Systems Architect - Filesystems / NFS

Hammerspace obliterates data access delays for AI and high-performance computing. Its Data Platform delivers a high-throughput, low-latency parallel global file systems unifying data from edge to core to multi-cloud, accessible via pNFS, NFSv3, SMB, and S3 standards. Instant, agentless deployment with native Linux support combined with migration-free data assimilation radically accelerates pipeline. This approach keeps GPU’s saturated, speeds time-to-insights, and boosts researched and developer productivity. We're a fast-growing startup, shaking up the storage and data orchestration world. Our mission is to build groundbreaking solutions that make data management simple and performant for enterprises everywhere. We thrive on innovation, collaboration, and hands-on leadership. If you're ready to define the future of filesystems and storage, we want to hear from you! The Opportunity

We're seeking a System Architect to lead and significantly contribute to the design, development, and delivery of our next-generation filesystem and NFS solutions. This isn't just a leadership role—it's a chance to be deeply hands-on, shaping both our core technology and our engineering culture. You'll be instrumental in architecting cutting-edge filesystems while also building and mentoring a high-performing team. If you're passionate about diving deep into kernel-level development, distributed systems, and NFS protocols, and you thrive in a fast-paced, impact-driven startup environment, this is the perfect role for you. What You'll Do Technical Vision & Architecture ● Architect, design, and drive the development of highly scalable, robust, and performant filesystems and NFS implementations that align with our product roadmap and customer needs. ● Serve as the technical authority for filesystems and NFS, guiding critical decisions and ensuring the long-term health and innovation of our core storage solutions. ● Define and champion architectural blueprints, technical roadmaps, and best practices for our storage stack. ● Work closely with our CTO and other systems architects to define the large scale product architecture. ● Work with the component architects to solidify system designs, and drive projects to completion. ● Work with the QA system architect and component architects to define QA testing goals. ● Instill high code quality, maintainability and supportability practices in the team. ● Collaborate closely with product management, QA, and Customer Success to ensure seamless integration, deployment, and operational excellence. Hands-On Development & Problem Solving ● Write, review, and optimize high-performance code in C/C++ for our core filesystem and NFS components. ● Diagnose and resolve complex issues within filesystems, NFS protocols, and distributed storage systems. ● Lead performance optimization efforts to maximize throughput, latency, and resource utilization. ● Contribute directly to the codebase, leading by example and maintaining a deep understanding of our technical stack. Engineering Leadership & Team Building ● Build, mentor, and grow a world-class team of passionate software engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning. ● Define clear team goals, deliverables, and KPIs, ensuring timely and high-quality project execution. ● Provide direct technical guidance and mentorship, empowering engineers to develop their skills and careers. ● Play a key role in recruiting top-tier talent as we continue to scale our engineering organization. What You Bring Must-Have Qualifications ● 15+ years of hands-on software engineering experience, specializing in f ilesystems, storage solutions, or operating system kernels. ● Deep, proven expertise in Filesystems and NFS protocol development (NFSv3, NFSv4.x) and associated technologies. ● Strong understanding of distributed systems, concurrent programming, and low-level storage protocols. ● Exceptional proficiency in C/C++ for high-performance systems programming. ● Expert-level debugging, profiling, and performance tuning skills. ● At least 5+ years in a technical leadership role, guiding engineering teams and driving architectural decisions. Bonus Points ● Experience building and scaling engineering teams in a startup environment. ● Familiarity with other storage protocols like SMB, object storage (S3), or block storage. ● Understanding of cloud-native architectures, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and CI/CD pipelines. ● Contributions to open-source projects related to filesystems or storage. Who You Are ● A strategic thinker who isn't afraid to roll up their sleeves and dive into the deepest technical details. ● An exceptional communicator who can articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences and influence stakeholders across the organization. ● Comfortable navigating ambiguity and making data-driven decisions in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. ● Passionate about innovation, cutting-edge technology, and building products with a customer-first mindset. Why Join Us? ● Make a significant impact: This is a pivotal role where your contributions will directly shape our core product and engineering culture. ● Competitive compensation: Attractive salary and equity package. ● Comprehensive benefits: Health, dental, and vision. ● Flexible work: We value work-life balance and offer flexible hours/remote options. ● Growth opportunity: Be part of an early-stage company with massive potential for personal and professional growth. Ready to lead, architect, and build the future of filesystems with us? Apply now and let's revolutionize storage together! Location: Bay Area, California Department: Engineering Reports To: VP of Engineering