Principal Engineer, Global Network Core, Google Cloud

About the role

As a Principal Software Engineer for Global Network Core (GNC), you will pioneer the technological vision for a critical mandate. You will discover the defining technologies and forge the architectural path for Google’s planet-scale Wide Area Network (WAN), ultimately empowering our largest, most demanding internal and external AI/ML customers with a backbone network engineered for unmatched performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of our new WAN for AI, defining a multi-year engineering roadmap to deliver 100x more network capacity for explosive AI/ML demand growth.
• Leverage deep technical knowledge across the full network stack—spanning physical topology design, vendor strategy, global traffic engineering, routing device control, and rigorous security and safety protocols.
• Partner across AI & Infrastructure (AI2) and DeepMind to define a core network product portfolio that meets both AI training and inference needs for internal and external customers.
• Ensure the new network integrates seamlessly with vertical AI stacks (TPU, LLMs, JAX/XLA) to dramatically improve performance while driving down unit costs and deployment lead times for our planning and design partners.
• Collaborate with academic institutions and industry pioneers to anticipate technology trends, translating external innovations into significant, long-term competitive advantages for Google's network.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 15 years of professional experience in software engineering.
• Experience with technical innovation in Infrastructure networking domain.

Preferred qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science or a field related to Networking or Networked Systems.
• Understanding of the latest AI and ML capabilities.
• Ability to influence and lead without direct authority, building strong relationships and driving alignment across teams.
• Ability to upskill teams and integrate AI-driven solutions to improve large-scale systems such as reducing capacity delivery lead times, improve testing coverage, etc.
• Exceptional communication skills, including ability to articulate complex technical concepts to both engineering leaders and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven track record of leading and delivering large-scale, complex network or networked infrastructure transformations from concept to deployment.

Skills

• Deep technical knowledge across the full network stack.
• Experience with WAN design and implementation.
• Strong leadership and collaboration skills.
• Ability to influence and drive alignment across teams.
• Experience with AI and ML capabilities.

Benefits

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. US: $307000 - $428000 (USD) + 30% bonus target + equity + benefits

Pay

US: $307000 - $428000 (USD)

Schedule

TBD