Director, Engineering, Foundation Services

Netskope; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 210,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plan

Stock awards

Bonus plan

Job summary

Netskope is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead our Foundation Engineering team. You will guide distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, and AI-driven productivity across 100+ data centers, mentoring managers and setting technical direction.

Ideal candidates have 15+ years in software engineering with 5+ years managing managers, deep Kubernetes and infra expertise, and a track record of delivering scalable, high-availability services.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in software engineering with leadership experience.
• Experience managing managers and multi-team orgs.
• Strong background in distributed systems and cloud infra.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor engineering managers and tech leads across global teams.
• Own end-to-end delivery of foundational services across data centers.
• Collaborate with Product and PM for aligned priorities; remove roadblocks.

Skills

15+ years software engineering

5+ years managing managers

distributed systems

infra-services

data synchronization

cloud infrastructure

Kubernetes

AI-enabled leadership

Education

BS in Computer Science or equivalent

MS in Computer Science preferred

Tools

Kubernetes

Job description

Join the Future of Security at Netskope

Netskope (NASDAQ: NTSK) is a leader in modern security and networking for the cloud and AI era. We secure and accelerate cloud, data, and AI in real time, everywhere. Thousands of customers, including more than 30 of the Fortune 100, trust the Netskope One platform, its Zero Trust Engine, and the powerful NewEdge network to gain full visibility and control without performance trade-offs.

At Netskope, our technology is driven by our greatest strength: our people. We believe that belonging powers innovation, and success is both personal and organizational. We embrace differences in gender, ethnicity, beliefs, ability, and identity, creating an environment where every voice is heard and respected. We empower our employees to bring their authentic selves to work, grow their careers through continuous education and mentorship, and lead with transparency and curiosity. Join a team where you belong, where you are encouraged to be an entrepreneur, and where together, we continue to redefine the landscape of security.

Visit Careers at Netskope to learn more. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

About the role

Imagine leading the team that keeps the heart of a global security platform beating. At Netskope, our Foundation Engineering team manages the near real-time configuration propagation across more than 100 global data centers. We are looking for a Director of Engineering who doesn’t just manage but inspires—someone who can combine deep technical judgment with an AI-first leadership philosophy to help us scale our foundational cloud services to new heights.

What’s in it for you

You’ll be at the helm of a high-impact team building the essential systems that every other service at Netskope depends on. You will have the agency to shape the technical direction of our global cloud infrastructure, drive engineering excellence through AI integration, and mentor the next generation of engineering leaders within our organization.

What you’ll be doing

Leading People and Driving Execution

• Coach and Grow: You will manage and mentor engineering managers and tech leads, driving organizational growth through strategic hiring and hands-on coaching.
• Own the Delivery: You’ll be responsible for the end-to-end delivery of scalable, resilient foundational services across our 100+ global data centers.
• Collaborate Across the Board: You’ll work closely with Product, Program Management, and other engineering service owners to align priorities and clear any technical roadblocks.

Technical Vision and Innovation

• Architect the Future: Lead the architecture for distributed systems, runtime synchronization, and high-volume, high-availability cloud infrastructure.
• Embrace AI-First: Foster a culture where AI isn’t just a buzzword; you’ll integrate AI tools into daily workflows to accelerate velocity and eliminate operational toil.

What you bring to the table

• Deep Experience: You have 15+ years in software engineering, with at least 5 years specifically managing managers and multi-team organizations.
• Technical Expertise: You are an expert in distributed systems, infra-services, data synchronization, cloud infrastructure, and Kubernetes.
• Leadership Track Record: You have a proven ability to navigate cross-team negotiations, resolve bottlenecks, and maintain the highest engineering standards.
• AI Savvy: You have hands-on experience leveraging AI to boost team performance and delivery leverage.
• Distributed Team Leadership: Experience leading remote teams across multiple countries and time zones.

Nice to have

• A background in cybersecurity or network security technologies.
• Experience with Kubernetes and containerized deployments at scale.
• Familiarity with observability, monitoring, and on-call operations.
• A track record of reducing operational toil through automation and AI-driven tooling.

Education

• A BS in Computer Science or an equivalent technical degree is required.
• An MS in Computer Science or an equivalent technical degree is strongly preferred.

Compensation:

At Netskope, salary is one component of our competitive total rewards package. The salary range for this position is as listed below. This is a national range. For purposes of complying with applicable laws, the range applies to candidates in California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Washington, and other states.

The successful candidate’s starting pay will also be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, location, and market conditions.

For all sales roles, the posted salary range is the On Target Earnings (OTE) range for the role, which is the sum of base salary and target commission amount at 100% goal achievement.

In addition to salary, candidates may be eligible for other forms of compensation such as participation in a bonus plan (for non-sales roles) and a stock award program. Candidates may also be eligible for a comprehensive health plan and other benefits that can be reviewed at Netskope Benefits site.

Salary Range

$210,000—$299,500 USD

Netskope is committed to implementing equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. Netskope does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on religion, race, color, sex, marital or veteran statues, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), or any other characteristic protected by the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction in which we operate.

Netskope respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us, please refer to Netskope’s Privacy Policy for more details.