Distributed Systems Engineer (L5) - Service Mesh & API Gateway at Netflix

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Distributed Systems Engineer (L5) - Service Mesh & API Gateway
Company: Netflix
Location: USA (Remote)
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: DevOps Engineer / Site Reliability Engineer
Date Posted: 2025-06-11
Experience Level: Mid-Senior (5-10 years)
Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

Netflix is seeking a seasoned Distributed Systems Engineer to join their Application Networking Group, focusing on Service Mesh and API Gateway technologies. This role involves building and operating highly reliable distributed systems in a cloud environment, with a strong emphasis on security, observability, and resilience. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of Service Mesh technologies, performance optimization, and security concerns, along with the ability to break down complex problems and make pragmatic decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a balance of technical depth and breadth, as well as strong problem-solving skills to thrive in Netflix's dynamic and ambiguous environment.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

Build and Operate Distributed Systems: Design, develop, and maintain highly available and scalable distributed systems within Netflix's cloud environment.
Service Mesh and API Gateway: Leverage your expertise in Service Mesh technologies (e.g., Envoy, Istio, Linkerd) to enhance Netflix's service communication, security, and observability.
Performance Optimization: Identify and implement performance improvements for Service Mesh and API Gateway, ensuring optimal resource utilization and minimal latency.
Security and Resilience: Strengthen Netflix's security posture by addressing concerns such as DDoS, TLS, authentication, authorization, and identity propagation.
Collaboration and Problem-Solving: Work closely with team members and customers to improve developer experience and product experience, while also tackling complex problems with minimal guidance.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong focus on collaboration and communication, as you'll be working with diverse stakeholders to drive improvements in Netflix's service mesh and API gateway infrastructure.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. Relevant experience may substitute for formal education.

Experience: 5-10 years of experience in building and operating distributed systems in a cloud environment. Proven expertise in Service Mesh technologies and performance optimization is essential.

Required Skills:

Building and operating highly reliable distributed systems in a cloud environment
Understanding of Service Mesh technologies (e.g., Envoy, Istio, Linkerd)
Experience with performance optimization for Service Mesh
Deep understanding of gRPC
Understanding of security concerns (e.g., DDoS, TLS, authentication, authorization)
Pragmatic thinking and problem-solving skills

Preferred Skills:

Experience with AI use cases or building secure proxies using Envoy
Familiarity with Netflix's tech stack and culture
Strong leadership and mentoring skills

📝 Enhancement Note: While not explicitly required, familiarity with Netflix's tech stack and culture would be highly beneficial for success in this role.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Distributed Systems Projects: Highlight your experience in building and operating distributed systems, demonstrating your ability to design, implement, and maintain scalable and highly available systems.
Service Mesh & API Gateway Projects: Showcase your expertise in Service Mesh technologies by presenting projects that involve enhancing service communication, security, and observability.
Performance Optimization Projects: Include examples of your ability to identify and implement performance improvements, with measurable results.
Security & Resilience Projects: Demonstrate your understanding of security concerns by presenting projects that address issues such as DDoS, TLS, authentication, and authorization.

Technical Documentation:

Code Quality: Provide examples of well-documented, high-quality code that adheres to best practices and industry standards.
Version Control & Deployment: Showcase your experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) and deployment processes, demonstrating your ability to collaborate effectively with other engineers.
Testing & Optimization: Include examples of your approach to testing, performance metrics, and optimization techniques, highlighting your commitment to continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, it's crucial to emphasize your ability to work with complex, distributed systems and your understanding of Service Mesh technologies. Highlight projects that demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to make pragmatic decisions in ambiguous situations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $100,000 - $720,000 per year, based on market indicators, job family, background, skills, and experience.

Benefits:

Health Plans
Mental Health Support
401(k) Retirement Plan with employer match
Stock Option Program
Disability Programs
Health Savings Accounts
Flexible Spending Accounts
Family-forming Benefits
Life and Serious Injury Benefits
Paid Leave of Absence Programs
35 days of paid time off (vacation, holidays, and sick leave) for full-time hourly employees
Flexible time off for full-time salaried employees

Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours/week), with flexible time off for salaried employees.

📝 Enhancement Note: Netflix's compensation structure is unique, allowing employees to choose their salary and stock option mix each year. The provided salary range is indicative of the market range for this role, but individual compensation may vary based on the factors mentioned above.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Entertainment and streaming services

Company Size: Large (300+ million paid memberships in over 190 countries)

Founded: 1997

Team Structure:

The Application Networking Group owns the communication backbone for Netflix's cloud, including the Edge Gateway and services responsible for handling all internet-facing traffic entering the cloud.
The team is responsible for device-to-server protocol, server-driven configuration push to devices, Service Mesh, and Service Discovery products.
The team consists of diverse, talented engineers working together to uplift Netflix's resilience, observability, and security posture while continuing to iterate on the product experience for various stakeholders.

Development Methodology:

Netflix employs Agile methodologies, with a focus on continuous integration, continuous deployment, and collaboration.
The company encourages a culture of experimentation, learning, and innovation, with a strong emphasis on data-driven decision-making.

Company Website: netflix.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Netflix's culture is unique, with a strong emphasis on autonomy, innovation, and continuous learning. The company values experimentation and data-driven decision-making, which can be seen in their approach to product development and infrastructure management.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: Mid-Senior (L5) Distributed Systems Engineer, focusing on Service Mesh and API Gateway technologies.

Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Engineering Manager within the Application Networking Group. The team consists of multiple engineers, working closely with other teams, such as Site Reliability Engineering, Infrastructure, and Product teams.

Technical Impact: As a Distributed Systems Engineer, you will have a significant impact on Netflix's service communication, security, and resilience. Your work will directly influence the performance, availability, and security of Netflix's cloud services, affecting millions of users worldwide.

Growth Opportunities:

Technical Leadership: With experience, you may have the opportunity to mentor junior engineers, drive technical decisions, and contribute to the team's architecture and roadmap.
Architecture & Design: As you gain a deeper understanding of Netflix's infrastructure and business needs, you may have the opportunity to contribute to the design and evolution of Netflix's service mesh and API gateway architecture.
Emerging Technologies: Netflix is at the forefront of streaming technology, offering ample opportunities to work with cutting-edge tools and techniques, such as AI-driven systems and edge computing.

📝 Enhancement Note: Netflix's culture encourages continuous learning and growth, providing numerous opportunities for engineers to expand their skills and take on new challenges. This role offers a unique chance to work on complex, distributed systems and drive innovation in the streaming industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Netflix's work environment is primarily remote, with occasional in-person meetings and events.

Office Location(s): Netflix has offices in various locations worldwide, but this role is remote-friendly, allowing you to work from anywhere with a stable internet connection.

Workspace Context:

Remote Work: Netflix's remote work environment allows for flexible scheduling and a better work-life balance.
Collaboration Tools: The company provides access to various collaboration tools, such as Slack, Google Workspace, and internal communication platforms, to facilitate teamwork and communication.
Learning & Development: Netflix offers numerous learning and development opportunities, including workshops, training sessions, and access to external conferences and resources.

Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours/week), with flexible time off for salaried employees.

📝 Enhancement Note: Netflix's remote-friendly work environment offers a unique blend of flexibility and collaboration, allowing engineers to balance their personal and professional lives while working on complex, distributed systems.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

Phone Screen: A brief conversation to discuss your background, experience, and fit for the role.
Technical Deep Dive: A detailed technical conversation focused on your experience with distributed systems, Service Mesh technologies, and performance optimization.
System Design & Architecture: A discussion of your approach to system design, architecture, and decision-making processes.
Behavioral & Cultural Fit: An assessment of your cultural fit with Netflix's values and work environment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Project Selection: Choose projects that demonstrate your expertise in building and operating distributed systems, with a strong focus on Service Mesh technologies and performance optimization.
Technical Walkthrough: Prepare a live demo or presentation, highlighting your technical approach, problem-solving skills, and the results you achieved.
Code Quality & Documentation: Ensure your code is well-documented, follows best practices, and adheres to industry standards.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

Distributed Systems: Brush up on your knowledge of distributed system design patterns, scalability, and fault tolerance.
Service Mesh Technologies: Familiarize yourself with the latest developments in Envoy, Istio, Linkerd, and other relevant technologies.
Performance Optimization: Review techniques for optimizing distributed systems, focusing on latency, throughput, and resource utilization.

ATS Keywords: (Organized by category)

Programming Languages: Java, Python, Go, C++
Web Frameworks & Libraries: Envoy, Istio, Linkerd, gRPC, Kubernetes, Docker
Server Technologies: Netflix's tech stack, including Titus, Spinnaker, and other proprietary tools
Databases: Cassandra, Amazon DynamoDB, Redis
Tools: JIRA, Confluence, Slack, Google Workspace
Methodologies: Agile, Scrum, Kanban, CI/CD, DevOps
Soft Skills: Problem-solving, communication, collaboration, leadership, mentoring
Industry Terms: Distributed Systems, Service Mesh, API Gateway, Edge Computing, Cloud Architecture, Site Reliability Engineering, Infrastructure as Code

📝 Enhancement Note: Netflix's interview process is designed to assess your technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and cultural fit. By preparing thoroughly and focusing on your experience with distributed systems and Service Mesh technologies, you'll be well-equipped to succeed in the interview process.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Distributed Systems Engineer (L5) - Service Mesh & API Gateway position at Netflix:

Submit your application through the application link provided.
Customize your resume to highlight your experience with distributed systems, Service Mesh technologies, and performance optimization.
Prepare a portfolio showcasing your projects and accomplishments in building and operating distributed systems, with a strong focus on Service Mesh technologies and performance optimization.
Research Netflix's company culture, values, and tech stack to ensure a strong fit and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role during the interview process.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web technology industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with Netflix before making application decisions.

Distributed Systems Engineer (L5) - Service Mesh & API Gateway