Protobuf Cleanup Engineer

Summary

Join a leading cloud-based storage and collaboration technology company as a Protobuf Cleanup Engineer. This remote, contract position (through 12/31/2025) focuses on modernizing the core metadata infrastructure by refactoring legacy protobuf implementations. You will migrate .proto files, regenerate protobuf code using standard tools, and refactor Go-based services. The role requires collaboration with engineering teams, testing, and documentation. This is a chance to work on a large-scale, highly distributed system managing billions of files. Compensation is $50-$54/hr.

Requirements

• Proven experience working with Protocol Buffers in production Go/gRPC environments
• Strong proficiency in Golang , including experience with code generation, interfaces, and concurrency patterns
• Experience working in large, production-critical codebases within service-oriented architectures
• Ability to work independently, proactively solve problems, and communicate effectively across distributed teams
• Comfort navigating infrastructure-level projects with broad cross-functional impact

Responsibilities

• Audit and identify all current usages of GoGoProto extensions in protobuf definitions
• Migrate .proto files to use standard protobuf options, removing deprecated or custom GoGoProto constructs
• Regenerate protobuf code using modern, supported tools (e.g., protoc, protoc-gen-go), ensuring compatibility with the client’s Go/gRPC infrastructure
• Refactor Go-based services to account for changes in code generation, particularly where GoGoProto-specific behaviors were in use (e.g., custom JSON serialization, field annotations)
• Validate code changes through testing and integration with live-tier services
• Collaborate with internal engineering teams to align on changes, unblock development workflows, and avoid regressions
• Document migration steps, tooling processes, and best practices to support long-term maintainability and knowledge sharing

Preferred Qualifications

Familiarity with GoGoProto and its ecosystem is strongly preferred

Benefits

• 75% coverage on employee-only medical and dental plans, with a $0 employee-only medical plan option available
• Vision - opt-in available
• PTO
• Laptop
• Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, AD&D coverage
• Short-term Disability, Accident, Cancer/Critical Illness, Pet insurance - opt in available