Principal Software Engineer, Networking (Seattle or SF Bay Area)
Docker · Remote · San Francisco, United States +1 · 1mo ago
About Docker
Docker has been one of the most loved brands in developer tooling, trusted by more than 20 million monthly users and over 20 billion container image pulls. From solo founders to the world's largest companies, developers rely on Docker to build, share, and run their applications across our suite of products including Docker Desktop, Docker Hub, and Docker Scout.
We are a globally distributed, remote-first team building the tools that define how software gets built and delivered. As AI agents redefine software development, Docker is at the center of that shift, providing the sandboxed environments, verified images, and secure infrastructure that make autonomous workflows trustworthy by default.
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As a Principal Software Engineer in Networking, you will set the technical direction for the networking stack behind Docker's Sandboxes platform and make architectural decisions that ripple across Docker's product portfolio. Your work will directly enable Docker's expansion into AI and security products.
This role calls for someone who:
Combines deep technical expertise in infrastructure at scale, virtual networking, service mesh, orchestration, and integration across the broader infrastructure stack;
Communicates and collaborates well, thinks critically, and turns ideas into working systems
Adapts to ambiguity and brings clarity
Provides technical leadership to a small team of engineers, driving customer delight through the solutions they deliver
Responsibilities
Design, implement, and operate core networking services that power Docker's Sandboxes platform across local laptops and public cloud environments
Build scalable networking infrastructure for microVM orchestration, workload scheduling, and lifecycle management
Develop high-performance networking data- and control-plane components for multi-tenant agentic workloads
Ensure network reliability, observability, and performance across Docker's Sandbox infrastructure
Collaborate with product, platform, and security teams to deliver customer-focused capabilities
Participate in architectural discussions, code reviews, and design documents
Contribute to automation and CI/CD improvements across the deployment pipeline
Debug and resolve production issues across distributed systems in local and public-cloud environments
Take part in on-call rotation for your team; respond to incidents and drive continuous improvement of system reliability and availability
Qualifications
10+ years of experience building and leading large-scale cloud or distributed systems, with a focus on networking foundations
Track record of driving technical consensus and delivering high-quality infrastructure software at scale, on tight timelines
Experience with microservices architecture, container networking, service mesh, policy enforcement, and container orchestration
Experience with kernel and user-space networking technologies, including Linux networking, OVS/OVN, DPDK, and eBPF
Experience designing and operating highly available, secure, and observable networking infrastructure
Strong understanding of cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI) and related scalability patterns
Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, and infrastructure-as-code tooling
Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills in distributed environments
Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across remote, cross-functional teams
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
What to Expect
First 30 days
Onboard, integrate with our Sandbox infrastructure teams, and build context on Docker's Sandbox vision
Deep-dive into Sandbox architecture for local and public-cloud infrastructure, with a focus on driving simple, common foundational primitives usable across both environments
Identify the highest-leverage opportunities in the current architecture, along with strategic and tactical execution risks
First 90 days
Develop a technical roadmap to address the challenges identified; drive consensus across stakeholders
Provide technical leadership to a small team of engineers to deliver on the roadmap
Establish or improve technical standards for development, deployment, operation, and observability of networking services
One-year outlook
Drive simplification of foundational networking infrastructure across local and public-cloud environments
Establish repeatable engineering practices for quality, performance, and operational excellence
Nurture the team's confidence and capability by providing clarity, sustaining focus, and delivering pragmatically through successive iteration
Set a standard for what a small team of engineers can deliver and manage when given a charter, autonomy, and the tools they need
Docker considers visa sponsorship on a case-by-case basis based on business needs.
Compensation & Equity
United States: $198K – $319K + equity
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Posting Information
Open vacancy: This posting is for an existing open role.
AI in hiring: Docker may use AI-assisted tools during our recruiting process.
Interview recordings: Candidates will be invited to opt in to interview recordings to support interviewer calibration and consistent evaluations. Recordings are optional and require explicit consent.
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Perks & Benefits
Remote-first by design – Work from your home, with offices in Seattle and Paris for connection and collaboration.
Flexibility that fits your life – We trust you to manage your schedule while delivering great work.
Time to recharge – Generous PTO, designated quarterly Whaleness Days, and a designated end-of-year Whaleness break.
Home office support – Set up your workspace for comfort and success.
Technology stipend – Equivalent to US$100 net per month to help support your work.
Learning & development – Annual stipend for conferences, courses, certifications, and continued learning.
Parental leave – 16 weeks of paid parental leave after six months of employment.
Equity for all full-time employees – Share in Docker's long-term success as we continue to grow.
Comprehensive benefits – Medical, retirement, and paid holidays vary by country.
Docker swag – Because representing the whale never gets old.
Docker is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a team that reflects a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe diverse teams build better products, make better decisions, and better serve our global community.
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