Staff Product Backend Software Engineer, Core Sync

Role overview

Dropbox is hiring a Staff Product Backend Software Engineer (Core Sync), focused on Dropbox Sync—a critical system for reliable, scalable collaboration. The role partners with product and engineering leaders to shape the system’s reliability, performance, and long-term architecture while delivering high-impact improvements.

Responsibilities

• Architect and deliver high-impact backend solutions that scale to millions of daily active users
• Set technical direction by evaluating tradeoffs (speed, quality, long-term maintainability)
• Partner cross-functionally with Product, Design, and Engineering to align on priorities and execute business-critical objectives
• Lead initiatives to modernize core sync systems, improve performance, and reduce customer-reported issues
• Mentor engineers via design reviews, code reviews, and knowledge sharing
• Influence org-wide standards for high-quality systems design and operational excellence
• Support engineering culture through hiring, onboarding, and technical forums
• Participate in on-call rotations when required for the team

Requirements

• 12+ years of software engineering experience in large-scale, user-facing systems
• BS in Computer Science or related technical field involving coding (or equivalent experience)
• Proven ability to design and ship complex products at scale
• Deep expertise in at least one systems-level area (e.g., sync, distributed systems, OS internals, file systems)
• Strong communication and collaboration skills; ability to influence across teams/functions
• Comfortable balancing short-term execution with long-term strategic investments
• Willingness to participate in on-call rotations

Preferred qualifications

• Advanced proficiency in Rust or C++, with debugging and performance optimization strengths
• Familiarity with OS internals, compilers, databases, or distributed storage systems
• Knowledge of Python and/or Go
• Track record of setting technical direction and driving adoption of new technologies
• Experience building developer platforms/infrastructure to accelerate product delivery