Staff Engineer - Networking Protocols-Distinguished Founders - AI Security Startup

Our Client: AI is changing how we think - and this Startup is securing the future it creates. Led by founders behind billion-dollar exits and backed by experts from the world’s top security teams, they’re building the foundational systems today’s AI will depend on. This is where next-gen engineering meets real-world impact. Key Responsibilities: • Architect, develop, and maintain high-performance network interception and reconstruction systems. • Lead a small team of developers, providing technical direction, mentorship, and code reviews. • Design and manage complex build systems using Make, CMake, Autoconf, and other tooling. • Implement and maintain traffic interception logic using advanced knowledge of TCP, UDP, and OSI layers. • Leverage your expertise in SSL/TLS, X.509 certificates, and PKI to support secure traffic analysis. • Work with and extend proxy technologies like Squid, Envoy, and NGINX to meet advanced traffic handling requirements. • Apply strong software engineering principles including SOLID, object-oriented design, and modular architecture . • Collaborate with other engineering teams and stakeholders to ensure security, performance, and scalability of the solution . Required Qualifications: • Expert-level proficiency in C, C++, or Rust with strong systems-level programming background. • Proven experience managing and maintaining complex build systems (Make, CMake, Autoconf, etc.). • Strong foundation in networking protocols , including TCP/IP, UDP, and OSI layers. • Deep understanding of proxy internals, traffic interception, and packet reconstruction. • Solid experience in SSL/TLS, X.509 certificates, certificate validation, and PKI infrastructure. • Demonstrated ability to deliver complex systems following object-oriented design and SOLID principles. • Hands-on experience with one or more of the following: Squid, Envoy, NGINX in a development or customization capacity. • Excellent problem-solving skills, debugging tools familiarity, and a strong attention to detail. • Experience leading a small team or mentoring other developers. Preferred Qualifications: • Experience with traffic analysis tools and protocol analyzers (e.g., Wireshark, tcpdump). • Knowledge of Linux kernel networking stack or Netfilter/iptables/eBPF. • Background in cybersecurity or secure communications is a plus. • Familiarity with containerization and orchestration tools like Docker and Kubernetes is an advantage. Relevant experience - 6 to 10 years If the above JD aligns with your next challenge, write to us at rekha.cxc@careerxperts.com Show more Show less