Senior Backend Engineer

Join Our Team as a Senior Backend Engineer

Tailscale is on a mission to build the new Internet by delivering software that makes it easy to securely interconnect people and their devices, no matter where they are. We are looking for a skilled and diligent full-time Senior Backend Engineer to join our growing team.

About the Role

As a Senior Backend Engineer, you will be a key player in developing the Tailscale product. You will contribute to both open source client code and related backend services, taking ownership of the entire product lifecycle from writing code to product ideation and strategic decision-making. You will work closely with UX/UI designers and product managers to shape features.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, test, and document core software components as part of a team of engineers.
• Develop product features in areas such as our control plane, relay infrastructure, and identity integrations.
• Exhibit ownership over the running services that comprise Tailscale’s product by building for observability, participating in incident response, and fielding customer support escalations.
• Analyze and improve efficiency, scalability, and stability of various system resources.
• Bring a security-first mindset to both design and implementation.

Requirements

• Experience with distributed systems.
• Experience with one or more SQL databases.
• Familiarity with authentication/authorization protocols and frameworks such as OAuth2, OIDC, SSO, and SAML.
• Familiarity with networks (IP addressing, routing, etc.).
• Most of the non-front-end portions of the system are developed in the Go programming language; experience with Go is a plus.
• Ability to give and process constructive feedback, as well as work independently.
• Flexibility to adjust to the dynamic nature of a startup.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

What We Offer

• An inclusive, flexible environment where you can be your authentic self.
• A competitive total compensation package, including a base salary, an equity incentive plan, and variable commission (for quota-based roles).
• Comprehensive group benefits with no waiting period, covering health, vision, dental, and more for you and your family.
• All-remote work environment with opportunities to work from anywhere.
• Annual company retreat and team/department off-sites.
• Support for personal and professional development, including $1500 USD annually for professional development.
• Paid time off and a healthy work-life integration, encouraging 4-6 weeks of vacation annually.
• A build-your-own home office setup with a company-owned laptop, monthly home internet reimbursement, and $1000 USD to customize your workstation.
• Generous parental leave program from your first day.

About Tailscale

Founded in 2019, Tailscale is a fully distributed company backed by Accel, CRV, Insight, Heavybit, and Uncork Capital. We strive to maintain fair and equitable compensation practices within our team across all roles and levels, using San Francisco market data to establish our pay ranges.

Join us in building a future for the Internet that's easy, sensible, and safe, like it used to be. Apply today to become a part of our innovative team!