GDS Technical Services Principal Engineer

ICANN’s GDS Technical Services Principal Engineer is part of a group of gTLD technical experts responsible for managing technical systems related to gTLD registries and registrars and providing technical input and expertise to other departments.

Responsibilities

• Manage software development projects, including acting as product manager for custom-developed solutions, interacting with internal teams, contractors, and Internet community volunteers.
• Provide DNS registry and/or registrar systems engineering and technical expertise; manage technical projects and external relationships to address operational issues impacting gTLD registries and registrars.
• Serve as a technical resource on Internet system registry and registration services, Domain Name System (DNS) issues, and Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs).
• Design technical protocols to facilitate interaction between Registries, Registrars, Data Escrow Agents, Trademark Clearing House (TMCH), and other stakeholders.
• Provide technical oversight and advice for the gTLD registry accreditation/application process and the evaluation of new services through the Registry Services Evaluation Process (RSEP).
• Write detailed documents to report test results, document processes, charter projects, and report project progress.
• Develop and implement processes to streamline operational activities and guide efforts to integrate programs and processes.
• Support the Contractual Compliance team to facilitate gTLD Registry compliance with technical aspects of agreements and ICANN policy.
• Assist the Policy team in implementing new gTLD registry policies and support other ICANN teams to resolve issues impacting gTLD Registries and Registrars.
• Answer questions and assist in resolving disputes with Internet registries, registrars, and community members through various communication channels.
• Prepare detailed technical documentation, reports, presentations, and speeches for both internal and external audiences.
• Attend and participate in regional and international Internet technical forums and community meetings.
• Participate in a 24x7 on-call rotation, serving as the primary contact for gTLD incidents approximately once every two months, including troubleshooting and escalation during emergencies.
• Perform other duties as assigned or requested.

Requirements

• Broad knowledge and experience in:
  • Domain Name System (DNS)
  • DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC)
  • Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP)
  • WHOIS
  • Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP)
  • Data Escrow standards
• Experience in software development; Agile development knowledge desired.
• Demonstrated ability in at least one high-level programming language (e.g., Perl, Python, Java).
• Excellent skills as a power user of Unix systems.
• Strong English-writing skills, particularly for technical documents.
• Experience using XML and JSON.
• Bachelor’s or equivalent degree in Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Information Systems, or related field, plus 12 years of progressive, post-baccalaureate experience in a technical capacity with a Top-Level Domain (TLD) registry or domain name registrar.
• Alternatively: Master’s or equivalent degree in a related field, plus 8 years of experience in a similar role.
• Experience with Internationalized Domain Names for Applications (IDNA) is ideal.
• Network routing (BGP) knowledge is desired.

Benefits

• 20% bonus.
• Comprehensive benefits package.

Pay

Targeted base salary range: $120,000 – $165,000, depending on geographic location, work experience, knowledge, skills, and other compensable factors.

Schedule

• Work is performed in a normal office environment with limited privacy and some exposure to background noise.
• Work location is flexible.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 5% of the time.
• Participation in a 24x7 on-call rotation approximately once every two months.