Backend Engineer, Platform & Identity

Tailscale; United States; Remote; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A software company in the United States is seeking a full-time Software Engineer to develop their product and contribute to open source projects. This role involves collaborating with teams, owning product lifecycle, and improving system efficiency in a flexible, remote-first environment. Ideal candidates have experience with distributed systems and knowledge of SQL databases, among other qualifications.

Benefits

Competitive total compensation package

Comprehensive group benefits

Flexible and paid time off

Opportunities for personal and professional development

Qualifications

• Experience with distributed systems.
• Experience with one or more SQL databases.
• Familiarity with authentication/authorization protocols and frameworks (OAuth2, OIDC, SSO, SAML).
• Familiarity with networks (IP addressing, routing, etc.).
• Go programming language experience is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop the Tailscale product, contributing to open source client code and related backend services.
• Take ownership of the entire product lifecycle.
• Collaborate with UX/UI designers and product managers.
• Design, build, test, and document core software components.
• Own running services by improving observability.
• Analyze and improve efficiency and stability of system resources.

Skills

Distributed systems

SQL databases

Authentication/authorization protocols

Networking knowledge

Go programming language

Communication skills

Flexibility

Job description

Overview

Tailscale is building the new Internet by delivering software that makes it easy to securely interconnect people and their devices, no matter where they are. From hobbyists to multinational corporations, teams of every size use Tailscale each day to protect their networks, share access to internal tools, and more. We’re building a future for the Internet that’s easy, sensible, and safe, like it used to be. Founded in 2019 and fully distributed, we’re backed by Accel, CRV, Insight, Heavybit, and Uncork Capital.

Job Title

Software Engineer (full-time)

Responsibilities

• Develop the Tailscale product, contributing to open source client code and related backend services.
• Take ownership of the entire product lifecycle, from writing code to product ideation and strategic decision-making.
• Collaborate with UX/UI designers and product managers to shape features.
• Design, build, test, and document core software components as part of a team of engineers.
• Develop product features across control plane, relay infrastructure, and identity integrations.
• Own running services by improving observability, participating in incident response, and handling customer escalations.
• Analyze and improve efficiency, scalability, and stability of system resources, with a security-first mindset.

What We Are Looking For / Qualifications

• Experience with distributed systems.
• Experience with one or more SQL databases.
• Familiarity with authentication/authorization protocols and frameworks (OAuth2, OIDC, SSO, SAML).
• Familiarity with networks (IP addressing, routing, etc.).
• Go programming language experience is a plus, as most non-front-end portions are developed in Go.
• Ability to give and process constructive feedback and work independently.
• Flexibility to adapt to the dynamic nature of a startup.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

What We Offer

• An inclusive, flexible environment where you can be your authentic self, with recognition of diverse voices and backgrounds.
• A competitive total compensation package including base salary, equity, and benefits.
• Comprehensive group benefits with no waiting period (health, vision, dental, and more).
• Remote-first company with optional in-office collaboration as needed, and a corporate co-working program.
• Opportunities to connect with the team through annual retreats, off-sites, and travel budgets.
• Support for personal and professional development, including annual funds for development and mentorship opportunities.
• Flexible, paid time off for work-life integration and the ability to tailor a home office setup.
• Parental leave programs starting from day one.

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