Senior Software Engineer (C++) for JVM runtime

Location: Prague; Cyprus - Remote; Limassol; Belgrade; Serbia - Remote Workplace: hybrid We are seeking a highly skilled **Senior Software Engineer** to join our team developing Azul Prime, an award-winning enhanced build of OpenJDK designed for superior application performance, responsiveness, and efficiency. In this role, you will drive the development and optimization of the virtual machine (VM), contributing to garbage collection, HotSpot runtime, compiler runtime, remote compilation, and many other advanced challenges. What You'll Do Design, develop, maintain, and optimize high‑performance, low‑level C++ code for system‑critical JVM runtime components and distributed client‑server communication using gRPC, HTTP/2, or HTTP, ensuring minimal overhead, robustness, and reliability at scale. Lead the delivery of complex technical projects — from design through production — taking ownership of outcomes and navigating ambiguity under real time and resource constraints. Contribute to the technical direction of the team: participate in design discussions, challenge and pressure-test technical approaches, and ensure robust solutions through constructive peer review. Collaborate across teams — represent the team's technical interests in cross-team initiatives and contribute as a peer in design and direction discussions with partner engineering groups. Mentor junior engineers, sharing expertise through reviews, pairing, and practical guidance that raises the quality bar across the team. Explore and adopt AI-first workflows — proactively identifying where AI tools can enhance productivity, code quality, and development processes, and helping teammates adopt effective practices. Perform detailed debugging, profiling, and root-cause analysis of complex software issues. Develop comprehensive tests to ensure high quality and demonstrate performance improvements. Wha you'll Need Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field, and a minimum of 5 years of experience writing low‑level, high‑performance C++ code. Solid knowledge of VM and compiler runtime design and implementation; familiarity with JVM internals is highly desirable. Demonstrated ability to independently lead and deliver complex technical projects on time, managing competing priorities and technical uncertainty. Experience mentoring engineers and contributing to a team's technical culture and practices. Strong proficiency with low‑level programming concepts — memory management, pointers, concurrency, and multithreading. Experience using debuggers, profilers, and performance analysis tools to investigate and resolve complex problems. Understanding of hardware architectures (e.g. x86, ARM), operating system internals (e.g. Linux, macOS), and languages such as Java or Rust is an advantage. We Offer Referral Program — help us grow with great people. Premium IT equipment — MacBook Pro or hardware of your choice. 5 weeks of holidays + 5 sick days. Flexible working hours; full remote possible. Prague/Limassol/Belgrade city center offices. Hybrid or full-remote also possible. Work alongside top experts worldwide contributing to the Java ecosystem. Employment at Azul is contingent upon the completion of reference and background checks.