as Protobuf or MessagePack
Experience building, deploying, or maintaining containerized services in Kubernetes
Understanding of Internet communication protocols and standards
Security domain knowledge is a bonus
Candidates must complete identity verification through CLEAR if offered employment
Candidates must be based in the continental United States

Benefits

Comp & perks

Equity
Health, dental & vision coverage
Retirement with company contribution
Parental leave
Mental health & wellness benefits
Flexible PTO
Professional development stipend
Annual bonus plan for eligible non-sales roles
Reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities
In-person onboarding at HQ in Ann Arbor