Principal Software Engineer, Backend - Advanced Cluster Security

Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, and they are seeking an experienced Software Engineer with a strong background in Backend Development and Automation for their Advanced Cluster Security team. This senior-level role focuses on developing innovative features and enhancing the product's resilience, with responsibilities that include leading the lifecycle for core product areas and contributing to the technical roadmap.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the entire lifecycle for core product areas. Design, develop, and maintain critical backend services, automation tools, and Linux data collection software, prioritizing scalability, performance, and reliability
• Contribute to the technical roadmap, proactively identifying future challenges and opportunities within Kubernetes security. Focus development efforts across the product on efficient data collection, event processing, storage, and persistence mechanisms
• Spearhead the integration of new technologies, programming languages, and frameworks to boost developer productivity and drive product innovation
• Uphold high standards for software quality, promoting a "design document-first" methodology and facilitating technical growth through code reviews and mentorship
• Address complex customer issues, leveraging deep expertise in Kubernetes, Linux internals, and distributed systems to provide expert support
• Collaborate cross-functionally with product managers, designers, and fellow engineers to refine and expand ACS features, maintaining a sharp focus on user experience and operational excellence
• Provide technical guidance and foster peer learning through code reviews and design feedback to colleagues
• Engage with the open-source community, sharing knowledge and contributing to projects foundational to ACS technologies

Requirements:

• Open to learning new technologies, programming languages, and concepts; we work in Golang, but we care much more about your general engineering skills than knowledge of a specific programming language
• Proven track record in architecting and implementing high-performance, scalable backend services, including RESTful and gRPC APIs. Experience should include designing, optimizing, and maintaining complex systems, ideally in high-traffic environments
• Demonstrated experience with the complexities of building and maintaining scalable distributed systems and APIs
• Knowledge of and experience with automation frameworks and tools (e.g., Terraform, Helm). This should be demonstrated through the automation of significant infrastructure or development pipelines. Experience creating or contributing to tools that enhance developer productivity or system reliability is expected
• Understanding of and experience with Kubernetes, including deployment, scaling, management, and securing clusters in production environments (preferred, but not required)
• Enjoy delivering high-quality software through a principled, 'design document-first' approach
• Thrive in a collaborative environment working with different stakeholders and subject matter experts
• Exhibit innovative thinking and strong problem-solving capacity, demonstrated through practical solutions to complex engineering challenges
• Communication and collaboration skills are essential and demonstrated experience working in highly diverse and dynamic teams is required. A history of contributions to open-source projects is preferred, and active participation in community discussions and events is expected. Leadership roles within these communities are highly regarded
• Candidates should exhibit innovative thinking and problem-solving capacity, demonstrated through practical solutions to complex engineering challenges. The ability to think critically and provide leadership in container security and distributed systems is a plus
• Advanced Degree: A Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Engineering, or related STEM fields, with a minimum of five years of software development experience focusing on security, system internals, or distributed systems
• Bachelor's Degree: Alternatively, individuals with a Bachelor's degree in the same fields should bring a minimum of seven years of similar experience
• Technical Expertise: This role requires deep technical expertise and a demonstrated ability to solve complex problems in software security and infrastructure
• A history of contributions to open-source projects is preferred, and active participation in community discussions and events is expected. Leadership roles within these communities are highly regarded