Staff Software Engineer – Runtime

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

📋 Description

• Design, develop, and maintain the filesystem and container runtime components of Docker's local runtime stack.

• Investigate and resolve correctness, performance, and stability issues within the filesystem layer across macOS, Windows, and Linux.

• Work on VirtioFS, OverlayFS, and related filesystem technologies to enhance performance and reliability for AI agent workloads.

• Contribute to the integration of containerd and manage OCI-compliant container lifecycles.

• Collaborate with team members to evolve the runtime architecture as requirements expand.

• Engage actively with the open-source community on projects related to filesystems and container runtimes.

• Participate in on-call rotations and address critical stability issues impacting users.

• Clearly document your work and share knowledge with the rest of the team.

⛳️ Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in systems programming, particularly focused on filesystems or container runtimes.

• 6+ years of professional, hands-on, full-time software engineering experience in backend, infrastructure, or platform engineering.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.

• Profound understanding of filesystem semantics: POSIX, VFS, virtual filesystems (FUSE, VirtioFS), and overlay filesystems.

• Experience with container technologies: OCI image specification, containerd, runc, or equivalent low-level container infrastructure.

• Proficient in Go and/or Rust; comfortable with reading and modifying C when necessary.

• Experience debugging complex, cross-platform issues involving kernel and userspace components.

• Strong written and verbal communication abilities.

• Comfortable working independently in a remote-first environment.

🏝️ Benefits

• Freedom & flexibility; adapt your work schedule around your life.

• Designated quarterly Whaleness Days plus an end-of-year Whaleness break.

• Home office setup; we prioritize your comfort while you work.

• 16 weeks of paid parental leave (after 6 months of employment).

• Technology stipend equivalent to $100 USD net/month.

• PTO plan that encourages you to take time for activities you enjoy.

• Training stipend for conferences, courses, and classes.

• Equity; as a growing startup, we want all employees to share in the company's success.

• Docker swag.

• Medical benefits, retirement, and holidays vary by country.

• Remote-first culture, with offices located in Seattle and Paris.