Staff Software Engineer, Pixel System Security

Google; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 207,000 - 301,000; Full time

Job summary

Google is hiring a Staff Software Engineer for Pixel System Security in Mountain View, CA. You will lead secure boot design, work with silicon teams on ROM/OTP hardening, and ensure platform integrity through cryptographic bindings and key ceremonies.

The role requires 8+ years in software development, 5+ years in embedded systems and security, and a strong background in software architecture and leadership. Expect a highly impactful role shaping device security across Pixel generations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience required.
• 8 years of software development experience.
• 5 years in embedded systems and system security.
• 3 years in software design and architecture.

Responsibilities

• Lead system security efforts by architecting next-generation secure boot mechanisms and managing advanced manufacturing lifecycle state transitions.
• Partner directly with custom silicon design teams to drive future system-on-chip security reviews, ROM hardening, and secure provisioning.
• Enforce platform integrity by managing complex device authentication workflows and ensuring robust cryptographic hardware binding against supply chain threats.
• Drive production delivery by guiding cryptographic key creation ceremonies and aligning the overarching platform security strategy with operating system engineering teams.

Skills

Embedded systems

System security

Software design & architecture

Leadership / technical leadership

Decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering/CS/related field

Tools

Secure bootloaders

ROM/OTP hardening

Cryptographic accelerators

Job description

Staff Software Engineer, Pixel System Security

Mountain View, CA, USA

Advanced

Experience owning outcomes and decision making, solving ambiguous problems and influencing stakeholders; deep expertise in domain.

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 8 years of experience in software development.
• 5 years of experience in embedded systems and system security.
• 3 years of experience with software design and architecture.

Preferred qualifications:

• Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• 8 years of software engineering experience in embedded systems, OS internals, or systems security architecture.
• 3 years of experience in a technical leadership role leading project teams and setting technical direction.
• Experience collaborating with silicon engineering teams, or building secure bootloaders, roots of trust, and key management systems.
• Familiarity with modern cryptography (Post-Quantum Cryptography/ML-DSA), attestation frameworks (DICE), or memory-safe languages (Rust).

About the job

Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google’s needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward.

As Staff Software Engineer, Pixel System Security, you will play a critical role in ensuring Pixel remains the most secure smartphone on the market. You will architect platform security by leading the design and implementation of next-generation verified boot and secure manufacturing lifecycle transitions. You will partner closely with custom silicon engineering teams on early security architecture reviews, ROM/OTP hardening, and cryptographic accelerators. Additionally, you will ensure supply chain integrity by addressing hardware binding and factory attestation across all Pixel generations, while driving strategic delivery through the oversight of production key ceremonies and seamless collaboration with our operating system security teams.

The Google Pixel team focuses on designing and delivering the world's most helpful mobile experience. The team works on shaping the future of Pixel devices and services through some of the most advanced designs, techniques, products, and experiences in consumer electronics. This includes bringing together the best of Google’s artificial intelligence, software, and hardware to build global smartphones and create transformative experiences for users across the world.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $207000 - $301000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits

Learn more about benefits at Google.

Responsibilities

• Lead system security efforts by architecting next-generation secure boot mechanisms and managing advanced manufacturing lifecycle state transitions.
• Partner directly with custom silicon design teams to drive future system-on-chip security reviews, ROM hardening, and secure provisioning.
• Enforce platform integrity by managing complex device authentication workflows and ensuring robust cryptographic hardware binding against supply chain threats.
• Drive production delivery by guiding cryptographic key creation ceremonies and aligning the overarching platform security strategy with operating system engineering teams.

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