Senior Principal Software Engineer, Backend - Advanced Cluster Security (RHACS)

About The Job

Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security (RHACS) Engineering builds security solutions for OpenShift and Kubernetes deployments. Our mission is to make OpenShift the most secure Kubernetes distribution by designing security workflows across the full software development lifecycle.

We are seeking a Senior Principal Software Engineer – product‑minded, with strong backend, distributed systems, and AI‑driven engineering experience – to join our team. In this role, you will define the technical strategy across teams to solve hard problems for our customers. You will design large‑scale systems that address Kubernetes security challenges today and hold up as requirements grow. As the engineering organization transitions toward an agentic software development lifecycle, you will drive the strategy for integrating AI‑powered tools and workflows into how we build, test, and ship software.

We are looking for someone who doesn’t just implement what they’re told – you challenge specifications, propose alternative approaches, and evaluate both engineering and product trade‑offs simultaneously. You understand how your technical decisions connect to business outcomes and customer value, and you stay engaged well beyond shipping to understand real‑world impact.

What You Will Do

• Technical Strategy: Drive the design of backend systems across multiple RHACS subsystems, ensuring scalability and fault‑tolerance for the world's largest commercial Kubernetes clusters. Drive cross‑functional alignment with product management, design, and peer engineering teams.
• AI‑Driven Engineering: Lead the adoption of agentic development practices – defining how AI tools, context registries, and automated workflows reshape the SDLC from intake through release.
• Quality & Reliability: Establish testing practices, architectural patterns, and development methodologies that multiple teams can adopt to raise the bar on system reliability.
• SDLC Evolution: Improve how teams build and ship software by introducing new methodologies, including AI‑accelerated approaches, to make multiple teams more effective.
• Innovation: Identify and drive adoption of new technologies and frameworks. Represent RHACS in open‑source communities and industry working groups.
• Talent Development: Coach and mentor Principal Engineers across organizations through code reviews, design feedback, and guidance on agentic development.
• Business Impact: Own complex, multi‑month technical initiatives, navigating ambiguity and tracking real‑world usage beyond shipping to inform future product direction.

What You Will Have

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related STEM field (or equivalent practical experience) with 8+ years of software development experience.
• Architecture Expertise: Proven track record in architecting and implementing high‑performance backend services (RESTful and gRPC APIs) and large‑scale distributed systems.
• Kubernetes Depth: Significant hands‑on experience with Kubernetes, including deployment, scaling, and securing clusters in production environments.
• Technical Versatility: Deep expertise in at least two of: Linux system internals, container runtime security, distributed data systems (PostgreSQL), or observability at scale.
• Automation Proficiency: Knowledge of frameworks like Terraform and Helm, with experience creating tools that enhance developer productivity.
• Leadership & Influence: Experience setting standards and driving alignment across multiple teams, with the ability to mentor senior and principal‑level engineers.
• Product Mindset: The ability to think beyond code to understand how technical decisions affect customer experience and business outcomes, and to proactively balance engineering effort with user impact.
• Navigating Ambiguity: Able to take an unclear problem, define the approach, and drive it to completion across teams with competing priorities. Open to learning new technologies and languages (we primarily use Golang).

The Following is Considered a Plus

• AI & Agentic Workflows: Experience adopting AI‑powered development tools (AI‑assisted code gen, automated testing, AI code review) or driving similar technology transformations at scale.
• Specialized Problem Solving: A track record of solving hard engineering problems with practical, working solutions – specifically in container security or distributed systems.
• Open Source Contribution: A history of contributions to open‑source projects and active participation in community discussions or industry events.

The salary range for this position is $168,150.00 - $277,350.00. Actual offer will be based on your qualifications.

Pay Transparency

Red Hat determines compensation based on several factors including but not limited to job location, experience, applicable skills and training, external market value, and internal pay equity. Annual salary is one component of Red Hat’s compensation package. This position may also be eligible for bonus, commission, and/or equity. For positions with Remote‑US locations, the actual salary range for the position may differ based on location but will be commensurate with job duties and relevant work experience.

About Red Hat

Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, using a community‑powered approach to deliver high‑performing Linux, cloud, container, and Kubernetes technologies. Spread across 40+ countries, our associates work flexibly across work environments, from in‑office, to office‑flex, to fully remote, depending on the requirements of their role. Red Hatters are encouraged to bring their best ideas, no matter their title or tenure. We’re a leader in open source because we have an open and inclusive environment. We hire creative, passionate people ready to contribute their ideas, help solve complex problems, and make an impact.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Flexible Spending Account – healthcare and dependent care
• Health Savings Account – high deductible medical plan
• Retirement 401(k) with employer match
• Paid time off and holidays
• Paid parental leave plans for all new parents
• Leave benefits including disability, paid family medical leave, and paid military leave
• Additional benefits including employee stock purchase plan, family planning reimbursement, tuition reimbursement, transportation expense account, employee assistance program, and more!

Note: These benefits are only applicable to full‑time, permanent associates at Red Hat located in the United States.

Inclusion at Red Hat

Red Hat’s culture is built on the open source principles of transparency, collaboration, and inclusion, where the best ideas can come from anywhere and anyone. When this is realized, it empowers people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to come together to share ideas, challenge the status quo, and drive innovation. Our aspiration is that everyone experiences this culture with equal opportunity and access, and that all voices are not only heard but also celebrated. We hope you will join our celebration, and we welcome and encourage applicants from all the beautiful dimensions that compose our global village.

Equal Opportunity Policy (EEO)

Red Hat is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. We review applications for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, veteran status, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Red Hat does not seek or accept unsolicited resumes or CVs from recruitment agencies. We are not responsible for, and will not pay, any fees, commissions, or any other payment related to unsolicited resumes or CVs except as required in a written contract between Red Hat and the recruitment agency or party requesting payment of a fee.

RedHat supports individuals with disabilities and provides reasonable accommodations to job applicants. If you need assistance completing our online job application, email application‑View email address on click.appcast.io. General inquiries, such as those regarding the status of a job application, will not receive a reply.