Systems Software EngineerWe are hiring experienced Systems Software Engineers across multiple NetApp engineering organizations. This pipeline posting is designed to attract strong C/C++ systems-level engineers who can contribute to core storage and data management technologies across ONTAP and other NetApp products. Candidates will be considered for roles on several teams, including ONTAP, WAFL, Replication/HA, Protocols (NFS/SMB/SAN/NVMe), Distributed Systems, Cloud Platforms, and Performance Engineering. Engineers in these roles design, build, and optimize foundational components of NetApp's storage stack.
You will work on real-world problems involving filesystems, storage internals, distributed systems, performance, scalability, reliability, and data integrity. Work may include developing new features, enhancing subsystems, analyzing complex code paths, improving throughput and latency, debugging customer issues, or driving proofs of concept. You will collaborate with senior engineers, product teams, hardware teams, and cloud engineering groups to deliver high-quality software used globally by enterprise customers. This posting can support multiple levels (3, 4, and 5).
Team and level placement will be determined during the interview process based on experience, technical depth, and demonstrated capabilities.Core Responsibilities (All Levels)Design, implement, and enhance features within ONTAP and related NetApp storage systemsWrite high-quality C/C++ code that is efficient, reliable, and maintainableAnalyze and improve existing code paths for performance, scalability, and correctnessDebug complex issues using system-level tools, logs, tracing, and profilingCollaborate across engineering teams, including filesystem, protocol, cloud, hardware, and QAParticipate in design and code reviews, contributing to engineering best practicesInvestigate performance bottlenecks and implement optimizationsSupport prototyping, research, and feasibility analysis for new ideas and featuresCommunicate design decisions, technical findings, and progress clearly with peersUse AI-assisted tools to accelerate design, development, testing, and troubleshootingLevel-Specific RequirementsSoftware Engineer 3 (5–8 years)Owns well-defined components or featuresImplements end-to-end functionality with guidancePerforms profiling, debugging, and testing across subsystemsContributes to design discussions and supports cross-team integrationRamps quickly on ONTAP, WAFL, protocols, or storage technologiesSoftware Engineer 4 (9–15 years)Designs and owns complex subsystems or multi-sprint epicsDrives cross-team delivery with minimal supervisionMentors junior and mid-level engineersLeads deep-dive debugging and performance analysisImproves reliability, observability, and architecture patternsSoftware Engineer 5 (12–16 years)Leads major technical initiatives across teams or product lineDefines long-term architectural direction and technical strategyResolves highly complex system-wide issues in performance, data integrity, HA, scale, or protocolsMentors senior engineers and influences engineering cultureDemonstrates deep domain expertise in filesystems, operating systems, HA/replication, or distributed systemsQualifications RequiredTechnical QualificationsStrong proficiency in C/C++ for systems-level developmentUnderstanding of data structures, algorithms, memory management, and concurrencyExperience with Unix/Linux systems programmingExperience with one or more: filesystems, storage systems, networking/protocol stacks, distributed systems, high-availability architecturesStrong debugging and performance analysis skills (gdb, perf, tracing, profiling tools)Ability to write maintainable, well-documented codeEffective communication and collaboration skillsQualifications that make you stand out:Experience with ONTAP, WAFL, or similar storage operating systemsExperience with NFS, SMB, SAN (iSCSI/FC), NVMe/TCP, NVMe-oFExperience with replication, clustering, HA, or consistency protocolsFamiliarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI)Exposure to kernel subsystems, VFS, IO schedulers, caching, or media managementExperience with distributed systems design and large-scale performance tuningKnowledge of CI/CD, test automation, and modern development practicesEducationBachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related fieldEquivalent practical experience consideredCompensation: The target salary range for this position is $120,000 - $280,000. The salary offered will be determined by the candidate's location, qualifications, experience, and education and may be outside of this range. The range is based on 'On Target Earnings' (OTE) representing the total potential earnings, which is the sum of the base salary and potential commission earned when performance targets are achieved. Final compensation packages are competitive and in line with industry standards, reflecting a variety of factors, and include a comprehensive benefits package.
This may cover Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Retirement or Pension Plans, Paid Time Off, various Leave options, employee stock purchase plan, and/or restricted stocks (RSU's). These offerings are subject to regional variations and governed by local laws, regulations, and company policies. We will provide detailed information about the specific benefits for your region during the recruitment process.