Software Engineer, Networking

Summary

Join Tailscale's growing engineering team as a Software Engineer, contributing to the development of the Tailscale product, focusing on networking features and optimizations for both open-source client code and backend services. You will take ownership of the entire product lifecycle, from code writing to product ideation and strategic decision-making. Collaborate with UX/UI designers and product managers to enhance networking capabilities. As a fully remote company, strong motivation, independent thinking, and asynchronous collaboration skills are essential. The role involves working with embedded systems and resource-constrained environments. You will also provide technical leadership and mentorship to other engineers.

Requirements

• Expert-level proficiency in Rust, with a proven track record of building and deploying production-quality software
• Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers in Rust and drive the adoption of Rust best practices
• Experience integrating with foreign systems written in Go, C++ or C
• Significant experience with networking software and diagnosing networking issues
• Deep understanding of networking concepts, including IP addressing, routing, NAT traversal, and VPN technologies
• Experience with distributed systems, particularly those involving real-time communication and high availability
• Flexibility to adjust to the dynamic nature of a startup
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Responsibilities

• Develop the Tailscale product, contributing to both open-source client code and related backend services, with an emphasis on networking features and optimizations
• Take ownership of the entire product lifecycle, from writing code to product ideation and strategic decision-making
• Work with UX/UI designers and product managers to shape features that enhance networking capabilities
• Work as part of a team of engineers to design, build, test, and document core networking software components, with a strong emphasis on the Tailscale client for IoT applications
• Lead the design and implementation of networking features in areas such as our control plane, relay infrastructure, and networking protocols, specifically tailored for embedded systems and resource-constrained environments
• Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve complex networking issues across different environments, including customer networks and cloud infrastructure
• Exhibit ownership over the running services that comprise Tailscale’s product by building for observability, participating in incident response, and fielding customer support escalations
• Analyze and improve the efficiency, scalability, and stability of networking systems and resources
• Bring a security-first mindset to both design and implementation, ensuring robust and secure networking components
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to other engineers, fostering a culture of learning and knowledge sharing
• Drive the adoption of Rust best practices within the team, including code reviews, tooling, and testing
• Contribute to the design and architecture of the IoT-specific Tailscale client
• Evaluate and integrate relevant third-party libraries and tools

Preferred Qualifications

Familiarity with embedded systems development and real-time operating systems (RTOS) is a plus

Benefits

• An inclusive, flexible environment where you can be your authentic self
• A competitive total compensation package. This includes a base salary, an equity incentive plan and variable commission (for quota-based roles)
• Comprehensive group benefits with no waiting period. Take advantage of coverage for health, vision, dental, and more for you and your family!
• Remote first company —most of our teams work fully remotely. Enjoy a change of scenery wherever you can get wifi, participate in virtual and in-person social events, and leverage our corporate co-working program to visit WeWork (or other similar spaces near you). Some roles require in-office collaboration depending on team needs, which will be clearly noted in the job description
• Connect with other Tailscalars IRL. Attend our annual company retreat, participate in team/department off-sites, or use your individual travel budget to meet up with team members in Canada, the US, or the UK
• Support for your personal and professional development. Grow your career thoughtfully with $1500 USD annually for professional development, or take advantage of mentorship, coaching, and internal promotion opportunities
• Paid time off and a healthy work-life integration. Our flexible, paid time off program supports you for any situation life throws your way, whether moving homes or travelling the world!
• A build-your-own home office setup. You choose your own company-owned laptop (Mac or PC), receive a monthly home internet reimbursement, and $1000 USD to customize your workstation to make it your own
• Generous parental leave program from your first day. We care about your life outside of work and encourage new parents to take advantage of parental leave top-ups for up to 26 weeks