Mobile Network Engineering on iOS

DDMR; Austin (TX); Remote; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Part time

Job summary

A technology startup is looking for a Mobile Network Engineer specializing in iOS to build a mobile VPN for data collection. The ideal candidate will need strong expertise in Swift or Objective-C and a deep understanding of networking concepts. This role offers opportunities for remote work and requires strong collaboration skills with engineering teams. Competitive salary and a dynamic work environment await motivated individuals.

Qualifications

• Expert-level understanding of Swift or Objective-C, iOS SDK, and publishing apps in App Store.
• Networking knowledge at all protocol layers.
• Experience with certificate-pinning and related detection.
• TCP/UDP, HTTPS, SSL/TLS, VPNs, forward proxies.
• Man-in-the-middle tests and mitmproxy.
• Certificate pinning concepts and detection.
• Scripting language like Python or Ruby.
• Git, CI/CD, Bash, SSH, Charles, Wireshark, Chrome DevTools.
• Nice-to-have: Java/Kotlin, Android SDK, Google Play publishing.
• Nice-to-have: Docker, AWS.
• Impressive: netty/libuv/SwiftNIO; C/C++.

Responsibilities

• Build and deploy a performant mobile VPN for data collection.
• Collaborate with engineers to create design specifications.
• Improve application security and performance.
• Deploy the mobile metering application to TestFlight and the Apple Store.

Skills

Swift or Objective-C

Networking knowledge

iOS Network Extension Framework

TCP/UDP, HTTPS networking

Man-in-the-middle attacks knowledge

Scripting language (Python or Ruby)

Git, CI/CD, Bash

SSL/TLS

C/C++

Python

Git

CI/CD

Bash

SSH

Charles

Wireshark

Chrome DevTools

mitmproxy

Tools

Wireshark

Chrome DevTools

AWS

Virtualized environments

Job description

Note: We are open to remote, part-time, and non-native English speaking applicants for this specialized role.

About the Mobile Network Engineering on iOS position

You will build the first prototype of our mobile passive metering tool.Your time will be split:

• 10% sharing your ideas and expertise within your team to help plan and prepare your product initiatives
• 70% building out a passive metering tool that utilizes an on-device mobile VPN
• 10% writing tests, doing code reviews, and continuously improving our overall code quality
• 10% researching and improving your general software development skills

Your job is to help us build and deploy a performant on-device mobile VPN for network-level data collection on iOS.In this role you will:

• work with our mobile, data, and front-end engineers to build a design and specification for our mobile metering application
• build the first version of our mobile passive metering tool allowing us to passively collect network traffic data from our opt-in research panelists
• iteratively improve application security and performance to ensure a high quality end-user experience
• deploy the mobile metering application to the TestFlight and the Apple Store so our panelists can begin using it>

Candidate need-to-haves:

We expect expert-level understanding of:

• Swift or Objective-C, the iOS SDK, and publishing apps in the iOS App Store
• Networking at all layers of the protocol stack, and the iOS internals which power them,
• Specifically, the iOS Network Extension Framework and Packet Tunnels
• TCP/UDP, HTTPS networking, SSL/TLS, VPNs, and forward proxies
• Man-in-the-middle attacks and associated tools like mitmproxy
• Certificate-pinning, how it works, and how to detect it

Additionally, we expect significant experience with:

• a scripting language, like Python or Ruby
• support tools like Git, CI/CD, Bash, SSH, Charles, Wireshark, and Chrome DevTools

Candidate nice-to-have:

• Experience in Java or Kotlin, the Android SDK, and publishing apps in the Google Play Store
• Experience working with Docker containers or other virtualized environments, and with AWS

We don't expect, but would be impressed by:

• Experience with asynchronous event-driven network application frameworks like netty, libuv, libdispatch, or SwiftNIO
• Proficiency in C/C++
• Exposure to software like NGINX and Apache Traffic Server (ATS)

We will actively evaluate your:

• Ability to explain all of the different layers of the network stack
• Coding in Swift or Objective-C, and if applicable, Python and C/C++
• Knowledge of the iOS SDK, with a particular focus on it's networking components
• Ability to manage an iOS development and testing environment

And we're seeking teammates with the following personality traits:

• You’ve got a "figure it out" and "get it done" attitude that can break through barriers to execute.
• You’re methodical, process-oriented, and are constantly thinking about ways to increase efficiency and generate leverage.
• You’re ask for forgiveness, not permission, and respond well to direct feedback when you inevitably make a mistake.
• You communicate very clearly in both spoken and written forms.
• You’re progressive, inclusive, and egalitarian. You’re cognizant of your ingrained biases and take steps to mitigate and dispel them.

Here are some characteristics we're looking for in our ideal candidate: technical, good communicator, helper, adaptive, critical thinker, creative thinker, fast on your feet, detail oriented, good design sense, constant learner, analytical.

You know what's up:

• You’re all about that start-up life. You’re motivated by success and have an intrinsic bias towards taking action and ownership.
• You’re logical, subscribe to rational thinking, and prefer making data-driven decisions whenever possible.
• You can naturally distill complexity. You break down complicated ideas into their fundamental components for analysis.
• You see both the forest and the trees. You can understand the implications of small changes to the big picture, and can also create a plan for bringing a big picture to fruition one task at a time.
• You understand the cost of indecision and can break through decision paralysis, even when faced with ambiguity.

You may be a good fit for this role if other positions of interest include: mobile developer, Android developer, iOS developer, network engineer.

Legalese: DDMR is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. Please, no phone calls or emails. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at DDMR via email, the Internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of DDMR. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by DDMR as a result of the referral or through other means. Notice to Applicants: We reserve the right to research relevant facts about you which are public on social media platforms or other sources over the Internet. We will retain such data only as long as reasonably needed.