Principal Software Engineer SD-WAN

Hewlett Packard Enterprise•San Jose, CA

8d•$155,500 - $315,000•Onsite

About The Position

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will serve as the technical leader and chief architect for our next-generation secure SD-WAN solutions. This is a hands-on, visionary role where you will define and drive the technical strategy for highly secure, scalable, and high-performance networking products. You will address complex challenges in secure connectivity, advanced cryptography, and large-scale packet processing, directly shaping the future of our SD-WAN portfolio.

Requirements

10+ years of software engineering experience, with a strong emphasis on secure networking, embedded systems, and Linux kernel development.
Deep expertise in IPSec/VPN technologies, including IKEv2 protocol, tunnel modes, and advanced troubleshooting.
5+ years high-performance networking frameworks (DPDK, VPP, eBPF technology), security protocols (IPSec, TLS, SSL), and cryptographic libraries and accelerators (OpenSSL, AES, RSA, ECC, Intel QAT, AES-NI).
Developed solutions using open-source networking and security tools like StrongSwan, Libreswan, OpenVPN, or WireGuard.
Experience with FIPS 140-2/3 validation and Common Criteria certification for security products.
Extensive experience with hardware offloading (Intel QAT, AES-NI) for cryptographic operations.
Advanced proficiency in C/C++ and multithreaded, system-level programming.
Proven track record of architecting, leading, and delivering large-scale, secure networking products.
Excellent communication, collaboration, and leadership skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with quantum-safe cryptography and next-generation security protocols.
Background in SD-WAN product development for enterprise or service provider markets.
Experience working on NextGen Firewalls, Secure Web Gateways, IDS/IPS, and Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead the architecture, design, and implementation of secure SD-WAN products, including site-to-site and remote access solutions for enterprise environments.
Drive performance optimization initiatives, leveraging technologies such as DPDK, VPP, eBPF technology, and hardware crypto accelerators to ensure robust throughput and reliability.
Provide hands-on technical leadership and mentorship to senior engineers, fostering a culture of excellence in code quality, design, and best practices.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams (product management, hardware, QA) to translate business requirements into innovative technical solutions.
Research, evaluate, and integrate emerging security technologies, including quantum-safe cryptography, to future-proof products against evolving threats.
Troubleshoot and resolve complex networking and security issues, ensuring the highest standards of product integrity and customer trust.
Work with external penetration testing companies and manage the secure development lifecycle of products through penetration testing.
Proactive in analyzing CVEs and security vulnerabilities, advising product development teams on remediation to ensure products deliver high levels of security and customer confidence.
Handle customer escalations related to security issues and perform threat analysis.