Software Engineer, Infrastructure

Staff Software Engineer, Infrastructure

At Gusto, we’re on a mission to grow the small business economy. We handle the hard stuff—like payroll, health insurance, 401(k) s, and HR—so owners can focus on their craft and customers.

We’re looking for a forward‑thinking technical leader to shape the next generation of our compute (Kubernetes) and networking (service mesh) platforms. This role is for someone who loves building foundational systems that empower hundreds of engineers to move faster, safer, and smarter. You will define the long‑term vision for how services run and communicate at Gusto, ensuring reliability, scalability, and developer delight at every layer.

• Define and drive the vision for Gusto’s compute and networking platforms by setting the strategy for Kubernetes, service mesh, and related systems that power our global SaaS platform
• Lead architecture design, performance optimization, and security hardening of distributed systems at scale
• Partner with engineering leaders to translate broad organizational goals into concrete, measurable technical outcomes
• Treat infrastructure as a product by focusing on the developer experience, simplifying workflows, and accelerating delivery
• Serve as a mentor and force multiplier by growing the skills of mid‑level engineers through coaching, pairing, and modeling best practices
• Communicate with clarity by simplifying complex concepts and building alignment across teams and functions
• Lead incident response and ensure our systems meet the highest standards of availability and resiliency

• 12 or more years of experience in Infrastructure, Platform, or Site Reliability Engineering roles operating large‑scale distributed systems
• Proven hands‑on coding experience in production environments and the ability to contribute directly to system development and automation
• Deep expertise running, scaling, and securing Kubernetes and service mesh technologies such as Istio, Envoy, or Cilium in production
• A demonstrated record of designing highly available systems that balance reliability, observability, and developer velocity
• Mastery of Infrastructure as Code using tools such as Terraform or Crossplane, with experience managing complex state for large engineering organizations
• Experience owning and evolving twenty‑four‑seven SaaS infrastructure including monitoring, alerting, and performance analysis
• A systems‑thinking mindset that identifies small levers capable of creating meaningful organizational impact
• Curiosity and ability to operate in an AI‑native environment using data and experimentation to continuously improve infrastructure and developer outcomes
• Experience integrating AI copilots or automation frameworks into developer workflows to accelerate delivery and reduce operational burden
• Exceptional communication skills that simplify complex ideas and bring teams together around a shared vision
• A strong bias toward action, resilience in the face of ambiguity, and the ability to transform big ideas into real, impactful systems

Compensation: Our cash compensation amount for this role is targeted at $200,000–$230,000 /yr in Denver & most remote locations, and $230,000–$270,000 /yr for San Francisco, Seattle & New York. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors, including candidate experience and expertise, and may vary from the amounts listed above.

Location and Remote Work: Gusto has physical office spaces in Denver, San Francisco, and New York City. Employees who are based in those locations will be expected to work from the office on designated days approximately 2–3 days per week (or more depending on role). The same office expectations apply to all Symmetry roles, Gusto’s subsidiary, whose physical office is in Scottsdale.

When approved to work from a location other than a Gusto office, a secure, reliable, and consistent internet connection is required. This includes non‑office days for hybrid employees.

Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level

Employment type: Full‑time

Job function: Engineering and Information Technology

Industries: Software Development

Gusto is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or…