Software Engineer, Networking at Tailscale
This role is ideal for a mid-to-senior level engineer with deep expertise in the "plumbing" of the internet. You should have a strong grasp of low-level network
Work type: remote
Location: Remote (United States)
Salary: $181,000 – $226,000/yr
Type: Full-time
Summary
This role is ideal for a mid-to-senior level engineer with deep expertise in the "plumbing" of the internet. You should have a strong grasp of low-level networking (routing, NAT traversal, VPNs) and distributed systems. While Go is listed as a "plus," the company heavily utilizes it, so familiarity with systems programming and a security-first mindset are crucial for success here.
The compensation is highly competitive ($181k–$226k) for a fully remote position. Tailscale offers a premium benefits package, including a $1,000 home office stipend, a $1,500 professional development budget, and an industry-leading 26-week parental leave policy. You’ll also get to contribute to popular open-source codebases used by everyone from hobbyists to major enterprises.
**You might be a good fit if you:**
* Have experience building and troubleshooting complex networking protocols and relay infrastructure.
* Enjoy "owning" a product end-to-end, from strategic ideation to on-call incident response.
* Thrive in a remote-first, asynchronous environment where written communication is key.
* Are comfortable working with Go and SQL databases within a fast-moving startup culture.
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 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, with an emphasis on networking features and optimizations
- Take ownership of the entire product lifecycle, from writing code to product ideation and strategic decision-making
- Work with UX/UI designers and product managers to shape features that enhance networking capabilities
Because we’re an early-stage and fully remote company, we’re looking for a strongly motivated individual who can help move the product forward. The ability to think on your feet, collaborate with highly technical teams, and comfort working asynchronously are essential.Key Responsibilities
- Work as part of a team of engineers to design, build, test, and document core networking software components
- Develop and optimize product features in areas such as our control plane, relay infrastructure, and networking protocols
- Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve complex networking issues across different environments
- 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 the efficiency, scalability, and stability of networking systems and resources
- Bring a security-first mindset to both design and implementation, ensuring robust and secure networking components
What We Are Looking For- Significant experience with networking software and diagnosing networking issues
- Deep understanding of networking concepts, including IP addressing, routing, NAT traversal, and VPN technologies
- Experience with distributed systems
- Experience with one or more SQL databases
- Experience with Go is a plus
- 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
As a company, we strive to maintain fair and equitable compensation practices within our team across all roles and all levels. Tailscale's compensation package includes base salary, equity, and comprehensive benefits. The salary range displayed on each job posting represents the target range for a new hire's base salary. Individual offers may vary based on experience and skill set.US Pay Range
$181,000—$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.
Please be aware that legitimate emails from Tailscale's talent team will only originate from @tailscale.com, @greenhouse.io, and @interviews.modernloop.io email addresses. For more information about protecting yourself from impersonators and scams, please visit https://tailscale.com/scam-awareness.
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