Lead Software Engineer

Responsibilities:

• Lead technical design discussions and produce clear design documents
• Drive the implementation on large features
• Shape coding methodologies and best practices
• Define

The Right Fit:

• 10+ years of OOP (Java, Rust, C++, C#, etc) in an enterprise environment, with a heavy focus on backend development
• Experience building host-managed SMR support for storage systems
• Experience benchmarking IO performance and resolving bottlenecks
• Experience building large scale software systems running on thousands of servers
• Professional experience incorporating AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Gemini, Cursor, Claude Code)
• Comfortable with all aspects of the software development lifecycle, including design, implementation, testing, and rollout
• Exhibits curiosity and seeks to understand before offering solutions
• Communicates proactively in a remote environment by keeping the team informed, surfacing blockers early, and moving work forward
• Applies analytical thinking to ambiguous problems

Bonus points for:

• Experience with discovering and implementing performance improvements, including CPU and IO
• Familiarity with hard drive performance and optimization
• Experience building and interpreting models, dashboards, or reports
• Understanding of Linux internals and file systems

Required for all Backblaze Employees:

• Good attitude and willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done
• Strong desire to work for a small, fast-paced company
• Desire to learn and adapt to rapidly changing technologies and work environment
• Rigorous adherence to best practices
• Relentless attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal skills and good oral/written communication
• Excellent troubleshooting and problem solving skills
• This position is located in San Mateo, California but will also consider remote work as long as you're no more than three time zones away and can come to San Mateo now and then.

Backblaze Perks:

• Healthcare for family, including dental and vision
• Competitive compensation and 401K
• RSU grants for full-time employees
• ESPP program
• Flexible vacation policy
• Maternity & paternity leave
• MacBook Pro to use for work plus a generous stipend to personalize your workstation
• Childcare bonus (human children only)
• Fertility treatment and support
• Learning & development program
• Commuter benefits
• Culture that supports a healthy work-life balance