Staff Software Engineer, Networking

AI Chopping Block; San Francisco, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 215,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Restricted Stock Units

Paid time off & holidays

Health insurance

HSA contributions

Parental leave

Life insurance

Professional development

Mental health support

Commuter benefits

Cell phone stipend

401(k) Retirement plan

Volunteer time off

Job summary

Crusoe Cloud is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to lead the development of our Software Defined Networking strategy, focusing on high-performance networking and kernel-level enhancements.

You will guide the team through architecture decisions, reviews, and implementation, collaborating with cross-functional groups to deliver industry-leading networking solutions.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of proven experience building and operating high-performance networking systems in production.
• Strong proficiency in system programming languages (C, C++, Golang).
• Deep knowledge of Linux systems internals, kernel architecture, memory management.
• Hands-on experience with XDP/EBPF, AF_XDP, and DPDK.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the roadmap for Crusoe Cloud's Software Defined Networking strategy.
• Lead the engineering team through all phases of the software development lifecycle.
• Collaborate with network infrastructure teams to deploy scalable networking solutions.
• Lead design and development of Linux kernel and driver components for performance.

Skills

C/C++

Golang

Linux kernel

Networking

Kernel bypass

Open vSwitch

OpenFlow

Cloud networking

Job description

Crusoe is on a mission to accelerate the abundance of energy and intelligence. As the only vertically integrated AI infrastructure company built from the ground up, we own and operate each layer of the stack — from electrons to tokens — to power the world's most ambitious AI workloads. When you join Crusoe, you join a team that is building the future, faster.

We're in the midst of the greatest industrial revolution of our time. The demand for AI compute is boundless, and power is a bottleneck. We're solving that — with an energy-first approach that makes AI infrastructure better for the world and faster for the people innovating with AI.

We're looking for problem-solving, opportunity-finding teammates with a sense of urgency, who believe in the scale of our ambition and thrive on a path not fully paved — people who want to grow their careers alongside a team of experts across energy, manufacturing, data center construction, and cloud services.

If you want to do the most meaningful work of your career, help our customers and partners advance their AI strategies, and be part of a high-performing team that believes in each other, come build with us at Crusoe.

About the Role:

Crusoe Cloud seeks a highly skilled and experienced Staff Software Engineer to lead the development and execution of our cutting-edge Software Defined Networking strategy. You will play a pivotal role in driving innovation and performance improvements within our network infrastructure by leveraging advanced technologies such as XDP/EBPF, DPDK, SmartNICs, and DPUs/IPUs.

What You'll Be Working On:

• Develop and execute the roadmap for Crusoe Cloud's Software Defined Networking strategy.

• Lead the engineering team through all phases of the software development lifecycle, including architecture decisions, design processes, design reviews, code reviews, and implementation tasks.

• Collaborate closely with the network infrastructure organization to develop and deploy industry-leading networking solutions.

• Lead the design, development, and support of Linux Kernel and driver components, focusing on system architecture and optimization.

• Drive the adoption and integration of kernel bypass technologies such as XDP/EBPF, AF_XDP, and DPDK.

• Deep expertise in network accelerators such as Mellanox/NVIDIA SmartNICs (ConnectX-6/7), DPU BlueField-3, or Intel IPU.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams across the organization to ensure successful project delivery and operational excellence.

What You'll Bring to the Team:

• 8+ years of proven experience in building and operating high-performance networking systems in a production environment.

• Strong proficiency in system programming languages such as C, C++, and/or Golang.

• Deep expertise in Linux Systems Internals, including kernel architecture, memory management, and device drivers.

• In-depth knowledge of network programming principles and packet processing pipelines.

• Hands-on experience with kernel bypass technologies like XDP/EBPF, AF_XDP, and DPDK.

• Proven understanding of TCP/IP and networking accelerators such as Mellanox/Nvidia SmartNICs, DPU Bluefield3, and Intel IPU.

• Familiarity with technologies like SR-IOV, vDPA, and scalable functions.

• Strong background in kernel or embedded development, with a focus on the Linux kernel.

• Experience with Open vSwitch, Openflow, and Open Virtual Networking technologies.

• Proven ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Demonstrated commitment to professional software engineering best practices, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, testing, and operations.

Bonus Points:

• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

• Proven leadership experience in a technical role.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Experience with cloud networking platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and virtualization technologies (VMware, KVM).

• A strong track record of contributions to the open-source community (e.g., Open vSwitch/OVS, Open Virtual Networking/OVN, Multus, Cilium).

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation

• Restricted Stock Units

• Paid time off & paid holidays

• Comprehensive health, dental & vision insurance

• Employer contributions to HSA account

• Paid parental leave

• Paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability

• Professional development & tuition reimbursement

• Mental health & wellness support

• Commuter benefits (parking & transit)

• Cell phone stipend

• 401(k) Retirement plan with company match up to 4% of salary

• Volunteer time off

Compensation Range

Compensation will be paid in the range of up to $215,000 - $260,000 + Bonus. Restricted Stock Units are included in all offers. Compensation to be determined by the applicants knowledge, education, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Crusoe is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, citizenship, marital status, sex/gender, sexual preference/ orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, national origin, or any other status protected by law or regulation.