Software Engineer, Cortex AI Infrastructure

Snowflake4 days ago

Location

US-CA-Menlo Park

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 160,000 – 225,000

Level

Senior

Role

Software Engineer

Posted

May 21, 2026

Full TimeSenior

The role

Summary

Snowflake is seeking a Software Engineer for its Cortex AI Infrastructure team to build high-performance systems that power enterprise AI capabilities. The role focuses on developing scalable, secure infrastructure for AI workflows, including agentic runtimes, context engineering, and AI system optimization.

What you'll do

Agentic Runtimes Development: Build and scale orchestration engines for complex agentic workflows, ensuring low-latency tool execution and robust state management

Context Engineering Infrastructure: Develop high-performance systems for Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), including vector database integration, scalable search indexing, and semantic caching

Evaluation Engine Construction: Create automated infrastructure for massive-scale golden set simulations, error analysis pipelines, and experimental testing

AI Workflow Productionization: Collaborate with modeling teams to transform raw LLM capabilities into hardened, multi-tenant microservices with strict guardrails and observability

Performance Optimization: Implement system optimizations for model routing, prompt caching, and token optimization to maximize efficiency

What we look for

Technical

Programming LanguagesDeep proficiency in Python for AI orchestration, strong experience with Go or Java for systems programming. Familiarity with C++ is a plus

Systems ArchitectureStrong understanding of database internals, distributed state management, and cloud-native architecture (Kubernetes, FoundationDB)

AI InfrastructureExperience with vector indices, agent platforms, scalable data pipelines, and AI frameworks like PyTorch, TensorFlow, or XGBoost

Education

Academic QualificationBachelor's degree in Computer Science or related technical field; Masters or PhD preferred

Experience

Industry Experience4+ years designing, building, and supporting distributed systems, high-throughput APIs, machine learning platforms, or data-intensive systems

Skills

Required skills

Distributed SystemsExpertise in designing and implementing scalable, high-performance backend systems

AI InfrastructureDeep understanding of AI workflow orchestration and enterprise-scale AI system design

Nice to have

Query OptimizationExperience with SQL engine internals and advanced query optimization techniques

Multi-tenant SystemsBackground in designing secure, scalable systems for handling sensitive enterprise data

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 160,000 – 225,000 (annual)

Benefits

Competitive Compensation

Salary range of $160,000 to $225,000 with potential for equity and performance bonuses

Professional Growth

Opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI infrastructure at a leading cloud computing company

Innovation Culture

Work in a dynamic environment that encourages experimental thinking and pushing technological boundaries

Interview process

1
Initial Screening — Review of resume and initial qualifications by recruiting team
2
Technical Phone Screen — Detailed discussion of technical background, AI infrastructure experience, and system design capabilities
3
Technical Interview — In-depth technical assessment focusing on distributed systems, AI workflow design, and problem-solving skills
4
Systems Design Interview — Evaluation of candidate's ability to design scalable, efficient AI infrastructure solutions
5
Final Team Interview — Meeting with potential team members and leadership to assess cultural fit and collaborative potential