Staff Engineer, Network Infrastructure

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California.

📋 Description

• Design and develop network automation and orchestration systems for DigitalOcean's global network infrastructure.

• Create software solutions for network provisioning, configuration management, device lifecycle management, validation, monitoring, and automated remediation.

• Develop software that integrates with DPUs, SmartNICs, and programmable network infrastructures.

• Automate large-scale datacenter and Point of Presence deployments, hardware, network fabrics, routing infrastructure, and vendor integrations.

• Create abstractions across various network vendors and hardware implementations while ensuring safety and reliability.

• Develop diagnostic tools and automate operational workflows.

• Transform manual, repetitive, or error-prone infrastructure operations into scalable software solutions.

• Collaborate with network engineers and infrastructure architects to create maintainable software architectures.

• Set engineering standards for infrastructure software development, testing, observability, and operational readiness.

• Oversee projects from technical design through implementation, deployment, and long-term operation.

• Define technical direction and make architectural decisions.

• Write RFCs, architecture and design documents, technical proposals, project plans, and technical documentation.

• Identify systemic infrastructure issues and solutions that span multiple teams and infrastructure layers.

• Assess emerging hardware and software technologies.

• Mentor engineers and provide technical leadership across the engineering organization.

• Utilize AI tools to enhance development, debugging, testing, documentation, and technical exploration.

• Develop platforms, abstractions, and automation that empower other engineers to work more efficiently.

• Foster partnerships across Network Infrastructure, Compute, Storage, Availability, Security, and Hardware/Platform Engineering.

⛳️ Requirements

• Extensive experience in designing and building production software systems at scale.

• Strong fundamentals in software engineering, including distributed systems, API design, concurrency, testing, observability, and system reliability.

• Proficient programming skills in one or more languages such as Go, Python, or C++.

• Experience in building automation, orchestration, or infrastructure platforms.

• In-depth understanding of networking concepts such as TCP/IP, BGP, EVPN/VXLAN, VLANs, routing, switching, and network telemetry.

• Familiarity with network devices, network automation frameworks, APIs, or vendor SDKs.

• Experience in designing systems that function safely in highly available production environments.

• Capability to comprehend complex infrastructure challenges and simplify them into scalable software architectures.

• Strong technical writing abilities, including RFCs, architecture/design documents, technical proposals, project plans, and related documentation.

• Ability to convert ambiguous problems into technical proposals, documented requirements, architectural decisions, and implementation plans.

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to influence technical decisions across engineering teams.

• Proven capability to act as a technical leader without relying on formal organizational authority.

• Experience with DPUs, SmartNICs, or programmable network infrastructure is highly beneficial.

• Familiarity with programmable data planes, eBPF, P4, or similar technologies is particularly advantageous.

🏝️ Benefits

• Reimbursement for relevant conferences, training, and educational opportunities.

• Access to over 10,000 courses on LinkedIn Learning.

• Employee Assistance Program.

• Local employee meetups.

• Flexible time off policy.

• Competitive benefits that vary based on local regulations and preferences.

• Eligibility for bonuses based on company and individual performance.

• Equity compensation, including equity grants upon hire.

• Employee Stock Purchase Program.

• Commitment to equal-opportunity employment.