Staff Software Engineer

Proofpoint · Boston, MA · 1 wk ago

Information TechnologyFull-time

About the Role

Proofpoint is seeking a seasoned professional to join our team, focusing on building and scaling a big data platform that processes billions of data points daily. This role involves designing resilient systems, developing RESTful APIs, and establishing standards for scalability, fault tolerance, and performance optimization. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in distributed systems, backend architecture, and cloud technologies, with a passion for leveraging AI-powered tools to accelerate development.

Responsibilities

Build and scale a big data platform processing billions of data points daily
Design resilient systems across synchronous and asynchronous (event-driven, streaming) paradigms
Develop RESTful APIs in a microservices architecture
Establish standards for scalability, fault tolerance, and performance optimization
Drive design decisions across streaming, processing, and storage layers for performance and cost efficiency
Support time-series, event-driven, and analytical workloads
Work with distributed messaging systems, scalable data stores (DynamoDB, Elasticsearch, etc.), and processing frameworks (Flink, Spark)
Ensure alignment with security, compliance, and data governance requirements
Champion AI-powered tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Claude Code) to accelerate development velocity across design, coding, testing, and review

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or equivalent
10+ years in distributed systems and backend architecture
Knowledge of CAP theorem, consistency models, partitioning, replication, and sharding strategies
Experience with streaming/messaging systems (Kinesis) and real-time/batch processing frameworks (Flink, Spark, Beam)
Proficiency in one or more of NodeJs, Go, Java, Scala, or Rust; familiarity with Python, or C/C++ a plus
Experience with NoSQL and SQL databases (Postgres, Cassandra, MongoDB, Redis, DynamoDB, etc.)
Experience with graph databases (Neptune, Neo4J, etc.)
Cloud experience (AWS, GCP, Azure, or similar)
Familiarity with edge-to-cloud and multi-cloud/hybrid environments
Exposure to AI/ML data pipelines, large-scale analytics platforms, and AI-assisted developer tooling
Knowledge of enterprise security frameworks and compliance standards (SOC2, ISO, GDPR) is a plus

Why Proofpoint?

At Proofpoint, we offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package, including competitive pay, flexible work environment, and opportunities for career growth. Our culture is rooted in values that inspire belonging, empower purpose, and drive success. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and provide accommodations during the application process if needed.

Pay

Base pay ranges vary by geographic location:

SF Bay Area, New York City Metro Area: $200,300.00 - $293,810.00 USD
California (excludes SF Bay Area), Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Washington DC Metro, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, Washington, Virginia, and Alaska: $167,300.00 - $245,355.00 USD
All other cities and states: $152,900.00 - $224,235.00 USD

Pay within these ranges varies based on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. This role may also be eligible for variable compensation and/or equity.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package
Flexible time off
Annual wellness and community outreach days
Always-on recognition for contributions
Global collaboration and networking opportunities