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Nairobi, Kenya
Remote only
This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, which manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Software Engineer – Storage based in Kenya.
We are looking for an experienced software engineer to help build and scale a high-performance object storage platform that simplifies how developers upload, manage, process, and deliver digital assets. In this role, you will contribute across the full technology stack, from client libraries and command-line tools to storage servers, content delivery networks, and deployment infrastructure. You will tackle complex engineering challenges involving distributed systems, upload reliability, asset optimization, caching, and service performance. Working in a globally distributed, open-source-first environment, you will collaborate asynchronously with engineers across disciplines to deliver reliable, scalable solutions. You will also help shape the developer experience by improving APIs, tooling, observability, and storage workflows. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on infrastructure used by developers worldwide while contributing to open-source projects and technologies designed to scale to millions of users.
Enhance storage capabilities: Improve analytics storage offerings and support open file formats, including Apache Iceberg and DuckLake, to enable efficient storage and management of analytical data.
Optimize asset delivery: Develop asset optimization capabilities that improve delivery speed and performance for websites and mobile applications.
Expand edge infrastructure: Build and improve the edge network to accelerate uploads and implement features such as automatic cache invalidation.
Improve storage server performance: Enhance the performance, observability, scalability, and reliability of the storage server through continuous monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimization.
Develop storage exploration tools: Collaborate with frontend engineers to build a fast, intuitive, and powerful storage explorer.
Improve developer experience: Enhance APIs, client libraries, and command-line interface (CLI) tools to deliver a seamless, consistent experience throughout the development workflow.
Strengthen upload and download reliability: Identify opportunities to improve upload resilience, optimize protocol behavior, and streamline processing across different clients and environments.
Contribute to open source: Develop and maintain open-source storage server components and contribute improvements to upstream dependencies where appropriate.
Resolve technical issues: Address escalated support cases, investigate underlying causes, and implement systemic improvements that prevent recurring problems.
Work across the technology stack: Contribute to backend development, infrastructure deployment, monitoring, scaling, and service operations as needed.
Drive projects end to end: Take ownership of engineering initiatives, from identifying problems and designing solutions through implementation, testing, deployment, and ongoing improvement.
At least 5 years of backend engineering experience, including operating Node.js applications in production environments.
Experience designing, building, or operating highly scalable distributed systems.
Comfort working across the technology stack, including backend application development and infrastructure deployment, monitoring, and scaling.
Familiarity with observability and monitoring tools such as OpenTelemetry, Prometheus, and Grafana.
Experience with performance tuning, production troubleshooting, and improving the reliability of distributed services.
Strong practical experience with PostgreSQL in production, including database tuning and troubleshooting.
A demonstrated ownership mindset, with the ability to drive projects independently from initial problem definition through delivery.
A strong appreciation for developer experience and a commitment to building intuitive, reliable tools that help developers work efficiently.
Ability to collaborate effectively in a fast-paced, asynchronous, globally distributed team environment.
Nice-to-have qualifications:
Previous experience building or maintaining developer tools and platforms.
Solid knowledge of cloud infrastructure providers such as AWS, Google Cloud Platform, or Microsoft Azure.
Experience with containerization technologies, including Docker and Kubernetes.
Direct experience designing and operating large-scale file upload and download pipelines.
Strong practical knowledge of content delivery networks (CDNs), including integration, caching strategies, and performance optimization.
Experience with image and video processing tools such as Sharp, DSSIM, or FFmpeg.
Familiarity with media formats and codecs such as AVIF, WebM, and Brotli.
Experience with frontend technologies and frameworks such as React and Next.js.
Interest in open-source software and contributing improvements to shared libraries, infrastructure, and developer communities.
Fully remote work: Work remotely from Slovenia, with a globally distributed team and no requirement to work from a central office.
Coworking support: Access to a WeWork membership or coworking allowance to help create a productive work environment.
Equity ownership: Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP), giving team members the opportunity to share in the company's long-term growth.
Technology allowance: Budget to purchase equipment and tools for your home office, such as a laptop, monitor, or headphones.
Health insurance: The employer covers 100% of employee health insurance costs and 80% of dependent coverage, subject to the applicable plan and local availability.
Flexible working arrangements: An asynchronous work culture that emphasizes autonomy, trust, and ownership of your schedule and deliverables.
Professional development: Annual education allowance for courses, books, conferences, and other learning opportunities.
Annual company off-sites: Opportunities to connect and collaborate in person with colleagues during an annual company-wide gathering.
Open-source collaboration: The opportunity to contribute to open-source projects and help shape tools used by a broad developer community.
International environment: Work alongside a globally distributed team spanning dozens of countries and languages.
Compensation transparency: Salary and any additional cash compensation are not specified in the provided job description and should be confirmed during the hiring process.
