Principal Software Engineer / Tech Lead - Sonic
Company OverviewMicas Networks is a leading provider of open networking solutions for hyperscalers, cloud data centers, AI infrastructure, and OEM customers. We deliver high-performance Ethernet switching platforms supporting SONiC and other open network operating systems.Position SummaryMicas Networks is seeking a highly experienced Principal Software Engineer / Tech Lead – SONiC to drive the architecture, development, and technical leadership of our SONiC-based network operating system platforms.This role requires deep expertise in networking software, Linux-based NOS systems, Ethernet switching, and data center networking architectures. The ideal candidate is a hands-on technical leader who can lead complex software initiatives, mentor engineers, collaborate across teams, and deliver scalable, production-quality networking solutions for hyperscaler and cloud environments.ResponsibilitiesLead the architecture, design, and development of SONiC-based networking software across multiple hardware platforms.Drive implementation and optimization of networking features including Layer 2/Layer 3 protocols, EVPN-VXLAN, QoS, telemetry, and platform services.Provide technical leadership for software architecture, code quality, scalability, performance, and reliability.Collaborate with Hardware Engineering and ASIC vendors on SDK integration, SAI, BSP, and platform enablement.Drive debugging and root cause analysis of complex system, performance, and customer deployment issues.Lead software development best practices including code reviews, CI/CD, automation, testing, and release engineering.Mentor engineers and provide technical guidance across the SONiC software organization.Work closely with Product Management, Customer Engineering, and field teams to support customer requirements and deployments.Contribute to and engage with open-source communities including SONiC Foundation and Open Compute Project (OCP).Qualifications10+ years of software development experience in networking, embedded Linux, or network operating systems.Strong expertise in SONiC, Linux networking, Ethernet switching, and data center networking architectures.Deep understanding of networking protocols including TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, EVPN, VXLAN, ECMP, and QoS.Hands-on experience with switch ASIC SDKs, SAI, BSPs, and whitebox/disaggregated networking platforms.Strong programming skills in C/C++ and Python.Experience with Linux system programming, multi-threaded software development, and debugging complex distributed systems.Strong knowledge of DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, containerization, and automated testing frameworks.Proven technical leadership experience leading large software projects and mentoring engineering teams.Excellent problem-solving, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field.Preferred QualificationsExperience with hyperscaler, cloud, or AI/ML networking deployments.Familiarity with Broadcom or other merchant silicon platforms.Experience with telemetry, observability, and AI fabric networking technologies.Active participation in open-source networking communities.Experience developing scalable SONiC solutions across multiple customer environments.