# Principal Software Engineer, Docker Agents

**Company:** [Docker](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/docker)
**Location:** Remote
**Role:** AI Research
**Experience:** 10+ years
**Skills:** Go, Docker, Docker Agent, Containerization, Kubernetes, Python, LLMs, AI Agents, Distributed Systems, Cloud Platforms, Observability, CI/CD, Security, LangChain, LangGraph
**Posted:** 2026-01-20

> Leads the technical vision and implementation of Docker’s containerized AI agent platform, including runtime infrastructure, distributed systems, evaluation, and operational excellence. The role requires 10+ years of software engineering experience, principal-level technical leadership, and practical experience with Go, Docker, and LLM-based agent development.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Define and drive the long-term technical strategy for Docker’s containerized agent platform, including core primitives, APIs, and extensibility patterns.
- Design and implement systems that use Docker containers as runtimes for AI agents, ensuring isolation, scalability, and portability.
- Maintain and evolve the open-source Docker Agent project, adding capabilities for containerized agent deployment, orchestration, and lifecycle management.
- Build infrastructure for packaging, deploying, and managing agents across local and cloud environments.
- Define evaluation frameworks for agent quality, reliability, production readiness, and runtime deployment effectiveness.
- Establish standards for observability, performance, and operational excellence; lead production decisions and incident learnings.
- Rapidly prototype agent capabilities and deployment patterns from concept through production.
- Engage with the Docker Agent community, review contributions, and grow the ecosystem.
- Lead cross-functional technical discussions and influence architectural decisions across Docker’s AI initiatives.
- Mentor senior engineers, lead design reviews, and provide clear technical direction and coaching.
- Participate in an on-call rotation as needed, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

## Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 10+ years of software engineering experience, including 3+ years in technical leadership roles at Staff, Principal, or equivalent scope.
- Strong proficiency in Go, or the ability and willingness to ramp up quickly.
- Practical experience with large language models and AI agent development patterns.
- Hands-on experience using AI for software development.
- Ability to design scalable, distributed systems in production environments.
- Deep understanding of Docker, containerization best practices, and container orchestration.
- Experience building and operating platform services with observability, CI/CD, and security foundations.
- Experience operating and evolving highly available production systems with a focus on reliability and performance.
- Exceptional communication skills and the ability to influence across technical and business domains.
- Candidates must currently be located in the UK. The role is remote-first with expected office attendance in London approximately once per month.
- Docker does not offer immigration or visa sponsorship for this role.

## Nice-to-haves
- Experience with CrewAI, AGNO, ADK, LangChain, LangGraph, or similar AI orchestration frameworks.
- Python experience for AI prototyping and tooling.
- Experience with Kubernetes or other container orchestration platforms.
- Open-source contributions and community engagement.
- Experience with agent evaluation, reliability, and observability techniques.

## Compensation and benefits
- Technology stipend equivalent to $100 USD net per month.
- Equity participation.
- Home office setup support.
- 16 weeks of paid parental leave after six months of employment.
- PTO plan.
- Training stipend for conferences, courses, and classes.
- Designated quarterly Whaleness Days and an end-of-year Whaleness break.
- Medical benefits, retirement, and holidays vary by country.
- Remote-first culture with offices in Seattle and Paris.

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