Alkira

Software Engineer - Datapath

Alkira$125K — $150K *
Information Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of software development experience
  • Proficient in at least one programming language: C, Python, or Go
  • Strong understanding of networking technologies and TCP/IP
  • Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP
  • Comfortable working in a Linux environment
  • Problem-solving mindset with debugging skills

Responsibilities

  • Automate cloud infrastructure provisioning using Ansible playbooks
  • Develop task engines in Go for configuration deployment at scale
  • Integrate new Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) for expanded services
  • Build Python tooling for network inspection and debugging
  • Extend task models for precise configuration application
  • Ensure high-speed and reliable connectivity across multiple clouds
  • Investigate and resolve production provisioning issues collaboratively

Benefits

  • Hybrid work model in San Jose, CA, with flexible workdays
  • Opportunity for rapid growth across different technology layers
  • Engagement in hands-on coding across multiple programming languages
  • On-call rotation for deep system learning and exposure
  • Utilization of AI-assisted tools for efficient development processes
Full Job Description
SOFTWARE ENGINEER - DATAPATH

Turn a customer's intent into a live, multi-cloud network - automatically, anywhere in the world - and learn the entire stack while you do it.

LOCATION: This is a hybrid work environment that requires onsite at San Jose, CA HQ on Tuesdays and Thursdays

WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON
  • Automate the cloud. Write the Ansible playbooks that provision infrastructure and stand up network services across AWS, Azure, and GCP - VPCs/VNets, subnets, tunnels, NAT, routing, and security policy.
  • Build the engines. Develop the Go task engines that push this configuration onto the CXP nodes at scale - running provisioning and teardown against live state, and rebuilding a node's entire configuration after a controlled restart.
  • Bring up new capabilities. Integrate new VNFs as we light up new services and capabilities.
  • Own the tooling. Build the Python tooling and CLI engineers use to inspect, configure, and debug the networking stack on the nodes.
  • Model the work. Extend the configuration and task models that translate a single provisioning request into the exact commands applied on the nodes.
  • Keep it fast and correct. Help connectivity stay correct, fast, and reliable across clouds and at scale.
  • Solve real problems. Chase tricky production provisioning issues to their root cause and drive the fix - and collaborate with Routing, Data Path, and Backend on how configuration flows end to end.


You won't touch all of this on day one. Most engineers start in one layer and grow outward fast.

WHO YOU ARE

We're looking for a well-rounded Software Engineer with a basic grounding in networking technologies. Our stack spans several layers - Ansible playbooks, Go task engines, Python tooling, the networking stack on the nodes - and sits right next to the C-based data path. You don't need to be an expert in all of it. Bring strong fundamentals and real curiosity about how networks and clouds work, and you'll start in one layer and grow into the rest.

You'll thrive here if you have:
  • Strong software fundamentals - data structures, problem-solving, clean code, and the patience to debug.
    Hands-on coding in at least one of C, Python, or Go, and the appetite to pick up the others - we use all three everyday, and the engineers who range across them go furthest.
  • Comfort on Linux - the shell, processes, logs, and the everyday networking tools.
  • Hands-on familiarity with core networking - TCP/IP, and the curiosity to go deeper.
  • A working mental model of the cloud - at least one of AWS, Azure, or GCP: what a VPC/VNet, subnet, and
    security group actually are.
  • A debugging mindset - you genuinely enjoy chasing a problem until you find the real cause.


Bonus Points
  • Ansible or other configuration-automation experience.
  • You use AI-assisted development tools like Claude Code - we lean on them to build workflows, write debug tooling, and move faster across the entire software development lifecycle.
  • Experience building CLIs, task runners, or automation that runs at scale.
  • Familiarity with firewalls, load balancers, and similar network services.


ON-CALL
On-call is a mandatory part of this role. You'll join the orchestration on-call rotation and help debug and resolve
production provisioning issues, with coverage coordinated across the US and India. It's also where a lot of the
deepest learning happens - there's no faster way to understand a system than to keep it running.

COMPENSATION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS

The salary range for this position is $125,000 -$150,000 USD. Your actual base salary and level will be determined on a case by case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge, skills, experience, education and location. The interview process will include a coding challenge, screening with the hiring manager and technical interviews.

About Alkira

Alkira is a technology company that provides cloud networking solutions for enterprises. The company's platform enables enterprises to build and deploy cloud networks that are secure, scalable, and easy to manage. Alkira's technology is designed to help enterprises reduce their network complexity and improve their agility. The company was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.
Learn more about Alkira
Size
100 employees
Industry
Founded
2018

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