Staff Software Engineer, Infrastructure

Gusto, Inc. • Los Angeles, CA

63d • $200,000 - $230,000

About The Position

At Gusto, we are looking for a forward thinking technical leader to shape the next generation of our compute (Kubernetes) and networking (service mesh) platforms. This role is for someone who loves building foundational systems that empower hundreds of engineers to move faster, safer, and smarter. You will define the long-term vision for how services run and communicate at Gusto, ensuring reliability, scalability, and developer delight at every layer.

Requirements

• 12 or more years of experience in Infrastructure, Platform, or Site Reliability Engineering roles operating large scale distributed systems
• Proven hands-on coding experience in production environments and the ability to contribute directly to system development and automation
• Deep expertise running, scaling, and securing Kubernetes and service mesh technologies such as Istio, Envoy, or Cilium in production
• A demonstrated record of designing highly available systems that balance reliability, observability, and developer velocity
• Mastery of Infrastructure as Code using tools such as Terraform or Crossplane, with experience managing complex state for large engineering organizations
• Experience owning and evolving twenty four seven SaaS infrastructure including monitoring, alerting, and performance analysis
• A systems thinking mindset that identifies small levers capable of creating meaningful organizational impact
• Exceptional communication skills that simplify complex ideas and bring teams together around a shared vision
• A strong bias toward action, resilience in the face of ambiguity, and the ability to transform big ideas into real, impactful systems

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the vision for Gusto’s compute and networking platforms by setting the strategy for Kubernetes, service mesh, and related systems that power our global SaaS platform
• Lead architecture design, performance optimization, and security hardening of distributed systems at scale
• Partner with engineering leaders to translate broad organizational goals into concrete, measurable technical outcomes
• Treat infrastructure as a product by focusing on the developer experience, simplifying workflows, and accelerating delivery
• Serve as a mentor and force multiplier by growing the skills of mid level engineers through coaching, pairing, and modeling best practices
• Communicate with clarity by simplifying complex concepts and building alignment across teams and functions
• Lead incident response and ensure our systems meet the highest standards of availability and resiliency

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Flexible work environment with office expectations of 2-3 days per week in designated locations
• Equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity and inclusion
• Support for reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees