Algorithms Research Engineer (PhD)

Granica is pioneering data optimization for large-scale AI and analytics. Our unified platform enables enterprises to dramatically reduce storage and compute costs while accelerating data pipelines - unlocking faster, more efficient access to intelligence at petabyte scale.
At the heart of Granica's mission is the belief that data is the foundation of modern AI. Realizing its full potential requires rethinking how data is managed, moved, and made useful. That's why we bring together world-class talent in AI research, distributed systems, and business to tackle the hardest challenges in data at scale.
Backed by leading investors including NEA and Bain Capital Ventures, Granica is helping the world's most forward-thinking organizations build a smarter, more cost-efficient data layer for the AI era.

Smarter Infrastructure for the AI Era

We make data efficient, safe, and ready for scale—think smarter, more foundational infrastructure for the AI era. Our technology integrates directly with modern data stacks like Snowflake, Databricks, and S3-based data lakes, enabling:

• 60%+ reduction in storage costs and up to 60% lower compute spend

• 3x faster data processing

• 20% platform efficiency gains

Trusted by Industry Leaders

Enterprise leaders globally already rely on Granica to cut costs, boost performance, and unlock more value from their existing data platforms.

A Deep Tech Approach to AI

We’re unlocking the layers beneath platforms like Snowflake and Databricks, making them faster, cheaper, and more AI-native. We combine advanced research with practical productization, powered by a dual-track strategy:

• Research: Led by Chief Scientist Andrea Montanari (Stanford Professor), we publish 1–2 top-tier papers per quarter.

• Product: Actively processing 100+ PBs today and targeting Exabyte scale by Q4 2025.

Backed by the Best

We’ve raised $60M+ from NEA, Bain Capital, A Capital, and operators behind Okta, Eventbrite, Tesla, and Databricks.

Our Mission

To convert entropy into intelligence, so every builder—human or AI—can make the impossible real.

We’re building the default data substrate for AI, and a generational company built to endure beyond any single product cycle.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Invent and prototype new algorithms that drive massive gains in I/O, memory, and network efficiency at petabyte scale

• Design cost models and adaptive planners that combine classical optimization with online learning

• Create approximation schemes and heuristics that make NP-hard problems run in sub-50ms windows

• Develop telemetry-informed indexes and data encodings that evolve quarterly to slash resource usage

• Partner with lakehouse and systems engineers to productionize ideas into highly-tuned, vectorized services

• Write world-class design docs, mentor peers, and open-source algorithms where possible

• Publish research that influences both Granica’s platform and the broader systems/ML infrastructure community

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• PhD in Algorithms, Optimization, Computational Geometry, or a related mathematical field

• Research that’s been cited or applied in systems contexts—especially in data, infra, or ML tooling

• Experience working on performance-critical components in large-scale environments

• Strong coding ability in Python or Rust, with AI copilots (e.g., Cursor, Claude, Codex) to accelerate iteration

• Comfortable validating ideas against large-scale datasets, real-world traces, or live traffic

• Pragmatic problem-solver who seeks simplicity without compromising performance

WHY JOIN GRANICA

This is a rare opportunity to build a mathematically sophisticated, production-grade engine at the frontier of cloud-scale infrastructure and AI.

What’s compelling for engineers with deep algorithmic backgrounds:

• Research that ships—you’ll invent theory and implement it in real-world, PB-scale systems

• Full-stack math—from cost models and combinatorics to vectorized kernels and scheduling heuristics

• Fast feedback loops—prototype overnight, validate on live traces the next day

• Extreme ownership—partner directly with core systems engineers and product leads to bring your algorithms to life

• High-impact culture—every improvement is measurable in dollars saved, seconds shaved, and human time unblocked

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Competitive salary and equity

• Premium healthcare, vision, and dental

• Flexible hybrid work setup (Bay Area HQ)

• Unlimited PTO + quarterly recharge days

• Stipends for learning, publishing, or open-source engagement

Equal Opportunity

Granica is an equal opportunity employer. We’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive team and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.