Principal Software Engineer - Backend

Dragos, Inc. is a leader in xOT cybersecurity, dedicated to protecting critical infrastructure systems. The Principal Software Engineer will be responsible for designing and implementing high-performance backend systems, optimizing software architectures, and ensuring software quality throughout the development lifecycle.

Responsibilities:

• Design and implement robust, testable, high-performance systems and tools in Rust
• Optimize existing software architectures to enhance speed and efficiency
• Actively participate in all phases of the development lifecycle, including debugging and optimization, ensuring and elevating software quality
• Stay informed about the latest advancements in Rust programming, security, and software design principles, helping to foster an environment of continuous learning and improvement
• Give and receive peer feedback on a normal cadence as part of our review cycle

Requirements:

• 10+ years of experience developing backend systems at scale in high-performance team environments
• 5+ years of experience in relational databases such as Postgres
• 5+ years of experience with NoSQL databases such as Elasticsearch
• 5+ years of experience working in a microservices architecture
• Rust proficiency – or the willingness and demonstrated ability to become proficient quickly
• Experience integrating with third party devices and data providers
• Experience incorporating AI tools, models, or services into development workflows
• Proven track record of mentoring and developing senior engineers
• Demonstrated ability to lead architectural decisions and influence technical strategy across multiple teams
• Experience working in cybersecurity, OT, or ICS environments
• Experience building and operating distributed systems at scale with a focus on reliability
• Familiarity with Kubernetes and cloud‑native architectures
• Experience with containerization (Docker)
• Strong understanding of observability tooling (Prometheus, Grafana)
• Experience building CI/CD pipelines and working with IaC tools (Terraform)
• Experience building information security–focused products or applying secure coding practices
• Experience with Kotlin, Go, or Python in production environments
• Experience mentoring team members or leading technical initiatives