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Engineering Manager, SONiC Network Operating System

Apple· Corporate Functions
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Sunnyvale, CA$237.6k - $356.4kfull-timePosted 3w ago

About the role

Engineering Manager leading a team developing and enhancing networking software based on the SONiC Network Operating System. Hands-on technical leadership across networking software, Linux networking, SAI, ASIC SDKs, and switching hardware, with responsibility for architecture, design reviews, debugging, and driving roadmaps and operational maturity.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and grow a team of software engineers responsible for developing and supporting SONiC-based network platforms.
  • Provide strong technical leadership across SONiC applications, routing and switching software, Linux networking, SAI, ASIC SDKs, and switching hardware.
  • Stay deeply engaged in technical design and implementation decisions rather than operating solely as a project or people manager.
  • Participate actively in architecture reviews and detailed software design reviews, challenging assumptions and helping the team make sound engineering tradeoffs.
  • Guide engineers through complex debugging across the complete networking stack
  • Drive technical strategy and roadmap execution for SONiC platform capabilities, reliability, scalability, observability, and operational maturity.
  • Work closely with network ASIC vendors and internal hardware teams to resolve SDK, SAI, forwarding, and hardware-programming issues.
  • Ensure the team develops maintainable, testable, and operationally reliable software.
  • Establish strong engineering practices around design, coding, code review, automated testing, qualification, release readiness, and production support.
  • Develop engineers through technical mentoring, career development, regular feedback, and increasing ownership.
  • Hire and build a team of strong systems and networking engineers.
  • Create an engineering culture that values technical rigor, simplicity, operational excellence, ownership, and systematic debugging.
  • Represent the team in cross-functional technical discussions and clearly communicate architecture, risks, dependencies, and engineering trade-offs to senior technical stakeholders.

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of software engineering experience with a strong foundation in networking and systems software.
  • 5+ years of experience leading or managing software engineering teams working on networking, infrastructure, distributed systems, or systems software.
  • Strong hands-on technical background in one or more systems programming languages such as C/C++, Go, or Python.
  • Strong understanding of computer networking fundamentals, including Layer 2 and Layer 3 forwarding.
  • Experience with network operating systems, switching software, routing platforms, or large-scale network infrastructure software.
  • Strong understanding of SONiC architecture and its major components.
  • Working knowledge of SAI (Switch Abstraction Interface) and how SONiC programs network switching ASICs through SAI.
  • Working knowledge of network switching ASIC architecture and packet-forwarding pipelines.
  • Demonstrated ability to participate meaningfully in detailed software architecture and design discussions.
  • Strong understanding of software engineering fundamentals including concurrency, APIs, data structures, testing, observability, source control, and software architecture.
  • Ability to balance architecture, technical debt, reliability, execution speed, and business priorities.
  • Proven ability to hire, mentor, develop, and retain strong engineers.
  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent years of experience

Skills

Required:Software engineering leadershipSONiCC/C++Python/GoSAl/SDKsNetworking fundamentalsArchitecture & design reviewsDebugging and observability

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical and dental coverage
  • retirement benefits
  • a range of discounted products and free services
  • reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition
  • opportunity to participate in discretionary employee stock programs
  • discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation eligibility
Last updated Oct 2, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

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