Sr Staff Engineer - Rust (EXAScaler)

DataDirect Networks, Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

DataDirect Networks (DDN), a leader in AI and high-performance data storage, is seeking a Senior Staff Software Engineer. This role includes leading performance investigations and mentoring engineers, ensuring product quality and strategic direction for AI and HPC applications. Ideal candidates will possess extensive software development experience, particularly in Rust, and thrive in a dynamic environment that fosters innovation and excellence.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of software development experience, 3 years in Rust.
• Experience leading engineering teams and delivering complex software.
• Strong background in concurrency and memory management.

Responsibilities

• Lead performance investigations of EXAScaler solutions.
• Mentor and manage a team of software engineers.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver product features.

Skills

Software Development

Systems Programming

Performance Optimization

Problem-Solving

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field

Tools

Rust

Distributed Systems

Parallel File Systems

Job description

Overview

This is an incredible opportunity to be part of a company that has been at the forefront of AI and high-performance data storage innovation for over two decades. DataDirect Networks (DDN) is a global market leader renowned for powering many of the world's most demanding AI data centers, in industries ranging from life sciences and healthcare to financial services, autonomous cars, Government, academia, research and manufacturing.

"DDN's A3I solutions are transforming the landscape of AI infrastructure." – IDC

“The real differentiator is DDN. I never hesitate to recommend DDN. DDN is the de facto name for AI Storage in high performance environments” - Marc Hamilton, VP, Solutions Architecture & Engineering | NVIDIA

DDN is the global leader in AI and multi-cloud data management at scale. Our cutting-edge data intelligence platform is designed to accelerate AI workloads, enabling organizations to extract maximum value from their data. With a proven track record of performance, reliability, and scalability, DDN empowers businesses to tackle the most challenging AI and data-intensive workloads with confidence.

Our success is driven by our unwavering commitment to innovation, customer-centricity, and a team of passionate professionals who bring their expertise and dedication to every project. This is a chance to make a significant impact at a company that is shaping the future of AI and data management.

Our commitment to innovation, customer success, and market leadership makes this an exciting and rewarding role for a driven professional looking to make a lasting impact in the world of AI and data storage.

Job Description

We are seeking a talented Senior Staff Software Engineer with deep expertise in Lustre and its performance aspects to join our EXAScaler team. In this role, you will lead the critical research to identify bottlenecks in our solution, ensuring it meets the highest standards of performance, reliability, and scalability. You will guide a team of engineers, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and contribute to the strategic direction of the product. As a key contributor, you will help advance DDN’s mission to unlock the full potential of data for AI and HPC applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead the performance investigations of EXAScaler solutions.
• Mentor and manage a team of software engineers, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.
• Collaborate with product management, QA, and other stakeholders to define and deliver product features.
• Optimize system performance and resolve complex technical issues in distributed systems.
• Stay current with advancements in related technologies and integrate them into the product where appropriate.
• Contribute to the architectural decisions and long-term technical strategy of EXAScaler.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 12+ years of experience in software development, with at least 3 years focused on Rust.
• Proven experience leading engineering teams and delivering complex software projects.
• Strong background in systems programming, including concurrency, memory management, and performance optimization.
• Experience with distributed systems, file systems, or storage technologies.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Lustre or other parallel file systems.
• Knowledge of high-performance computing (HPC) or artificial intelligence (AI) workloads.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Experience with agile development methodologies.
• Contributions to open-source projects, particularly in Rust or file system development.

This position requires participation in an on-call rotation to provide after-hours support as needed.

DDN

Join our dynamic and driven team, where engineering excellence is at the heart of everything we do. We seek individuals who love to challenge themselves and are fueled by curiosity. Here, you'll have the opportunity to work across various areas of the company, thanks to our flat organizational structure that encourages hands-on involvement and direct contributions to our mission. Leadership is earned by those who take initiative and consistently deliver outstanding results, both in their work ethic and deliverables, making strong prioritization skills essential. Additionally, we value strong communication skills in all our engineers and researchers, as they are crucial for the success of our teams and the company as a whole.

Interview Process: After submitting your application, one of our recruiters will review your resume. If your application passes this stage, you will be invited to a 30-minute interview during which a member of our team will ask some basic questions. If you clear the interview, you will enter the main process, which can consist of up to four interviews in total:

• Coding assessment: Often in a language of your choice.
• Systems design: Translate high-level requirements into a scalable, fault-tolerant service (depending on role).
• Real-time problem-solving: Demonstrate practical skills in a live problem-solving session.
• Meet and greet with the wider team.
• Our goal is to finish the main process in 2-3 weeks at most.

DataDirect Networks (DDN) is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender, sex stereotyping, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

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