Role Overview
The Senior Staff Software Engineer, SDN Architecture position at Crusoe involves driving the software-defined networking stack that supports an AI-first cloud platform in San Francisco, California. This full-time cloud engineering role suits a deep-systems professional with at least 8 years of experience who thrives at the intersection of hardware accelerators and software control planes.
Key Responsibilities
Contribute to and help refine technical direction for Software-Defined Networking, translating strategy into concrete plans, milestones, and measurable outcomes.
Participate in architecture reviews, author design documents for major SDN components, and provide thorough code reviews.
Build and optimize Linux kernel modules and high-performance drivers using technologies like XDP, eBPF, AF_XDP, and DPDK.
Design and implement network architectures for GPU-to-GPU fabrics, high-speed Ethernet, and specialized AI clusters.
Implement and tune virtualization features such as SR-IOV, vDPA, and virtio, and integrate advanced SmartNICs, DPUs, or IPUs.
Troubleshoot complex production issues, perform performance tuning to maximize throughput, minimize latency, and improve future designs.
Evaluate emerging SDN and NFV technologies and contribute to relevant open-source projects.
Mentor engineers across the stack, review designs and code, and foster a culture of engineering excellence.
Partner with software and operations teams to implement, execute, deploy, and manage architecture designs.
Requirements
8+ years of experience building and operating large-scale networking systems in production within cloud or hyperscale data center environments.
Solid systems programming skills in languages such as C, C++, Go, or Rust, backed by strong SDN and NFV experience.
Working knowledge of Linux kernel architecture, memory management, the network stack, and device driver development.
Hands-on experience with kernel bypass and high-speed packet processing, including XDP, eBPF, AF_XDP, or DPDK.
Familiarity with SmartNICs and accelerators like NVIDIA ConnectX-6/7, BlueField-3, or Intel IPUs.
Experience with network virtualization and data center fabrics including Spine-Leaf, BGP, EVPN, and VXLAN, alongside tools like OVS or OVN.
Knowledge of SR-IOV and vDPA with data plane debugging capabilities.
A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related analytical field, or equivalent professional experience.
Nice to Have
Contributions to open-source projects such as OVS, OVN, Cilium, or Multus.
Hands-on experience deploying and operating physical network devices.
Experience with network automation or complex orchestration tooling.
Experience building networking stacks for multi-node GPU training at scale.
Skills and Tools
Rust and C++ programming skills
Linux kernel modules and drivers
XDP, eBPF, AF_XDP, and DPDK
Virtualization technologies including SR-IOV, vDPA, and virtio
SmartNICs and accelerators like NVIDIA ConnectX and BlueField
Data center fabrics including BGP, EVPN, VXLAN, OVS, and OVN
Salary and Benefits
Compensation ranging from $250,000 to $300,000 per year plus bonus and restricted stock units
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance with employer HSA contributions
Paid time off, paid holidays, leave of absence programs, and paid parental leave
Life insurance, short-term and long-term disability
401(k) retirement plan with company match up to 4% of salary
Professional development, tuition reimbursement, mental health and wellness support
Commuter benefits, cell phone stipend, daily meals allowance, and volunteer time off
Global travel insurance, emergency assistance, and location-specific perks
About the Company
Crusoe operates as a vertically integrated AI infrastructure company building energy-first solutions for the world's most ambitious AI workloads. The organization unites experts across energy, manufacturing, data center construction, and cloud services to address the growing demand for sustainable AI compute.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit their application directly through the official Crusoe careers page.
