Senior R&D Engineer at Proton in Geneva

Keywords

• Performance Engineering
• Proton VPN
• Network Protocols
• Distributed Systems
• Privacy

Summary

Join Proton in Geneva to lead performance engineering for Proton VPN. You will design measurement frameworks and optimize global infrastructure for speed and resilience.

Job Description

Proton, a profitable company founded by CERN scientists, is dedicated to providing free and open-source technology that ensures privacy and security for over 100 million users. As a Senior R&D Engineer, you will join the team responsible for Proton VPN, aiming to make it the fastest and most reliable VPN service in the world. You will work in a flat, high-talent-density environment where you can impact millions of lives by defending freedom and privacy online.

Your tasks

• Design and own the performance framework for Proton VPN, defining key metrics such as time-to-connect, throughput, and latency.
• Develop distributed testing systems that simulate real-world network conditions, including low bandwidth and high-latency scenarios.
• Continuously measure and analyze performance across desktop, mobile, and backend platforms to identify bottlenecks.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize protocol handling, routing, and encryption performance.
• Create dashboards and automated alerts to track global performance health and drive a data-driven culture.

Your profile

• At least 5 years of experience in performance engineering or systems QA, ideally in networking or distributed systems.
• Strong knowledge of network protocols (TCP/IP, UDP, TLS, WireGuard) and performance profiling tools.
• Proficiency in Python and familiarity with network emulation tools like tc/netem or iperf.
• Experience with monitoring stacks such as Grafana, Prometheus, and Loki, as well as CI/CD pipelines.
• Cross-platform experience with Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS is preferred.
• Strong communication skills in English and an analytical, methodical mindset.

What we offer

• Office-first culture with up to 30% remote work and three core days in the office.
• Stock options as you become an owner of the company.
• Subsidized public transport, bike allowances, or parking spaces.
• Daily lunch and snacks provided at our offices.
• Flexible working hours and opportunities for continuous learning and development.