Senior Staff Software Engineer, SDN Architecture

Responsibilities

• Contribute to and refine the technical direction for Software-Defined Networking (SDN), translating strategy into plans, milestones, and measurable outcomes.
• Lead or participate in architecture reviews and author design documents for major SDN components.
• Review code for critical services.
• Build and optimize Linux kernel modules and high-performance drivers using XDP, eBPF, AF_XDP, and DPDK.
• Design and implement network architectures for GPU-to-GPU fabrics, high-speed Ethernet, and specialized AI clusters.
• Implement and tune virtualization features such as SR-IOV, vDPA, and virtio.
• Integrate advanced SmartNICs, DPUs, and IPUs.
• Troubleshoot production issues and perform deep performance tuning to maximize throughput and minimize latency.
• Evaluate emerging SDN and NFV technologies and contribute to strategically relevant open-source projects.
• Mentor engineers, review designs and code, and promote engineering excellence.
• Partner with software, operations, product, hardware, and infrastructure teams to deploy and manage architecture designs.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience building and operating large-scale networking systems in production, ideally in cloud or hyperscale data center environments.
• Strong SDN and NFV experience with systems programming in C, C++, Go, or Rust.
• Strong knowledge of Linux kernel architecture, memory management, the network stack, and device-driver development.
• Hands-on experience with kernel bypass and high-speed packet processing, including XDP, eBPF, AF_XDP, or DPDK.
• Familiarity with SmartNICs and accelerators such as NVIDIA ConnectX-6/7, BlueField-3, or Intel IPUs.
• Experience with network virtualization and data center fabrics, including Spine-Leaf, BGP, EVPN, and VXLAN, plus tools such as OVS or OVN.
• Knowledge of SR-IOV and vDPA, with the ability to debug control- and data-plane issues.
• Strong written communication and a collaborative, mentoring mindset.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related analytical field, or equivalent professional experience.

Nice-to-Haves

• Contributions to OVS, OVN, Cilium, or Multus.
• Experience deploying and operating physical network devices.
• Experience with network automation or complex orchestration tooling.
• Experience building networking stacks for multi-node GPU training at scale.

Compensation and Benefits

• Compensation range of $250,000 to $300,000.
• Restricted Stock Units included in all offers.
• Paid time off, paid holidays, and leave-of-absence programs.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Employer HSA contributions.
• Paid parental leave.
• Paid life insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage.
• Professional development and tuition reimbursement.
• Mental health and wellness support.
• Commuter benefits, cell phone stipend, and a 401(k) plan with company match up to 4% of salary.
• Volunteer time off, global travel insurance, emergency assistance, daily meals allowance, and location-specific programs.