Backend Engineer, Control Plane at Tailscale

This role is ideal for a mid-level engineer who enjoys working at the intersection of networking and distributed systems. Since Tailscale is a remote-first, "Go

Work type: remote

Location: Remote (United States)

Salary: $163,000 – $226,000/yr

Type: Full-time

Summary

This role is ideal for a mid-level engineer who enjoys working at the intersection of networking and distributed systems. Since Tailscale is a remote-first, "Go-heavy" shop, you should be deeply comfortable with the Go programming language and have a solid grasp of how data moves across a network. If you enjoy contributing to open-source projects and prefer a "security-first" mindset over "move fast and break things," you’ll thrive in this environment. The compensation is highly competitive ($163k–$226k) and comes with a "day one" benefits package, including a $1,000 home office stipend and generous parental leave. As part of the Control Plane team, you’ll have a high degree of ownership, influencing everything from product ideation to incident response. The culture is built for asynchronous work, offering genuine flexibility for those who can manage their own time and projects independently. **You might be a good fit if you:** * Are proficient in **Go** and have experience managing **SQL** databases. * Understand the fundamentals of **networking** (routing, IP addressing, and tunnels). * Enjoy the "builder" phase of a startup where you own the entire product lifecycle. * Value a remote-first culture that emphasizes written communication and documentation.

Job Description

About Tailscale

Tailscale is building the new Internet by delivering software that makes it easy to securely interconnect people and their devices, no matter where they are. From hobbyists to multinational corporations, teams of every size use Tailscale each day to protect their networks, share access to internal tools, and more. We're building a future for the Internet that's easy, sensible, and safe, like it used to be. Founded in 2019 and fully distributed, we're backed by Accel, CRV, Insight, Heavybit, and Uncork Capital.

Job Description

We’re seeking a skilled and diligent full-time Software Engineer to join our growing Control Plane Team. You will work as part of the engineering team to:

• Develop the Tailscale product, contributing to both open source client code and related backend services;

• Take ownership of the entire product lifecycle, from writing code to product ideation and strategic decision-making;

• Work closely with UX/UI designers and product managers to shape features.

Key Responsibilities

• Work as part of a team of engineers to design, build, test, and document core software components.

• Develop product features in areas that include our control plane, our relay infrastructure, and our identity integrations.

• Exhibit ownership over the running services that comprise Tailscale’s product by building for observability, participating in incident response, and fielding customer support escalations.

• Analyze and improve efficiency, scalability, and stability of various system resources.

• Bring a security-first mindset to both design and implementation.

• Experience with distributed systems

• Experience with the Go programming language

• Experience with one or more SQL databases

• Familiarity with networking (IP addressing, routing, etc.)

• Ability to give and process constructive feedback, as well as work independently

• Flexibility to adjust to the dynamic nature of a startup

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

US Pay Range
$163,000—$226,000 USD

Frequently cited statistics show that people who identify with historically marginalized groups are likely to apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications.We encourage you to help us break that statistic!What We Offer

• An inclusive, flexible environment where you can be your authentic self. We recognize the impact of diverse voices and backgrounds on the growth of our people, product, and company. And that flexibility in how and when you work empowers our team to integrate work and life.

• A competitive total compensation package. This includes a base salary, an equity incentive plan and variable commission (for quota-based roles).

• Comprehensive group benefits with no waiting period.Take advantage of coverage for health, vision, dental, and more for you and your family!

• Remote first company—most of our teams work fully remotely. Enjoy a change of scenery wherever you can get wifi, participate in virtual and in-person social events, and leverage our corporate co-working program to visit WeWork (or other similar spaces near you). Some roles require in-office collaboration depending on team needs, which will be clearly noted in the job description.

• Connect with other Tailscalars IRL.Attend our annual company retreat, participate in team off-sites, and collaborate in person with teammates across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. We support intentional in-person connection through team travel and distributed collaboration.

• Support for your personal and professional development. Grow your career thoughtfully with $1500 USD annually for professional development, or take advantage of mentorship, coaching, and internal promotion opportunities.

• Paid time off and a healthy work-life integration.Our flexible, paid time off program supports you for any situation life throws your way, whether moving homes or travelling the world!

• A build-your-own home office setup.You choose your own company-owned laptop (Mac or PC), receive a monthly home internet reimbursement, and $1000 USD to customize your workstation to make it your own.

• Generous parental leave program from your first day.We care about your life outside of work and encourage new parents to take advantage of parental leave top-ups for up to 26 weeks.

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