Senior Software Engineer, Security, Docker Desktop

Docker; Seattle (WA); Remote; CAD 271,000 - 434,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote-friendly by design

Time to recharge PTO

Technology stipend US$100 net per mo.

Learning & development stipend

Parental leave 16 weeks

Job summary

Docker is seeking a security-minded software engineer embedded in the Desktop engineering team to harden Docker Desktop. You will read and write Go, work on authentication, OCI runtimes, and Linux kernel related areas, and contribute security features from inside the team.

This role targets builders who want to ship secure by default through code, reviews, threat modeling, and proactive vulnerability handling with the security group and developers across the organization.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of software engineering experience with security-focused roles or interest.
• Strong proficiency in Go and production-grade code delivery.
• Solid understanding of Linux container security fundamentals.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to Docker Desktop security-sensitive areas in Go (authentication, privilege boundaries).
• Participate in design reviews and security reviews before shipping features.
• Conduct threat modeling and security design reviews for new features.

Skills

Go programming

Security mindset

Linux fundamentals

OAuth 2.0 / OIDC

Threat modeling

Tools

OCI specifications

Container runtime internals

Job description

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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The Role

You are a software engineer who cares deeply about security. Embedded in the Desktop engineering team, you will bring an engineering-first perspective to the security of a complex, cross-platform product built at the intersection of identity, OCI runtimes, and Linux kernel internals. You will read and write Go, participate in feature development, and make security a first-class concern from the inside out: not as an outside reviewer, but as a contributing member of the team.

This role is for someone who is primarily a builder, and who applies that builder’s instinct to making Docker Desktop more secure by default.

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Responsibilities

• Contribute to the Docker Desktop codebase in Go, with a focus on security-sensitive areas such as authentication flows, privilege boundaries, and container runtime behavior.

• Participate in design and code reviews across the team, bringing a security perspective to features before they ship.

• Conduct threat modeling and security design reviews for new and evolving product features, with particular focus on authentication, authorization, and container runtime security.

• Serve as the team's primary liaison to the organization's security group, attending security syncs and translating central policy into practical engineering decisions.

• Act as the first point of contact for incoming vulnerability reports and CVEs: validate severity, reproduce issues, coordinate disclosure timelines, and drive remediation with the relevant engineers.

• Develop and maintain internal security documentation, guidelines, and runbooks for the team.

• Stay current on the Linux security landscape as it pertains to containers: namespaces, cgroups, seccomp, AppArmor, capabilities, and the evolving OCI ecosystem.

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Qualifications

• 6+ years of software engineering experience, with meaningful exposure to security-sensitive systems or a strong personal interest in security.

• Strong proficiency in Go, with a track record of writing and shipping production-grade code.

• Solid understanding of Linux fundamentals relevant to container security: namespaces, cgroups, capabilities, seccomp profiles, AppArmor/SELinux, rootless containers, and privilege boundaries.

• Familiarity with OCI specifications and container runtime internals.

• Working knowledge of identity and access management concepts: OAuth 2.0, OIDC, token handling, and auth flows in desktop or cloud-adjacent contexts.

• Comfort participating in security design reviews and threat modeling, even if security has not been your primary title.

• Familiarity with vulnerability management processes: CVE triage, CVSS scoring, coordinated disclosure, and working with external reporters.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable bridging the gap between a dedicated security team and a product engineering team.

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What to Expect

First 30 Days

• You will onboard into the team and get hands-on with the Docker Desktop codebase, architecture, and development workflow. You will meet your counterparts in the central security organization and learn how vulnerability reports are currently handled. The goal is to listen, ask questions, and build a clear picture of the product's current security posture, not to change anything yet.

First 90 Days

• You will be an active contributor, writing and reviewing Go code and bringing a security lens to features in flight. You will have taken ownership of the vulnerability intake process, handling your first end‑to‑end triage cycles with minimal guidance. You will have a working relationship with the engineers on the team and a growing sense of where the most meaningful security investments should be made.

One Year Outlook (First Year)

• You will be a trusted contributor to both the product and its security posture. You will have shipped meaningful improvements directly to the codebase, whether to auth flows, container isolation defaults, or other security-sensitive areas, and driven better security practices across the team's development lifecycle. Your work will be directly visible in the security and resilience of a product used by millions of developers every day.

Visa sponsorship: Docker considers visa sponsorship on a case-by-case basis based on business needs.

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Compensation & Equity

All full‑time roles include equity. Final compensation is determined on factors including but not limited to experience, skills, qualifications, and location.

Canada: CA$271,150 – CA$434,000 base

United States: $194,150 – $312,950 base

Europe: €113,860 – €186,780 base

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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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