# Principal Software Engineer, Docker Hardened Images

**Company:** [Docker](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/docker)
**Location:** Remote
**Role:** Backend Engineering
**Experience:** 10+ years
**Skills:** Go, Kubernetes, Docker, Helm, Container Security, Sbom, Slsa, Sigstore, CI/CD, Distributed Systems, Linux, Kyverno, Istio, Grafana, Git
**Posted:** 2026-06-23

> Sets the technical direction for Docker Hardened Images, architecting secure image and Helm-chart delivery across the catalogue. The role requires 10+ years of backend and distributed-systems experience, deep Kubernetes and supply-chain security expertise, and strong cross-organizational technical influence.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Own the architecture for Docker Hardened Images (DHI) as a platform, including how images and Helm charts are authored, secured, distributed, and evolved.
- Define and drive multi-quarter technical roadmaps for container hardening, balancing upstream velocity, supply chain security, customer compliance, and catalogue scalability.
- Translate customer, operational, and upstream signals into catalogue-wide architectural changes.
- Align engineering, product, security, infrastructure, executives, and customer-facing teams on technical strategy, tradeoffs, and sequencing.
- Represent Docker in enterprise customer engagements, escalations, and upstream open-source communities.
- Set organization-wide standards for image definitions, Helm chart adaptation, hardening, and supply chain tooling.
- Solve complex packaging problems involving upstream dynamics, security tradeoffs, multi-architecture constraints, and customer impact.
- Shape integration-test infrastructure and developer tooling strategy.
- Mentor staff and senior engineers through design, review, and architectural leadership.
- Participate in the paid on-call rotation, respond to incidents, debug production issues, and improve reliability.

## Requirements
- 10+ years of backend engineering experience, including production-grade distributed systems at scale.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- Ability to set multi-quarter roadmaps and align engineering, product, and executive stakeholders.
- Deep expertise in containers and Kubernetes, including ecosystems such as cert-manager, Kyverno, Grafana, and Istio.
- Mastery of container supply chain security concepts including provenance, attestations, SBOMs, signing, and SLSA.
- Strong software engineering fundamentals in code review, testing, source control, and CI/CD.
- Go proficiency sufficient to shape infrastructure and test-harness design.
- Track record of technical influence without authority across teams or organizations.
- Experience with upstream open-source communities and security-relevant technical direction.
- Ability to communicate complex technical strategy across remote, distributed teams and to technical and non-technical audiences.

## Nice to Have
- Experience as a package maintainer for a Linux distribution, Homebrew, or a comparable ecosystem.
- Hands-on experience implementing or operationalizing Sigstore, SBOM, or SLSA tooling at organizational scale.
- Experience in regulated environments such as FedRAMP, FIPS, or PCI.
- Prior Principal or Distinguished individual-contributor experience on a platform, security, or developer-tools team.
- Experience engaging enterprise customers on container security architecture.

## Compensation & Benefits
- Canada: CA$245,913–CA$397,139 plus equity.
- United States: $180,500–$291,500 plus equity.
- Remote-first culture with offices in Seattle and Paris.
- Flexible work arrangements and quarterly wellness days.
- Home office setup support.
- 16 weeks of paid parental leave after six months of employment.
- Technology stipend equivalent to $100 USD net per month.
- PTO plan, training stipend, equity, medical benefits, retirement benefits, holidays, and company swag; benefits vary by country.

## Similar jobs

- [Principal Payments Engineer](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/e9e8ae1c-f327-407d-a81b-0f8e7a965c28) - Payabli - Remote
- [Principal Software Engineer, Program Structure](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/fbf7253d-d564-4bd6-af01-97388af648ef) - Vanta - Remote
- [Principal Software Engineer, GRC](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/ea6bb22f-e8c8-4239-9e91-de869cddcdf1) - Vanta - Remote - $321k – $378k/yr
- [Senior Principal Software Engineer, Feature Store](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/9f961dcc-e6a4-46ae-ad61-ab3e6b82fb8b) - Redis - Remote
- [Principal Engineer, Ads Platform](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/415000de-e13b-4219-a6c3-45b15b42a4c4) - Fetch - Remote

**Apply:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/9b8a5a7d-e166-46e5-a291-d3c633b34302
**Canonical:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/9b8a5a7d-e166-46e5-a291-d3c633b34302