Principal Software Engineer - OpenShift Networking

Red Hat is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join their global OpenShift Networking team. In this role, you will design, architect, and deliver scalable and secure networking solutions while collaborating with various teams and upstream open source communities.

Responsibilities:

• Architect and implement advanced networking solutions for next‑generation platforms, including Kubernetes and Red Hat OpenShift
• Own and elevate quality across the networking stack through design reviews, peer code reviews, CI/CD practices, and proactive security engagement, including CVE resolution
• Provide technical leadership by shaping architecture, mentoring engineers, and influencing technical direction across teams
• Engage deeply with upstream communities, leading and contributing to projects such as Kubernetes, OVN-Kubernetes, Multus, and Open Virtual Networking (OVN)
• Collaborate across Red Hat engineering teams to deliver cohesive platform networking solutions
• Apply deep networking expertise to help customers and partners solve complex, real‑world problems with pragmatic and innovative solutions
• Represent Red Hat networking expertise with customers, partners, and open source communities as a trusted technical authority

Requirements:

• Deep expertise in computer networking, including strong knowledge of switching and routing protocols
• Experience with cloud technologies, software‑defined networking (SDN), and network functions virtualization (NFV)
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Go, Python, C, or C++
• Strong understanding of open source development models and community‑driven software
• Proven ability to design new architectures, evaluate trade‑offs, and influence technical strategy
• A proactive mindset with a passion for solving hard problems and delivering high‑quality solutions
• Ability to thrive in a highly collaborative, distributed, and diverse environment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English
• Proactively utilize AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Cursor) for code generation, auto-completion, and intelligent suggestions to accelerate development cycles and enhance code quality
• Hands‑on experience with Kubernetes, Red Hat OpenShift, or container networking technologies
• Knowledge of Linux networking internals and tooling
• Experience developing for public cloud platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud (GCE), or Microsoft Azure
• Comfort presenting technical topics to customers, partners, and senior stakeholders
• Prior open source contributions, or experience as a maintainer or core contributor