Staff Software Engineer, Google Distributed Cloud, Compute

About the job

Google Cloud's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google Cloud's needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. You will anticipate our customer needs and be empowered to act like an owner, take action and innovate. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward.

GDC extends Google Cloud’s infrastructure, edge compute, and artificial intelligence to customer premises, edge deployments, and sovereign air-gapped environments. The GDC NPI team owns the end-to-end software enablement, bare-metal bring-up, hardware qualification lifecycle across server architectures in the fleet.

In this role, you will guide hardware onboarding across high-density AI clusters powering Gemini on GGC using Dell XE9780 servers with NVIDIA HGX, core enterprise and retail fleets using Dell XR8K / XR11, Dell PowerEdge R670 compute nodes, and Supermicro (SMC) platforms and tactical edge form factors. You will bridge the gap between physical server silicon, host OS environments, out-of-band management fabrics, and distributed cloud control planes and architect bare-metal turnup, firmware ingestion and attestation pipelines, enterprise storage encryption abstractions and pre-boot platform security controls.Google Cloud accelerates every organization’s ability to digitally transform its business and industry. We deliver enterprise-grade solutions that leverage Google’s cutting-edge technology, and tools that help developers build more sustainably. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted partner to enable growth and solve their most critical business problems.

Responsibilities

• Direct architectural governance to qualify server platforms, GPUs/accelerators (e.g., NVIDIA B200, B300, H200), high-speed NICs, and storage across Google Distributed Cloud Connected (GDCc), Google Global Cache (GGC), and tactical edge deployments.
• Architect bare-metal bootstrap workflows, including the RAM-resident GDC Bootstrapper Live OS, pre-turnup automation, host-to-BMC virtual USB network interfaces, and qualification suites.
• Build decoupled firmware delivery and validation engines for Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller/Baseboard Management Controller (iDRAC/BMC), CPLD/FPGA, and GPU VBIOS/NVSwitch, using attestation to prevent bootstrap failures and verify N-1 downgrades.
• Manage node storage across Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) namespaces, Self-Encrypting Drives (SED).
• Partner with FedSec and OS teams to enforce hardware security controls, including UEFI Secure Boot, LinuxBoot, TPM 2.0 PCR measurements, BMC credential rotation, and various pre-boot containment strategies.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 8 years of experience programming in C++.
• 5 years of experience testing, and launching software products.
• 3 years leading technical architecture, cross-team roadmaps, and engineering teams as a Tech Lead or Staff Software Engineer.
• Experience managing enterprise hardware by Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) Redfish REST APIs, Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI), or OEM out-of-band interfaces (e.g., Dell iDRAC/RACADM).
• Experience with systems-level software development, bare-metal server bring-up, OS provisioning, or device drivers. Experience with platform security, including TPM 2.0 PCRs, UEFI Secure Boot, attestation, or cryptographic storage (e.g., TCG Opal SEDs).

Preferred qualifications:

• Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• 8 years of experience with data structures and algorithms.
• 3 years of experience in a technical leadership role leading project teams and setting technical direction.