Principal Product Manager – Dataplane

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States, +1 more state.

📋 Description

• Establish the vision and strategic roadmap for Tailscale's dataplane, encompassing WireGuard functionality, DERP relay expansion and capacity, subnet routers, exit nodes, and client-side networking.

• Articulate performance and reliability standards as product requirements from the customer's perspective.

• Take ownership of the connectivity product strategy from inception to execution, which includes regional growth, capacity planning, relay health observability, and offerings for enterprise and private DERP/Peer Relay, as well as addressing sovereign or regulated deployments.

• Lead the roadmap development for operational components such as subnet routers, exit nodes, and Peer Relays.

• Manage application-layer connectivity, covering App Connectors, Services, DNS, and network segmentation.

• Oversee the operator control interface across the admin console and CLI.

• Collaborate with the Network Features design lead on networking product interfaces.

• Direct connectivity behavior across various NAT types, operating systems, mobile networks, enterprise firewalls, and atypical customer environments.

• Work closely with GTM, Customer Success, and Solutions Engineering on commitments related to production traffic, regulated deployments, and strategic enterprise agreements.

• Represent Tailscale's dataplane to enterprise clients, cloud partners, infrastructure vendors, and the broader networking community.

• Report directly to the VP of Product at Tailscale.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 10 years of experience in product management focusing on networking, transport, edge, or infrastructure products at scale.

• Profound understanding of networking concepts, including routing, NAT traversal, MTU/MSS, congestion, latency, packet loss, overlay routing, proxies, connectors, DNS, and network segmentation.

• Capability to engage with engineers across networking teams as an equal.

• Proven track record in defining performance commitments and customer-facing SLOs.

• Experience working under real production expectations and managing missed commitments.

• Nice-to-have: Familiarity with VPN/tunneling protocols such as WireGuard, IPsec, and OpenVPN.

• Nice-to-have: Knowledge of low-level networking stacks including kernel, eBPF, and userspace.

• Nice-to-have: Experience in managing globally distributed infrastructure POPs, relays, and edge nodes.

• Nice-to-have: Understanding of subnet routing, BGP, MPLS, cloud VPC peering, or data residency regulations.

• Nice-to-have: Application-layer connectivity experience with service mesh, API gateways, DNS, proxies/connectors, or network segmentation and policy.

• Nice-to-have: Experience in developing admin console and CLI control interfaces.

• Nice-to-have: Background in regulated industries.

• Nice-to-have: Experience in public technical writing, delivering conference talks, or contributing to open-source networking projects.

• Nice-to-have: Hands-on experience using Tailscale in either professional or personal settings.

🏝️ Benefits

• An inclusive and flexible work environment where you can express your authentic self.

• A competitive total compensation package that includes an equity incentive plan and variable commission for quota-based roles.

• Comprehensive group benefits with no waiting period, covering health, vision, and dental for you and your family.

• A remote-first work culture.

• Opportunities to participate in virtual and in-person social events.

• Corporate co-working program available.

• Employer-funded retirement contributions that match employee contributions dollar-for-dollar, up to a maximum annual employer contribution of 0.75% of eligible compensation.

• An annual company retreat and team off-site events.

• $1,500 USD allocated annually for professional development.

• Access to mentorship, coaching, and opportunities for internal promotions.

• Flexible paid time off policy.

• Choice of company-owned laptop, either Mac or PC.

• Monthly reimbursement for home internet expenses.

• $500 USD allowance for home office setup.

• Paid parental leave enhancements: 20 weeks for birthing parents and 16 weeks for non-birthing parents.