Principal Backend Software Engineer - Scaling

Overview

Forward Networks is revolutionizing the way large networks are managed. The Forward Enterprise platform delivers a vendor-agnostic "digital twin" of the network, based on a mathematical model. The platform scales to support hundreds of thousands of network devices, whether cloud, hybrid cloud, or on-prem. It serves as a single source of truth for the network, enabling network operators to instantly verify security posture, accelerate troubleshooting, avoid outages, and modernize network management.

Over the past few years, Forward Networks has received tremendous industry recognition, including “Cool Vendor in Enterprise Networking” by Gartner, “Product of the Year” by Cloud Computing, “Hot Company” by Cyber Defense Magazine, “Enterprise Cloud Computing Software of the Year,” and has been named to Fortune’s “Best Workplaces in the Bay Area” list.

The company was founded by four Stanford PhD graduates who saw a massive opportunity to improve network operations. Investors include Andreessen Horowitz, MSD Capital, Threshold Ventures, and Goldman Sachs.

Responsibilities

• Architect and Develop Pipelines: Design and build robust pipelines to ingest and analyze data from network devices and other sources.
• Enhance Scalability and Performance: Optimize computational processes to improve efficiency and implement solutions that scale with growing data and user demands.
• Innovate on Product Features: Develop new features leveraging our network model to provide actionable insights. Collaborate with product teams to translate user needs into technical solutions.
• Technical Leadership: Mentor and guide junior engineers, fostering a culture of excellence. Lead code reviews, design reviews and contribute to best practices in software development.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with other engineering teams to ensure cohesive integration of services.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field; Masters or Ph.D. preferred.
• Experience: 8+ years of full lifecycle software development experience.
• Proven experience in backend development using Java, C++, or similar languages.
• Strong background in object-oriented design and development.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with databases; Proficiency with algorithms and design for performance and scalability; In-depth knowledge of software architecture, design patterns, and best practices; Strong systems programming skills including multi-threading, concurrency, caching, batching etc.; Experience with RESTful APIs and frameworks; Familiarity with containerization tools such as Docker and orchestration platforms like Kubernetes; Exposure to big data technologies.
• Soft Skills: Excellent problem-solving abilities and attention to detail; Strong communication skills, both written and verbal; Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

Note: Networking-domain experience is not a requirement for this role but is a plus.

This position is a regular, full-time opportunity with Forward Networks in Santa Clara, CA.

The base pay range for this role is between $240,000 and $270,000. Base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.