{"id":2044910,"url":"https://alion.io/job/alkira-principal-software-engineer-forwarding-plane","title":"Principal Software Engineer, Forwarding Plane","company":{"id":1995,"name":"Alkira","domain":"alkira.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/alkira","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"BambooHR","truth_index":null},"role":"Backend","role_family":"Backend","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["San Jose, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":167273,"max":278789,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":278789},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":12,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"AWS","optional":false},{"name":"Azure","optional":false},{"name":"GCP","optional":false},{"name":"Linux","optional":false},{"name":"Platform Engineering","optional":false},{"name":"TCP/IP","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-07T19:15:18Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-07","last_verified_at":"2026-10-11T01:31:14Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":3,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":3},"description":"About the Role\nAlkira, a Lumen company, is seeking a Principal Software Engineer, Forwarding Planeto lead the architecture, design, and evolution of our next-generation cloud networking Forwarding Plane platform. This is a highly visible technical leadership role responsible for building and scaling the core packet-processing infrastructure that powers Alkira's cloud networking and security services.\nYou will own critical Forwarding Plane technologies including flow /session management, NAT, policy enforcement, secure cloud connectivity, and traffic optimization. As a hands-on technical leader, you will drive architectural decisions, develop high-performance networking software, and mentor engineering teams while helping define the future of cloud networking infrastructure.\nThe ideal candidate combines deep expertise in systems programming, deep knowledge in VPP/DPDK and other kernel bypass technologies, cloud networking, Linux internals, and high-performance packet processing with a passion for solving complex distributed systems challenges.\nLocation: This position is a hybrid role and requires onsite collaboration with the team at our San Jose, CA office 2 - 3 times during the week\nWhat You'll Do\nPlatform Architecture & Ownership\nOwn the architecture, design, implementation, and long-term technical roadmap of Alkira's core Forwarding Plane platform.\nDefine scalable and resilient networking architectures supporting enterprise-grade cloud networking and security services.\nDrive technical strategy for Forwarding Plane reliability, scalability, observability, and maintainability.\nEstablish engineering standards and best practices across Forwarding Plane development effort\nHigh-Performance Networking Development\nDesign and develop high-performance packet-processing systems and networking services.\nBuild and enhance Forwarding Plane components including: \nFlow/Session management\nNetwork Address Translation (NAT)\nPolicy enforcement\nTraffic steering and load balancing\nIPsec and secure tunnel processing\nCloud connectivity services\nDevelop performance-critical software in C for Linux-based environments.\nOptimize packet-processing pipelines for throughput, latency, and resource efficiency.\nExpertise in cloud networking across AWS, Azure, GCP and other cloud service providers\nPerformance Engineering\nDrive end-to-end performance optimization across the networking stack.\nLeverage modern packet-processing frameworks such as DPDK and VPP.\nEvaluate and integrate emerging technologies including: \nHardware acceleration\nKernel bypass technologies\nCloud-native networking innovations\nPerform deep performance analysis, profiling, debugging, and tuning of production systems.\nTechnical Leadership\nLead architecture reviews and drive technical decision-making across teams.\nMentor senior and staff-level engineers onnetworking and systems design.\nPartner with product management, platform engineering, and security teams to deliver strategic initiatives.\nInfluence technology direction and guide the adoption of networking best practices across the organization.\nRequired Qualifications\nBachelor's degree in computer science, Computer Engineering, or related discipline; Master'sdegree preferred.\n12+ years of software engineering experience with significantfocus on networking and systems software.\nExpert proficiencyin C.\nDeep understanding of Linux operating systems, networking subsystems, and kernel internals.\nExtensive systems programming experience in performance-sensitive environments.\nStrong expertisein TCP/IP networking fundamentals and protocols.\nHands-on experience developing high-performance Forwarding Planeorpacket-processing software.\n\nDeep knowledge of:NAT\n\nStateful connection tracking\n\nIPsec\n\nRouting and forwardingtechnologies\n\nFirewalland policy enforcement systems\n\nNetwork security concepts\n\nExperience with DPDK, VPP, or similar high-performance packet-processing frameworks.\n\nProven experience analyzing and optimizingsoftware for performance, scalability, and reliability.\n\nDemonstrated technical leadership and mentoring experience.\n\nPreferred Qualifications\nExperience building cloud networking platforms in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.\nKnowledge of SD-WAN, SASE, ZTNA, and cloud security architectures.\nExperience with VPP/DPDK, kernel bypass technologies.\nAdvanced Linux networking frameworks.\nExperience contributing to open-source networking projects.\nStrong background in distributed systems and highly availablenetworking services.\nExperience designing and operatingmulti-tenant cloud networking platforms.\nABOUT ALKIRA\nAlkira, a Lumen company, is building the future of enterprise networking: one programmable platform to connect, secure, and operate every cloud, site, partner, data center, and AI workload.\nFounded by Amir and Atif Khan, the creators of Viptela and pioneers of the SD-WAN market, Alkira was built to radically simplify how enterprises deploy and manage network infrastructure. Today, as part of Lumen, we are bringing that cloud-native operating model to a global network foundation trusted by the world’s largest enterprises.\nOur platform helps customers move faster without managing hardware, stitching together providers, or operating fragmented cloud networks. Teams can build and scale connectivity on demand, apply consistent security and segmentation, and gain visibility across distributed environments from one place.\nAt Alkira, you’ll help shape the next chapter of networking: cloud-like consumption, private-network performance, and total control across the enterprise. We move fast, solve hard problems, and build technology that changes how global businesses connect.\nCOMPENSATION\nThis information reflects the anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Individual pay is based on skills, experience and other relevant factors.\nLocation Based Pay Ranges: $167,273 - $278,789\nLife at Alkira, a Lumen Connect Solution\nLife at Alkira is human and connected, even in a fast moving, AI-focused organization. We set clear expectations and trust people to meet them. With real support and shared accountability, teams collaborate better, move faster, and deliver meaningful outcomes.\nOur Lumen 8 behaviors guide how we interact, make decisions, and work together, shaping a culture built to perform and win. To learn more about Life at Alkira, a Lumen Connect Solution\nand how we live into the Lumen 8, please visit:\nhttps://jobs.lumen.com/global/en/life-at-lumen\nBackground Screening\nIf you are selected for a position, there will be a background screen, which may include checks for criminal records and/or motor vehicle reports and/or drug screening, depending on the position requirements. For more information on these checks, please refer to the Post Offer section of our FAQ page. Job-related concerns identified during the background screening may disqualify you from the new position or your current role. Background results will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.\nPursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.\nEqual Employment Opportunities\nWe are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, religion, veteran status, disability, genetic characteristic or information, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, family status, pregnancy, or other legally protected status (collectively, “protected statuses”). We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination in any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, discipline, termination, job assignments or training.\nPrivacy Notice\nAlkira, a Lumen Connect Solutionis committed to protecting the privacy and security of personal information collected during the recruitment and hiring process. Our Applicant Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect applicant information, as well as how individuals may request access to or deletion of their personal data.\nTo review Alkira'sGlobal Employment Applicant and Talent Community Privacy Notice, please visit:\nhttps://jobs.lumen.com/global/en/privacy-notice\nDisclaimer\nThe job responsibilities described above indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to include a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities for this job. Job duties and responsibilities are subject to change based on evolving business needs and conditions.\nIn any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.\nPlease be advised that Alkira, a Lumen Connect Solutiondoes not require any form of payment from job applicants during the recruitment process. All legitimate job openings will be posted on our official website or communicated through official company email addresses. If you encounter any job offers that request payment in exchange for employment at Alkira, a Lumen Connect Solution, they are not for employment with us but may relate to another company with a similar name.","description_format":"text","description_chars":9389,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":12,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Network Security","Enterprise Networks","Cloud Cost & Multi-Cloud Management"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-07T19:15:18Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 6 · green card filings: 7","filings_12m":6,"filings_prev_12m":10,"green_card_filings_12m":7,"median_offered_wage_usd":175577,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-03T21:08:04+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":6}],"liveness":{"score":90,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.903,"p_room":1,"age_days":2,"expected_fill_days":54,"reasons":["conf:1","velocity","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-10T05:45:15Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":278789,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/alkira-principal-software-engineer-forwarding-plane","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/alkira-principal-software-engineer-forwarding-plane.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-11T04:08:39Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":2506,"day_limit":5000,"remaining_today":2494,"minute_limit":60,"resets_at":"2026-10-12T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":1995},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=1995"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Falkira-principal-software-engineer-forwarding-plane"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Falkira-principal-software-engineer-forwarding-plane"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Falkira-principal-software-engineer-forwarding-plane"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/alkira-principal-software-engineer-forwarding-plane\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Falkira-principal-software-engineer-forwarding-plane"}]}