Software Engineer, Storage

As a Software Engineer on the Storage team at DoorDash, you will be responsible for designing and optimizing distributed storage systems, developing data abstraction services for high-throughput and low-latency workloads, and implementing caching strategies to maximize system efficiency. Your role involves collaborating with various teams across infrastructure layers to ensure reliable data access and enhancing storage architecture to address scalability challenges.

Candidates for the Software Engineer, Storage position at DoorDash should have at least 7 years of experience in designing and maintaining scalable data infrastructure. Proficiency in GoLang or Java, deep knowledge of NoSQL databases such as Cassandra, and familiarity with distributed caching systems like Redis or Memcached are essential. An understanding of multi-threading and a passion for fast-paced environments is also key to succeeding in this role.

Software Engineers in the Storage team at DoorDash work with a variety of technologies including CockroachDB, Cassandra, Kafka, Redis, and Amazon Aurora. You’ll also develop and maintain services that offer data abstraction, making it easier for product engineers to interact with complex storage systems efficiently.

For the Software Engineer position in Storage at DoorDash, the hybrid model allows flexibility for employees to work from home or at one of our designated office locations in Seattle, San Francisco, Sunnyvale, or the New York Metro Area. This setup provides the opportunity to collaborate with your team while also benefiting from the balance of remote work.

At DoorDash, Software Engineers in Storage enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) plans with employer matching, generous paid time off, parental leave, and wellness benefits. Additionally, employees receive equity grant opportunities and a supportive work environment dedicated to their overall well-being and career development.

When discussing your experience with distributed systems, focus on specific projects where you designed, built, or maintained such systems. Explain the technologies you used, the challenges you faced, and how you ensured reliability and performance. Highlight your ability to optimize systems for scalability, as this is crucial for the Software Engineer role at DoorDash.

In an interview, you should discuss various strategies such as implementing efficient indexing, data partitioning, and compressing strategies. Touch upon using caching mechanisms like Redis or Memcached to reduce latency and improve throughput. Emphasizing real-world examples will demonstrate your understanding and adaptability in optimizing storage solutions.

When addressing performance issues, outline your methodical approach—start by identifying bottlenecks through profiling and monitoring tools, carry out thorough testing, and implement solutions iteratively. Discuss any specific experiences at prior roles that required you to troubleshoot and resolve performance challenges effectively.

Be prepared to discuss different NoSQL databases you’ve worked with, such as Cassandra or DynamoDB, and how you chose the right database for specific applications. Explain your experience with schema design, data modeling, and the trade-offs associated with NoSQL solutions in scalability and consistency.

Share examples of previous collaborative projects, emphasizing communication strategies and how you foster a supportive team environment. Highlight specific instances where you contributed to cross-functional teamwork to solve complex engineering challenges, which is essential for the collaborative culture at DoorDash.

Explain your proactive approach to learning, such as following tech blogs, attending industry conferences, participating in webinars, or being active in developer communities. Demonstrate how you've applied new knowledge to your work, especially in a fast-evolving environment like the one at DoorDash.

Discuss a specific implementation of a caching strategy, detailing the problem that prompted it, the technologies used (like Redis), and the improvements you observed. Be sure to emphasize how this strategy addressed performance issues and enhanced user experience.

Talk about specific challenges such as handling high availability, consistency, and fault tolerance. Provide examples from your experience where you successfully identified and solved scalability issues, showcasing your technical skills and problem-solving abilities critical for the role at DoorDash.

Adopt a structured approach to prioritize tasks—maybe using frameworks like MoSCoW or Eisenhower matrix. Discuss how you assess the urgency and importance of each task, meet deadlines effectively, and ensure quality in your work without sacrificing collaboration with your team members.

Dive into your familiarity with automation tools and CI/CD pipelines, detailing how you’ve implemented automation to improve the efficiency of development and deployment processes. Emphasize the impact automation had on resource management and speed of delivery in your previous roles, especially in challenging projects.