Software Engineer - Datapath

Job description

SOFTWARE ENGINEER - DATAPATH Turn a customer’s intent into a live, multi-cloud network — automatically, anywhere in the world — and learn the entire stack while you do it. THE MISSION When a company connects its data centers, clouds, and offices on Alkira , our team is what makes it happen. The customer tells us what they want — connect these networks, across these clouds, with these policies — and we turn that into a real, working network in minutes instead of weeks, automatically. We’re the Playbooks / Orchestration team, and we build that automation. Using a mix of Ansible, Python, and Go, we set up the networking stack on our Cloud Exchange Points (CXPs) and run the workflows that keep it healthy — including tricky operations like safely restarting a node. We bring up new virtual network functions (VNFs), build the tooling and CLI used to inspect and configure each node, and work closely with the Routing, Data Path, and Backend teams. Our team spans the US and India, and above all we make sure every customer network comes up correctly and reliably, across every cloud. LOCATION: This is a hybrid work environment that requires onsite at San Jose, CA HQ on Tuesdays and Thursdays WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON Automate the cloud. Write the Ansible playbooks that provision infrastructure and stand up network services across AWS, Azure, and GCP — VPCs/VNets, subnets, tunnels, NAT, routing, and security policy. Build the engines. Develop the Go task engines that push this configuration onto the CXP nodes at scale — running provisioning and teardown against live state, and rebuilding a node’s entire configuration after a controlled restart. Bring up new capabilities. Integrate new VNFs as we light up new services and capabilities. Own the tooling. Build the Python tooling and CLI engineers use to inspect, configure, and debug the networking stack on the nodes. Model the work. Extend the configuration and task models that translate a single provisioning request into the exact commands applied on the nodes. Keep it fast and correct. Help connectivity stay correct, fast, and reliable across clouds and at scale. Solve real problems. Chase tricky production provisioning issues to their root cause and drive the fix — and collaborate with Routing, Data Path, and Backend on how configuration flows end to end. You won’t touch all of this on day one. Most engineers start in one layer and grow outward fast. WHO YOU ARE We’re looking for a well-rounded Software Engineer with a basic grounding in networking technologies. Our stack spans several layers — Ansible playbooks, Go task engines, Python tooling, the networking stack on the nodes — and sits right next to the C-based data path. You don’t need to be an expert in all of it. Bring strong fundamentals and real curiosity about how networks and clouds work, and you’ll start in one layer and grow into the rest. You'll thrive here if you have: Strong software fundamentals — data structures, problem-solving, clean code, and the patience to debug. Hands-on coding in at least one of C, Python, or Go, and the appetite to pick up the others — we use all three everyday, and the engineers who range across them go furthest. Comfort on Linux — the shell, processes, logs, and the everyday networking tools. Hands-on familiarity with core networking — TCP/IP, and the curiosity to go deeper. A working mental model of the cloud — at least one of AWS, Azure, or GCP: what a VPC/VNet, subnet, and security group actually are. A debugging mindset — you genuinely enjoy chasing a problem until you find the real cause. Bonus Points Ansible or other configuration-automation experience. You use AI-assisted development tools like Claude Code — we lean on them to build workflows, write debug tooling, and move faster across the entire software development lifecycle. Experience building CLIs, task runners, or automation that runs at scale. Familiarity with firewalls, load balancers, and similar network services. WHY YOU’LL GROW FAST HERE The orchestration layer touches every part of the system — clouds, Linux, the networking stack, and the data path next door. That makes it one of the best vantage points in the company for an early-career engineer: you’ll get unusually broad exposure, work shoulder-to-shoulder with networking and systems experts, and build a deep, end-to-end picture of how a real cloud network works. Strong all-rounders here don’t stay in one lane — they move fluidly between layers and become the people who understand how the whole thing fits together. ON-CALL On-call is a mandatory part of this role. You’ll join the orchestration on-call rotation and help debug and resolve production provisioning issues, with coverage coordinated across the US and India. It’s also where a lot of the deepest learning happens — there’s no faster way to understand a system than to keep it running. ABOUT ALKIRA Alkira, a Lumen company , is building the future of enterprise networking: one programmable platform to connect, secure, and operate every cloud, site, partner, data center, and AI workload. Founded by Amir and Atif Khan, the creators of Viptela and pioneers of the SD-WAN market, Alkira was built to radically simplify how enterprises deploy and manage network infrastructure. Today, as part of Lumen, we are bringing that cloud-native operating model to a global network foundation trusted by the world’s largest enterprises. Our platform helps customers move faster without managing hardware, stitching together providers, or operating fragmented cloud networks. Teams can build and scale connectivity on demand, apply consistent security and segmentation, and gain visibility across distributed environments from one place. At Alkira, you’ll help shape the next chapter of networking: cloud-like consumption, private-network performance, and total control across the enterprise. We move fast, solve hard problems, and build technology that changes how global businesses connect. Join us and help build the future of networking. COMPENSATION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS The salary range for this position is $125,000 —$150,000 USD. Your actual base salary and level will be determined on a case by case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge, skills, experience, education and location. The interview process will include a coding challenge, screening with the hiring manager and technical interviews. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer-sponsored visa (e.g., H-1B) now or in the future. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position at this time. Life at Alkira, a Lumen Connect Solution Life at Alkira is human and connected, even in a fast moving, AI‑focused organization. We set clear expectations and trust people to meet them. With real support and shared accountability, teams collaborate better, move faster, and deliver meaningful outcomes. Our Lumen 8 behaviors guide how we interact, make decisions, and work together, shaping a culture built to perform and win. To learn more about Life at Alkira, a Lumen Connect Solution and how we live into the Lumen 8, please visit: Background Screening If you are selected for a position, there will be a background screen, which may include checks for criminal records and/or motor vehicle reports and/or drug screening, depending on the position requirements. For more information on these checks, please refer to the Post Offer section of our FAQ page. Job-related concerns identified during the background screening may disqualify you from the new position or your current role. Background results will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Equal Employment Opportunities We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, religion, veteran status, disability, genetic characteristic or information, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, family status, pregnancy, or other legally protected status (collectively, “protected statuses”). We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination in any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, discipline, termination, job assignments or training. 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You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information. Please be advised that Alkira, a Lumen Connect Solution does not require any form of payment from job applicants during the recruitment process. All legitimate job openings will be posted on our official website or communicated through official company email addresses. If you encounter any job offers that request payment in exchange for employment at Alkira, a Lumen Connect Solution , they are not for employment with us but may relate to another company with a similar name. #LI-DNI