Lead the technical direction of Attentive’s compute and networking platform. Build reusable AWS infrastructure, Kubernetes systems, APIs, and self-service tools while improving reliability, scalability, cost efficiency, security, and developer productivity. Own complex cross-team initiatives from design through production, diagnose sophisticated infrastructure issues, improve CI/CD and observability, mentor engineers, and establish effective AI-assisted development practices.
Attentive® is the AI marketing platform for 1:1 personalization redefining the way brands and people connect. We’re the only marketing platform that combines powerful technology with human expertise to build authentic customer relationships. By unifying SMS, RCS, email, and push notifications, our AI-powered personalization engine delivers bespoke experiences that drive performance, revenue, and loyalty through real-time behavioral insights.
Recognized as the #1 provider in SMS Marketing by G2, Attentive partners with more than 8,000 customers across 70+ industries. Leading global brands like Crate and Barrel, Urban Outfitters, and Carter’s work with us to enable billions of interactions that power tens of billions in revenue for our customers.
With a distributed global workforce and employee hubs in New York City, San Francisco, London, and Sydney, Attentive’s team has been consistently recognized for its performance and culture. We’re proud to be included in Deloitte’s Fast 500 (four years running!), LinkedIn’s Top Startups, Forbes’ Cloud 100 (five years running!), Inc.’s Best Workplaces, and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index!
About the Role
The Staff Software Engineer on the platform team will help set the technical direction for the compute and networking platform that underpins Attentive’s microservices architecture. The role involves building reusable cloud components, clear interfaces, and self-service tools that make infrastructure easier to use and safer to operate.
This hands-on technical leadership role drives measurable improvements in platform reliability, cost efficiency and developer productivity. Responsibilities span identifying shared needs across teams, setting architectural direction, and leading complex initiatives from problem definition through production operation, balancing delivery speed with security and long-term maintainability
The platform runs on AWS and uses Kubernetes, Istio, Argo CD, Terraform, and Cloudflare at the edge.
What You’ll Accomplish
- Shape the technical direction and architecture of Attentive’s platform as part of the compute and networking team, partnering with engineering leaders to prioritize investments.
- Partner closely with engineering teams to understand their workflows and pain points, and build platform software, APIs, and self-service tools that reduce friction and help them deliver reliable services faster.
- Lead complex initiatives across teams, turning ambiguous requirements into designs, delivery plans, and measurable outcomes.
- Evolve Kubernetes and networking infrastructure across multiple AWS accounts and networks to support growth, resilience, and efficient resource use.
- Own and improve Infrastructure-as-Code orchestration and reusable cloud components, providing consistent interfaces and guardrails for consuming AWS services.
- Diagnose complex production issues and drive lasting improvements to system design, observability, and operational practices.
- Improve platform reliability, scalability, and cost efficiency while reducing operational overhead for the platform team and its users.
- Raise the engineering bar through hands-on development, design and code reviews, mentorship, and technical guidance.
- Identify and establish effective AI-assisted engineering practices across the team, improving productivity while maintaining code quality, security, and operational reliability.
Your Expertise
- Significant experience designing, building, and operating large-scale infrastructure or distributed systems, with demonstrated technical leadership across teams.
- Strong software engineering background, including building maintainable software, tooling, or APIs that solve infrastructure problems.
- Demonstrated ability to independently identify opportunities, bring clarity to ambiguous problems, and lead complex technical initiatives through delivery and production ownership, adapting to evolving needs and shaping technical direction in a fast-changing environment.
- Demonstrated customer empathy, with the ability to translate developer feedback and observed pain points into platform improvements and assess success through adoption, ease of use, and customer outcomes.
- Ability to evaluate architectural tradeoffs, communicate decisions clearly, and build alignment across teams with different needs and priorities.
- Deep experience with AWS or a comparable cloud platform, Infrastructure as Code, and building reusable infrastructure abstractions.
- Substantial experience operating Kubernetes in production, including an understanding of its architecture, networking, and failure modes.
- Strong understanding of networking fundamentals across L3–L7 and experience diagnosing complex connectivity, routing, DNS, load-balancing, and service-to-service communication issues.
- Experience in release engineering, including designing and improving CI/CD pipelines, automating software and infrastructure delivery, and enabling safe deployments through testing, staged rollouts, and reliable rollback and recovery.
- Experience using observability to understand system behavior, troubleshoot production issues, and guide reliability improvements.
- Experience using AI-assisted development tools to accelerate implementation, testing, debugging, and documentation, with sound judgment in validating generated code and protecting sensitive information.
- Commitment to mentorship, constructive feedback, and continuous learning.
You'll get competitive perks and benefits, from health & wellness to equity, to help you bring your best self to work.
For US based applicants:
- The US base salary range for this full-time position is $200,000 - $230,000 annually + equity + benefits
- Our salary ranges are determined by role, level and location
#LI-MN1
By applying for this position, your data will be processed as per Attentive's Privacy Policy.
Attentive Company Values
Default to Action - Move swiftly and with purpose
Be One Unstoppable Team - Rally as each other’s champions
Champion the Customer - Our success is defined by our customers' success
Act Like an Owner - Take responsibility for Attentive’s success
Learn more about AWAKE, Attentive’s collective of employee resource groups.
If you do not meet all the requirements listed here, we still encourage you to apply! No job description is perfect, and we may also have another opportunity that closely matches your skills and experience.
At Attentive, we know that our Company's strength lies in the diversity of our employees. Attentive is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunities for all employees, applicants and covered individuals regardless of protected characteristics. We prioritize and maintain a fair, inclusive and equitable workplace free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Attentive is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities. If you need any assistance or reasonable accommodations, please let your recruiter know.
Attentive San Francisco, California, USA Office
114 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA, United States, 94104
Similar Jobs
Aerospace • Artificial Intelligence • Cloud • Machine Learning • Software • Cybersecurity • Defense
Leads supplier development strategy, performance improvement, risk mitigation, and supplier relationships for aerospace heat exchanger packs. Manages and mentors supplier development personnel, drives engineering changes and projects, resolves manufacturing issues, supports cost and quality objectives, and collaborates with engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams to ensure timely delivery and compliance with customer and industry requirements.
Top Skills:
JIRASAPTeamcenter
Aerospace • Artificial Intelligence • Cloud • Machine Learning • Software • Cybersecurity • Defense
Lead supplier development strategy and a team of supplier development engineers for aerospace heat exchanger packs. Improve supplier performance, quality, capabilities, cost, and risk management while maintaining strategic supplier relationships. Manage engineering projects and changes, resolve manufacturing shortages through Jira, interpret engineering drawings, and collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams to ensure compliant, timely delivery.
Top Skills:
JIRASAPTeamcenter
Insurance • Financial Services
Provide first-tier remote customer support via phone, email, and written correspondence; resolve inquiries promptly, meet quality and performance metrics, handle escalations, and follow operational standards and schedules.
Top Skills:
InternetExcelMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft Word
What you need to know about the San Francisco Tech Scene
San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area attracts more startup funding than any other region in the world. Home to Stanford University and UC Berkeley, leading VC firms and several of the world’s most valuable companies, the Bay Area is the place to go for anyone looking to make it big in the tech industry. That said, San Francisco has a lot to offer beyond technology thanks to a thriving art and music scene, excellent food and a short drive to several of the country’s most beautiful recreational areas.
Key Facts About San Francisco Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 365,500; 13.9% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Google, Apple, Salesforce, Meta
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, fintech, consumer technology, software
- Funding Landscape: $50.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Greylock Partners, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins
- Research Centers and Universities: Stanford University; University of California, Berkeley; University of San Francisco; Santa Clara University; Ames Research Center; Center for AI Safety; California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
