Software Engineer, Layer1

Arista Networks; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 123,000 - 191,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Wellbeing support

Job summary

Arista Networks in Santa Clara is seeking a Layer1 software engineer to develop critical software for physical network connectivity. Candidates should be experienced in C/C++ and Python and possess a strong background in electrical engineering or computer science.

The role involves interfacing with customers and managing layer1 features. The position offers a base salary range of $123,000 to $191,000 and a collaborative company culture.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in a relevant field.
• Strong knowledge of C/C++ and Python.
• Ability to work independently and in teams.

Responsibilities

• Interface with customers and product management to innovate Layer1 features.
• Develop and maintain features using industry-standard programming languages.
• Collaborate with hardware teams to optimize Layer1 components.

Skills

C

C++

Python

UNIX

Linux

Digital communication technologies

IP networking

Distributed systems

Software engineering principles

Problem solving

Education

BS in Computer Science/Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering + 3 years experience

MS in Computer Science/Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering + 2 years experience

Ph.D. in Computer Science/Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering + 1 year experience

Job description

Job Description

As a Layer1 software engineer, you will get to work on software that manages the physical layer, where packets meet the outside world. Stable and reliable physical connectivity is critical for any network and that is your challenge. You will write control software that brings to life everything from the ubiquitous 1GBASE‑T connectors to 400G long‑reach optics that provide fiber connectivity across continents. Your software will need to work across a wide variety of forwarding engines, connectors and interface chips called gearboxes, which allow our hardware platforms to support diverse physical connectivity options within a product family. You will build instrumentation and telemetry tools that track physical link health parameters reported by the Layer1 components and enable operators to monitor and troubleshoot their links effectively. You will also work closely with our Optics teams to define standards for new media and bring them to market.

Arista Software Engineering roles demand a strong and broad software engineering background. While the primary focus area for this role is Layer1 software, the role will cover all aspects of software development spanning the addition of new features, debugging problems and fine‑tuning code for scalability and performance. You will own your projects from definition to deployment and customer interactions, and you will be responsible for the quality of everything you deliver. Arista Software Engineering prides itself on a supportive and growth‑oriented culture. Over time, as your interests change, coupled with evolving business needs you will have the opportunity to switch from Layer1 to other areas, if you like.

What You’ll Do

• Interface with customers, product management and hardware engineers to come up with innovative new Layer1 features.
• Architect, design and manage the development of these features.
• Develop and maintain features using C, C++ and Python, review and contribute to functional and design specifications. Build automated tests and test infrastructure to test the features.
• Work with hardware and manufacturing teams to bring new Layer1 components like Phys and Transceivers to market.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to design optimal software control interfaces for managing Layer1 components.
• Provide technical leadership across features, projects and tools.
• Work with Customer Support Engineers and customers to analyze, mitigate and fix problems in customer networks.
• Work with the System Test Engineers to analyze problems found in their tests and provide fixes for those problems.
• Mentor new and junior engineers to bring them up to speed in Arista's software development environment.

Qualifications

• BS Computer Science/Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering + 3 years experience, or MS Computer Science/Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering + 2 years experience, or Ph.D. in Computer Science/Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering + 1 year experience, or equivalent work experience
• Expert knowledge of C or C++ and Python.
• Knowledge of UNIX or Linux.
• Knowledge of digital communication technologies like modulation and signal encoding schemes is a plus.
• Understanding of IP networking and/or distributed systems is a plus.
• Experience working with low‑level hardware components is a plus.
• Applied understanding of software engineering principles.
• Strong problem solving and software troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to design a solution and implement features independently.
• Ability to work in small teams.

Compensation

The new hire base pay for this role has a salary range of $123,000 to $191,000. Arista offers different pay ranges based on work location, so that we can offer consistent and competitive pay appropriate to the market. The actual base pay offered will be based on a wide range of factors, including skills, qualifications, relevant experience, and work location. The pay range provided reflects base pay only and in addition certain roles may also be eligible for discretionary Arista bonuses and equity. Employees in Sales roles are eligible to participate in Arista’s Sales Incentive Plan, which pays commissions calculated as a percentage of eligible sales. US‑based employees are also entitled to benefits including medical, dental, vision, wellbeing, tax savings and income protection. The recruiting team can share more details during the hiring process specific to the role and location.

Additional Information

Arista Networks is an equal opportunity employer. Arista makes all hiring and employment‑related decisions in a non‑discriminatory manner without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or any other factor determined to be unlawful under applicable federal, state, or law law. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.