Staff Software Engineer, Cloud Sandboxes (Seattle or SF Bay Area)

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and operate core services that power Docker’s Cloud Sandboxes platform
• Build scalable systems for microVM orchestration, workload scheduling, and lifecycle management
• Develop high-performance APIs and control plane components for managing multi-tenant workloads
• Ensure system reliability, observability, and performance across Docker’s Cloud Sandbox infrastructure
• Collaborate with product, platform, and security teams to deliver customer-focused capabilities
• Participate in architectural discussions, code reviews, and design documents
• Contribute to automation and CI/CD improvements across the deployment pipeline
• Debug and resolve production issues across distributed systems in cloud environments
• Take part in on-call rotation for your team; respond to incidents, debug production issues, and drive continuous improvement of system reliability

Qualifications

Required

• 10+ years of backend software engineering experience building large-scale cloud or distributed systems
• Strong proficiency in Go and/or Java
• Deep understanding of container orchestration, Kubernetes, and microservices architecture
• Experience designing and operating highly available, secure, and observable production systems
• Strong understanding of cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and related scalability patterns
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, and infrastructure-as-code tooling
• Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills in distributed environments
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across remote, cross-functional teams
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred

• Experience contributing to cloud-scale compute platforms or container infrastructure products
• Knowledge of service mesh, networking, or policy enforcement systems
• Experience with observability stacks (Prometheus, OpenTelemetry, Grafana, etc.)
• Familiarity with security best practices for multi-tenant cloud systems
• Prior experience in developer infrastructure, cloud platforms, or hyperscale environments

Docker considers sponsorship on a case-by-case basis based on business needs.

• Compensation & Equity
• United States: $170,350 - $275,550 + equity
• POSTING INFORMATION
• Open vacancy: This posting is for an existing open role.
• AI in hiring: Docker may use AI-assisted tools during our recruiting process.
• Interview recordings: Candidates will be invited to opt in to interview recordings to support interviewer calibration and consistent evaluations. Recordings are optional and require explicit consent.

Perks & Benefits

• Remote-first by design - Work from your home, with offices in Seattle and Paris for connection and collaboration.
• Flexibility that fits your life - We trust you to manage your schedule while delivering great work.
• Time to recharge - Generous PTO, designated quarterly Whaleness Days, and a designated end-of-year Whaleness break.
• Home office support - Set up your workspace for comfort and success.
• Technology stipend - Equivalent to US$100 net per month to help support your work.
• Learning & development - Annual stipend for conferences, courses, certifications, and continued learning.
• Parental leave - 16 weeks of paid parental leave after six months of employment.
• Equity for all full-time employees - Share in Docker's long-term success as we continue to grow.
• Comprehensive benefits - Medical, retirement, and paid holidays vary by country.
• Docker swag - Because representing the whale never gets old.

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