Lead Engineer - Compute

Datum’s mission is to help 1k clouds thrive in the AI era by unlocking internet superpowers for every builder. We’re working in the open to bring the foundational capabilities that all the big guys use (private networking, peering, direct interconnection, etc) into the hands of builders and modern “alt clouds” — no network team required.

One of Datum’s core values is to be connectors: of applications, services, networks, and people. As such, this role (just like all roles at Datum) will work directly with users, customers, partners, and the broader community.

Another key value is to be open by default, from how we license our code (AGPLv3) to how we communicate, engage with, and document our work. We believe this engenders trust from our customers and community, but also because open is the best way to build. It's more secure, more operable, and even more enjoyable.

Still interested? Read on!

About this role

To help 1k clouds thrive in the AI era, Datum’s infrastructure is highly connected, distributed, and open. We are a cloud ourselves, but a specialized, network-focused on-ramp to the Datum ecosystem. Through the Datum network, alt-clouds can provide their customers native connectivity across their applications, routing their traffic wherever they wish – private backbone, specific geographies, or within regulatory regimes – all through existing network providers.

Not all providers, applications, and clouds are alike, so an important requirement for any edge network is the ability to run custom, isolated, high-performance, packet-processing code on a powerful, secure and network-optimized multi-tenant compute runtime. We’re looking for the person that will stitch network/compute/storage together to get developers' workloads and data exactly where they want.

What you’ll do

Edge compute & infrastructure

• Build and run the network-optimized Datum compute platform

• Obsess with the customer experience, foundational security and performance of the service

• Drive excellence in infrastructure engineering, across software development and platform operations

• Partner with the infra and network teams to integrate compute seamlessly into the Datum experience and own the long-term health of our infrastructure

• Leverage vendor relationships, primarily open source, to extend our reach and velocity

Build for developers, in the open

• Approach problems through the lens of Datum APIs

• Show up with passion for current user personas and help define and build for the future ones too

• Work in the open and drive community engagement

• Lean into open source - we make money through our network, not our software

• Scale yourself and the team through effective automation

• Play an active role in the community, from meetups and speaking to blog posts and demos

Demonstrate engineering leadership

• Drive your roadmap by modeling Datum’s values every day

• Distill customer needs into clear problem statements that align priorities

• Use maximum creativity to solve hard problems, balancing the tradeoffs

• Shepherd the team through timely decision-making

• Improve efficiency and processes along the way

Who you are

Background

• Compute: Significant production experience building and running scaled, containerized VMs or microkernels for real users in multi-tenant environments. Even better if you’ve wired it up to storage before (minio, rustfs, AgentFS, et al).

• Kubernetes: Production experience building with Kubernetes and can work inside it with accuracy and speed

• Data plane: Experience with CNIs, eBPF, VPP, DPDK, or other software-first packet and routing infra

• Ecosystem and APIs: You regularly use public and alt clouds, as well as service providers, and have strong opinions about the experience

• Infrastructure: You’re an operator at heart. You don’t tolerate manual deployments or slow builds. No problem is off the table, and you can implement the right glue no matter the language.

• AI Forward: You’re comfortable with next-gen tools and ways of working, from Cursor to Claude

• Open source: You have a track record of using, building, and contributing to open source

Non-Negotiables

• Logistics: Some overlap with NYC business hours and ability to travel to NYC and elsewhere

• High EQ: You read rooms, understand people, and navigate complexity with grace

• Hunger: You're driven by impact and energized by building something meaningful

• Humility: You check your ego, give credit freely, and focus on collective success

Core Attributes

• Thrive in an async environment

• Simplify technical complexity through writing, demos, and speaking

• Relationship builder who creates and maintains genuine, valuable connections

• Genuinely passionate about digital infrastructure and the future of the industry

• Able to toggle between 30,000-foot vision and ground-level execution

• Comfortable with ambiguity and capable of creating structure where none exists

What success looks like

For Datum

• Rock-solid APIs, squeaky clean docs, and fast “time to dopamine”

• Intuitive interfaces for developers that help them unlock internet superpowers

• Traction with key opportunities and partnerships

• Increased cohesion across the organization

For You

• Growing Datum into a household name among developers

• Providing global-scale, cross-provider, API-driven connectivity

• Keep the Internet open for the generation to come

• Platform to demonstrate strategic and operational leadership

We believe in openness, clarity, and collaboration. To learn more about how Datum aims to operate, please review our public handbook.