Join a team to build high-performance systems handling a large portion of Internet traffic, focusing on protocol performance and contributing to open standards and open source.
Hiring will be focused on those residing within the greater Austin, TX metro area. It will be a hybrid role, with the expectation of 2 days per week in the office.
Systems Engineer, Network Protocols & Distributed Systems Location: London, Lisbon or Austin (Hybrid)
Join the team helping shape the future of the Internet. We're building high-performance systems that handle a quarter of the Internet's traffic. Our work influences open standards (like QUIC, MASQUE, and ECH), involves close collaboration with the IETF, and pushes the boundaries of what's possible in networking and security.
You don't need to be an HTTP or cryptography expert to join - we're looking for excellent engineers who love tough problems, want to learn deeply, and are excited to contribute to one of the most technically demanding areas of infrastructure.
What you'll do
You might be a good fit if you:
Bonus
Systems Engineer, Network Protocols & Distributed Systems Location: London, Lisbon or Austin (Hybrid)
Join the team helping shape the future of the Internet. We're building high-performance systems that handle a quarter of the Internet's traffic. Our work influences open standards (like QUIC, MASQUE, and ECH), involves close collaboration with the IETF, and pushes the boundaries of what's possible in networking and security.
You don't need to be an HTTP or cryptography expert to join - we're looking for excellent engineers who love tough problems, want to learn deeply, and are excited to contribute to one of the most technically demanding areas of infrastructure.
What you'll do
- Build and operate systems that terminate HTTP and TLS at Internet scale
- Migrate core infrastructure from NGINX to a next-gen Rust-based proxy
- Measure and improve protocol performance across real-world traffic
- Contribute to open source and industry standards
- Learn from and work alongside some of the leading engineers in this space
You might be a good fit if you:
- Have solid systems programming experience (Rust, C, or similar)
- Experience/understanding of HTTP/2, HTTP/3, QUIC, congestion control, or transport-layer protocols
- Thrive in complex technical domains and enjoy learning new things
- Care about building reliable, secure, and performant software
- Are motivated by impact - technical, operational, and on the Internet itself
- Come from a background that's underrepresented in tech - we value diverse perspectives
Bonus
- Proven ability to scale systems under high throughput and low latency demands
- Experience driving architecture or protocol-level change in production systems
- Contributions to open standards or open source projects
Top Skills
C
Http/2
Http/3
Nginx
Quic
Rust
Cloudflare Austin, Texas, USA Office
405 Comal St, Austin, TX, United States, 78702
Similar Jobs at Cloudflare
Cloud • Information Technology • Security • Software • Cybersecurity
The role involves building and maintaining Cloudflare's customer and internal service APIs, collaborating with product teams, and ensuring the performance of the API platform.
Top Skills:
CloudflareDockerGoKubernetesPostgresRedisRestful ApisSQL
Cloud • Information Technology • Security • Software • Cybersecurity
The Principal Compiler Engineer will enhance the V8 compiler for Cloudflare's Workers Runtime, focusing on performance and scalability improvements in a distributed environment.
Top Skills:
C++JavaScriptLinuxRustV8Webassembly
Cloud • Information Technology • Security • Software • Cybersecurity
Lead a team in developing Cloudflare's billing systems, focusing on microservices and operational excellence. Collaborate on high-profile projects and enhance financial infrastructure.
Top Skills:
DockerGoKafkaKubernetesPostgresRedisUnix/Linux
What you need to know about the Austin Tech Scene
Austin has a diverse and thriving tech ecosystem thanks to home-grown companies like Dell and major campuses for IBM, AMD and Apple. The state’s flagship university, the University of Texas at Austin, is known for its engineering school, and the city is known for its annual South by Southwest tech and media conference. Austin’s tech scene spans many verticals, but it’s particularly known for hardware, including semiconductors, as well as AI, biotechnology and cloud computing. And its food and music scene, low taxes and favorable climate has made the city a destination for tech workers from across the country.
Key Facts About Austin Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 180,500; 13.7% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Dell, IBM, AMD, Apple, Alphabet
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, hardware, cloud computing, software, healthtech
- Funding Landscape: $4.5 billion in VC funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Live Oak Ventures, Austin Ventures, Hinge Capital, Gigafund, KdT Ventures, Next Coast Ventures, Silverton Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: University of Texas, Southwestern University, Texas State University, Center for Complex Quantum Systems, Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Texas Advanced Computing Center
