Principal Software Engineer - Backend

Dragos is a global leader in xOT cybersecurity, combining technology, threat intelligence, and expert services to protect critical infrastructure. The Principal Software Engineer will build and improve backend systems for the Dragos xOT Security Platform, focusing on high-performance software, architecture, security, and technical leadership.

Responsibilities:

• Design and implement robust, testable, high-performance systems and tools in Rust
• Optimize existing software architectures to enhance speed and efficiency
• Actively participate in all phases of the development lifecycle, including debugging and optimization, ensuring and elevating software quality
• Stay informed about the latest advancements in Rust programming, security, and software design principles, helping to foster an environment of continuous learning and improvement
• Give and receive peer feedback on a normal cadence as part of our review cycle

Requirements:

• Be passionate about your craft, minding the details while working quickly
• Have a strong product sense and care deeply about the customers and problems we are solving
• Be self-directed with a strong work ethic and ability to operate autonomously
• Have excellent communication skills for remote collaboration, working well across engineering disciplines
• 10+ years of experience developing backend systems at scale in high-performance team environments
• 5+ years of experience in relational databases such as Postgres
• 5+ years of experience with NoSQL databases such as Elasticsearch
• 5+ years of experience working in a microservices architecture
• Rust proficiency – or the willingness and demonstrated ability to become proficient quickly
• Experience integrating with third party devices and data providers
• Experience incorporating AI tools, models, or services into development workflows
• Proven track record of mentoring and developing senior engineers
• Demonstrated ability to lead architectural decisions and influence technical strategy across multiple teams
• Experience working in cybersecurity, OT, or ICS environments
• Experience building and operating distributed systems at scale with a focus on reliability
• Familiarity with Kubernetes and cloud‑native architectures
• Experience with containerization (Docker)
• Strong understanding of observability tooling (Prometheus, Grafana)
• Experience building CI/CD pipelines and working with IaC tools (Terraform)
• Experience building information security–focused products or applying secure coding practices
• Experience with Kotlin, Go, or Python in production environments
• Experience mentoring team members or leading technical initiatives