Engineer Software Development, IV

Job Description As a Software Engineer, you will play a critical role in designing, developing, and maintaining the firmware for Access points. Working closely with the Software Tech Lead, you will help build high-performance, secure and scalable networking solutions that enable enterprise-grade connectivity. This role requires strong expertise in embedded Linux, networking protocols, and system design. You will focus on developing control-plane and data-plane software, ensuring efficient packet processing, system performance, and seamless hardware integration. A strong understanding of packet flow in Linux and OpenWRT systems is essential. This is an opportunity to work at the intersection of networking, cloud, and embedded systems, making a direct impact on enterprise-grade WLAN infrastructure. Responsibilities - Implement control-plan and data-plan features, ensuing efficient packet processing and network performance. - Work closely with the Software Tech Lead to define system architecture, design patterns and implementation strategies. - Optimize firmware to ensure low-latency, high-throughput, and reliable operation across various networking environments. - Collaborate with the internal hardware and software teams to integrate various services for embedded networking systems. - Develop and maintain secure, efficient, and well-documented APIs for internal and external use. - Enhancing logging, monitoring, and debugging capabilities to improve system observability and troubleshooting. - Participate in code reviews, technical discussions, and continuous improvement initiatives to maintain software quality. - Ensure compliance with networking security standards and best practices. - Contribute to automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and system validation efforts to ensure firmware stability. Key Qualifications - 5+ years of software engineering experience in Wi-Fi Access point development - Experience with Wi-Fi, 802.11, WLAN and BLE protocols and chipsets - Experience with Layer 2 and Layer 3 protocols at depth. - Strong programming skills in C, shell scripting (Go, Rust or Zig experience is a plus). - Experience working with OpenWRT and other open-source networking firmware is highly desirable. - Deep understanding of Linux networking subsystems, system programming, and kernel-level development. - Must have expertise in packet flow in Linux and OpenWRT systems, with a strong grasp of both control path and data path optimizations. - Experience with debugging, fixing and optimizing enterprise WIFI performance is a must. - Ability to troubleshoot complex networking and backend issues. - Strong communication skills, with the ability to collaborate in cross-functional teams. - Self-motivated with a strong sense of ownership and responsibility. Education - BE or ME in EE, E&C, Computer Science. Company Statement/Values At NETGEAR, we are on a mission to unleash the full potential of connectivity with intelligent solutions that delight and protect. We turn ideas into innovative networking products that connect people, power businesses, and advance the way we live. We're a performance-driven, talented and connected team that's committed to delivering world-class products for our customers. As a company, we value our employees as the most essential building blocks of our success. And as teammates, we commit to taking our work to the Next Gear by living our values: we Dare to Transform the future, Connect and Delight our customers, Communicate Courageously with each other and collaborate to Win It Together. You'll find our values woven through our processes, present in our decisions, and celebrated throughout our culture. We strive to attract top talent and create a great workplace where people feel engaged, inspired, challenged, proud and respected. If you are creative, forward-thinking, passionate about technology and are looking for a rewarding career to make an impact, then you've got what it takes to succeed at NETGEAR. Join our network and help us shape the future of connectivity. NETGEAR hires based on merit. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.