Staff Software Engineer - Rust and Distributed Systems (Bay Area, hybrid)

Fortanix; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 290,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Volunteer Time Off

Internet stipend

Competitive salary and equity

Job summary

Fortanix is seeking a Staff Software Engineer in Santa Clara, CA to design, build, and own core platform services powering confidential computing at scale. You will shape architecture, lead critical design decisions, and build secure, reliable microservices across hybrid cloud environments.

This high-impact, hands-on leadership role involves mentoring engineers, driving security-focused development, and collaborating across engineering, product, and infrastructure teams.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software engineering experience with backend and distributed systems
• Experience designing and building microservices from scratch
• Ownership of end-to-end services (design, development, deployment, scaling, operations)
• Strong knowledge of distributed systems concepts (scalability, reliability, data consistency)
• Proficiency in Rust (also open to C/C++, Go or similar) and experience with service architecture
• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes and containerized environments, cloud platforms, Linux, and CI/CD pipelines
• Familiarity with data storage systems (SQL/NoSQL, distributed storage, caching)
• Interest in confidential computing / trusted execution environments and security infrastructure

Responsibilities

• Design and build distributed microservices powering Fortanix’s platform across hybrid/multi-cloud
• Own system architecture end-to-end from design to production reliability
• Drive technical direction to fit the broader platform architecture
• Lead system design and API discussions for cross-service interactions
• Build with a security-first mindset and ensure auditable, secure services
• Write production-grade code (Rust/C/C++ or similar) and participate in code reviews
• Mentor engineers and collaborate with teams to deliver cross-functional systems
• Contribute to core components like Runtime Encryption technology

Skills

Backend & Distributed

Rust

C/C++/Go

Kubernetes

Cloud platforms

Linux

APIs & Design

Security mindset

Tools

Kubernetes

AWS

GCP

Azure

CI/CD

Job description

About Us:

In today's world, where data spreads across various clouds and devices, traditional security measures aren't enough. Businesses need a dynamic approach to defend against constant cyber threats and ensure agile data security. Fortanix leads the way in data-centric cybersecurity for hybrid multicloud environments, using advanced cryptography, encryption, and confidential AI solutions.

As data breaches become more frequent and traditional defenses fall short, we focus on data exposure management to keep your information safe. Our unified data security platform addresses vulnerabilities in hybrid multicloud environments, defends against threats, and makes it easier to discover, assess, and fix data exposure risks. Whether implementing a Zero Trust model or preparing for the post-quantum computing era, we help businesses worldwide protect their most sensitive data, wherever it is.

Our commitment to solving the world’s toughest data security challenges has earned Fortanixmultiple Cybersecurity Excellence and Innovation Awards, as well as recognition from industry giants such as NVIDIA, Microsoft, Intel, ServiceNow, and Snowflake.

Our team includes industry leaders and cryptography experts, creating a culture of trust, innovation and collaboration where every voice is valued. Recognized as a Great Place to Work, we're looking for passionate individuals to help us shape the future of data security and work towards a safer digital future.

We’re looking for aStaff Software Engineerto join our Confidential Computing Management team—an engineer who candesign, build, and own core platform servicespowering secure, distributed systems at scale.

This is ahigh-impact, hands‑on technical leadership role. You’ll shape architecture, lead critical design decisions, and build microservices that are foundational to how our platform operates—ensuring they aresecure by design, highly reliable, and built to scale.

What You’ll Do

• Design and build distributed microservicesthat power Fortanix’s confidential computing platform across hybrid and multi-cloud environments
• Own system architecture end-to-end—from service design and APIs to deployment, scaling, and production reliability
• Drive technical directionacross services, ensuring they fit cohesively into the broader platform architecture
• Lead system design and API discussions, influencing how services interact across the platform
• Build with a security-first mindset, ensuring services are resilient, auditable, and safe by design
• Write high-quality, production-grade code(Rust, C/C++, or similar) and contribute to critical code reviews
• Partner closely with engineering, product, and infrastructure teamsto deliver complex, cross-functional systems
• Mentor and guide engineers, raising the bar on system design, code quality, and engineering rigor
• Contribute to core components such as ourRuntime Encryption® technologyand confidential computing services

What Makes This Role Unique

This isn’t just another backend role.

You’ll be:

• Buildingfoundational systems, not just features
• Working at the intersection ofsecurity, distributed systems, and modern infrastructure
• Owningarchitecture decisions that shape the entire platform
• Solving problems whereperformance, security, and scale all matter at once

What We’re Looking For

Core Experience

• 8+ years of software engineering experience, withstrong backend and distributed systems expertise
• Proven experiencedesigning and building microservices from scratch, and understanding how they fit into larger system architectures
• Experience owningend-to-end services(design, development, deployment, scaling, and operations)
• Strong experience withdistributed systems concepts(scalability, reliability, fault tolerance, data consistency)

Technical Skills

• Strong programming experience inRust (will also consider C/C++, Go, or similar systems-level languages)
• Deep understanding ofservice architecture, API design, and system design
• Hands‑on experience with:
  • Kubernetes and containerized environments
  • Cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure)
  • CI/CD and production deployment pipelines
• Experience working inLinux environments, including debugging and performance tuning
• Familiarity withdata storage systems(SQL/NoSQL, distributed storage, caching)

Security & Systems Mindset

• Strong inclination toward buildingsecure, reliable, and maintainable systems
• Experience with or interest in:
  • Confidential computing / Trusted Execution Environments(Intel SGX, AMD SEV, Nitro Enclaves, etc.)
  • Security infrastructure(key management, encryption, secure storage, access control)

Nice to Have (Not Required)

• Experience withperformance-critical systemsor systems programming
• Exposure tosecure AI / privacy-preserving systems
• Background ininfrastructure platforms or developer platforms

• We offer a collaborative work environment, amazing equity, great benefits, competitive salary, and the opportunity to redefine cloud computing.

• Unlimited PTO (it’s between you and your work!)
• 40 hours of Volunteer Time Off/year
• Internet stipend

• Friendly culture that brings the best out of everybody
• 401k

Base salary offers for this position may vary based on factors such as location, skills, and relevant experience. Some positions may include additional compensation in the form of bonus, equity or commissions. We offer the following benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Retirement Savings, Wellness Program, Short-and Long-Term Disability, Holidays, and more.

Fortanix is an equal opportunity employer that celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace with equal opportunity for all applicants and teammates. Our goal is to recruit the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool regardless of race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other status.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire.

For this role, candidates must have a minimum of 24 months of current U.S. work authorization remaining without the need for employer sponsorship.

We are able to support H-1B transfers for candidates already in H-1B status and may consider sponsorship for candidates currently in the United States on F-1 or J-1 status. We are not initiating new visa sponsorships for candidates who would require entry into the H-1B lottery from outside the United States.