Who you are

• 12+ years of software engineering experience with proven success in large-scale, user-facing systems
• BS in Computer Science or related technical field involving coding (e.g., mathematics, physics), or equivalent technical experience
• Demonstrated ability to design and ship technically complex products used 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, with experience influencing across multiple teams and functions
• Comfortable balancing short-term delivery with long-term strategic investments
• Willingness to participate in on-call rotations where required
• Advanced proficiency in Rust or C++, with strong debugging and performance optimization skills
• Familiarity with operating system internals, compilers, databases, or distributed storage systems
• Knowledge of Python and/or Go a plus
• Track record of setting technical direction across teams and driving adoption of new technologies
• Experience building developer platforms or infrastructure that accelerates product delivery
• If you're excited about turning complex technical challenges into intuitive solutions at scale, join our Engineering team

What the job involves

• As a Staff Engineer focused on Dropbox Sync, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the reliability, scalability, and future direction of one of Dropbox’s most critical systems
• You will partner with Product Managers, Engineering Managers, and other senior technical leaders to deliver platform improvements that directly impact customers and enable future innovation
• You’ll balance short-term execution with long-term architectural investments, ensuring Dropbox’s sync experience continues to set the standard for simplicity and trust
• As a Staff Engineer, you’ll thrive if you love tackling ambiguity, operating with autonomy, and driving technical strategy across teams
• This role offers the opportunity for substantial technical ownership, senior leadership exposure, and the chance to leave a lasting mark on Dropbox’s core product experience
• Architect and deliver high-impact technical solutions that scale to millions of daily active users
• Shape technical direction by evaluating tradeoffs between speed, quality, and long-term maintainability across projects
• Partner cross-functionally with Product, Design, and Engineering peers to align on priorities and execute against critical business objectives
• Lead technical initiatives that modernize core sync systems, improve performance, and reduce customer-reported issues
• Mentor and elevate other engineers through design reviews, code reviews, and sharing best practices
• Influence org-wide engineering standards by advocating for high-quality systems design, operational excellence, and pragmatic decision-making
• Contribute to culture by participating in hiring, onboarding, and company-wide technical forums
• Many teams at Dropbox run Services with on-call rotations, which entails being available for calls during both core and non-core business hours
• If a team has an on-call rotation, all engineers on the team are expected to participate in the rotation as part of their employment
• The Dropbox Engineering Team builds the technology that creates more enlightened ways of working for hundreds of millions of people
• Every day, our platforms—including Dropbox Dash, Dropbox Sign, and our core sync engine—handle over a billion files for users worldwide, creating engineering challenges as great as the opportunity for impact
• Our software engineering team uses a range of technologies to solve interesting problems, including Python, React, Node.js, JavaScript, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and Android development
• We think like a startup but build for an enterprise, exploring new possibilities that transform how people work
• Areas of work include Machine Learning Engineers, Infrastructure Engineer, Product SWE Frontend and Backend, Mobile Software Engineers (iOS and Android), Engineering Manager, Data Engineer, Software Development Engineer in Test, Security Engineering, Site Reliability Engineer, Technical Program Managers, Network Engineer, Datacenter Engineer, Technical Supply Chain Manager and more

Benefits

• On-site fitness and meditation classes
• Commuter subsidies
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• We offer a generous company contribution toward individual medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage, including contributions toward dependent premiums
• Start building a successful 401K retirement plan with our dollar for dollar contribution match, up to $1,500 per quarter to a maximum of $6,000 per calendar year
• Keep sharing and collaborating with friends and family even when you’re not at work with free Dropbox space for your whole crew
• Take the vacation you’ve always dreamed of with up to four consecutive weeks of paid time off
• Celebrate common holidays without your paycheck taking the hit with 11 company paid holidays
• Each Dropboxer has access to 32 hours of paid volunteer time off each year that they can use to support the causes close to their hearts
• We regularly offer panels and seminars featuring the best minds in tech, talent, diversity, and beyond that any Dropboxer can attend from the comfort of their home
• No two Dropboxers are the same, and their benefits shouldn’t be either. Our Perks allowance empowers employees to customize their benefits in line with what really matters to them