Staff Software Engineer - Rust and Distributed Systems (Bay Area, hybrid)

Fortanix • Santa Clara, CA

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

Fortanix is a leader in data-centric cybersecurity for hybrid multicloud environments, utilizing advanced cryptography, encryption, and confidential AI solutions. As data breaches become more frequent, Fortanix focuses on data exposure management to protect sensitive information. Their unified data security platform addresses vulnerabilities, defends against threats, and simplifies the discovery, assessment, and remediation of data exposure risks. They support businesses in adopting Zero Trust models and preparing for the post-quantum computing era. Fortanix has received multiple Cybersecurity Excellence and Innovation Awards and recognition from industry leaders like NVIDIA, Microsoft, Intel, ServiceNow, and Snowflake. The company fosters a culture of trust, innovation, and collaboration, and is recognized as a Great Place to Work. They are seeking passionate individuals to contribute to the future of data security.

Requirements

• 8+ years of software engineering experience, with strong backend and distributed systems expertise
• Proven experience designing and building microservices from scratch, and understanding how they fit into larger system architectures
• Experience owning end-to-end services (design, development, deployment, scaling, and operations)
• Strong experience with distributed systems concepts (scalability, reliability, fault tolerance, data consistency)
• Strong programming experience in Rust (will also consider C/C++, Go, or similar systems-level languages)
• Deep understanding of service architecture, API design, and system design
• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes and containerized environments
• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure)
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD and production deployment pipelines
• Experience working in Linux environments, including debugging and performance tuning
• Familiarity with data storage systems (SQL/NoSQL, distributed storage, caching)
• Strong inclination toward building secure, reliable, and maintainable systems
• Experience with or interest in confidential computing / Trusted Execution Environments (Intel SGX, AMD SEV, Nitro Enclaves, etc.)
• Experience with or interest in security infrastructure (key management, encryption, secure storage, access control)

Nice To Haves

• Experience with performance-critical systems or systems programming
• Exposure to secure AI / privacy-preserving systems
• Background in infrastructure platforms or developer platforms

Responsibilities

• Design and build distributed microservices that power Fortanix’s confidential computing platform across hybrid and multi-cloud environments
• Own system architecture end-to-end —from service design and APIs to deployment, scaling, and production reliability
• Drive technical direction across services, ensuring they fit cohesively into the broader platform architecture
• Lead system design and API discussions, influencing how services interact across the platform
• Build with a security-first mindset, ensuring services are resilient, auditable, and safe by design
• Write high-quality, production-grade code (Rust, C/C++, or similar) and contribute to critical code reviews
• Partner closely with engineering, product, and infrastructure teams to deliver complex, cross-functional systems
• Mentor and guide engineers, raising the bar on system design, code quality, and engineering rigor
• Contribute to core components such as our Runtime Encryption® technology and confidential computing services

Benefits

• Unlimited PTO
• 40 hours of Volunteer Time Off/year
• Internet stipend
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Retirement Savings, Wellness Program, Short-and Long-Term Disability, Holidays, and more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed