Level

Robinhood

Senior Staff Software Developer, Core Infrastructure

Robinhood is hiring a Senior Staff Software Developer, Core Infrastructure in Toronto, Canada. It pays CAD 234k-CAD 275k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Robinhood.

Level's read on this job

  • On Level's scale, this software engineer role is Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
  • Tools and skills the posting cites include Kubernetes, Istio and Envoy.
  • Level classifies it as a lead role.
  • Level lists 156 other open roles at Robinhood.

AI in this role

Own the architectural evolution of core infrastructure, compute platforms, and service mesh at Robinhood.

kubernetesistioenvoy
core-infrastructuredistributed-systemsservice-mesh

Join us in building the future of finance.

Our mission is to democratize finance for all. An estimated $124 trillion of assets will be inherited by younger generations in the next two decades. The largest transfer of wealth in human history. If you’re ready to be at the epicenter of this historic cultural and financial shift, keep reading.

About the team + role

We are building an elite team, applying frontier technologies to the world's biggest financial problems. We're looking for bold thinkers. Sharp problem-solvers. Builders who are wired to make an impact. Robinhood isn't a place for complacency, it's where ambitious people do the best work of their careers. We're a high-performing, fast-moving team with ethics at the center of everything we do. Expectations are high, and so are the rewards.

The Core Infrastructure team's mission is to build and evolve the foundational platform that every Robinhood engineering team builds on — owning the systems, primitives, and developer-facing abstractions that power 24/7 trading, crypto, and global expansion. We treat infrastructure as a product: reliable, fast to provision, and invisible to the teams above it.

As a Senior Staff Software Developer on Core Infrastructure, you will own the architectural evolution of three deeply interconnected domains: service mesh and connectivity, compute platform, and infrastructure provisioning. Your decisions will directly shape engineering velocity, operational reliability, and Robinhood's ability to expand to new regions and markets. This is not an operations role — it's a once-in-a-platform-lifecycle opportunity to redesign the foundation before complexity becomes permanent!

This role is based in our Toronto, ON office, with in-person attendance expected at least 3 days per week.

At Robinhood, we believe in the power of in-person work to accelerate progress, spark innovation, and strengthen community. Our office experience is intentional, energizing, and designed to fully support high-performing teams.

What you'll do

  • Own service mesh architecture end-to-end — standardize and evolve Robinhood's Istio and Envoy deployment, eliminate deprecated communication patterns, and build the networking foundation for multi-region operation
  • Drive Kubernetes compute platform evolution — define the long-term direction for cluster lifecycle, scheduling strategy, control plane architecture, and multi-region resiliency across Robinhood's entire compute fleet
  • Redesign infrastructure provisioning — transform Terraform from a collection of ad-hoc configurations into a scalable, self-service platform capability that enables rapid region provisioning and developer autonomy
  • Operate with source-level depth — diagnose and resolve issues at the Kubernetes API machinery, etcd, Envoy xDS, and Terraform provider layer, and contribute upstream where it serves the platform
  • Define technical direction across teams — produce architecture proposals, lead design reviews, and drive cross-functional alignment on infrastructure decisions that affect every engineering organization at Robinhood

What you bring

  • Deep, hands-on expertise with Kubernetes internals — API server, controller reconciliation, etcd watch propagation, scheduler mechanics, and admission control
  • Deep working knowledge of Istio and/or Envoy at the source code level — including the xDS API as a protocol; experience debugging at the control-plane/data-plane boundary
  • HTTP/2 and gRPC wire-level knowledge — connection management, flow control, stream multiplexing, and observability
  • Terraform at architectural scale — module design patterns, provider internals, remote state management, and multi-region provisioning
  • Production Go or Python for infrastructure tooling; strong fundamentals in writing well-structured, tested, operationally sound code
  • Proven ability to drive cross-functional architectural change across large or complex engineering organizations — influencing without authority and shipping durable decisions

What we offer

  • Challenging, high-impact work to grow your career
  • Performance driven compensation with multipliers for outsized impact, bonus programs, and equity ownership
  • Top tier benefits to fuel your work, including supplemental health insurance, ancillary insurance, and mental health support programs
  • Access to the best AI tools on the market and continuous AI skill-building for every employee, technical or not
  • Lifestyle wallet — a highly flexible employer-paid benefits spending account for expenses beyond traditional benefits such as wellness, childcare, learning, and more
  • Time off to recharge including company holidays, paid time off, sick time, paid volunteer time off, parental leave, and more!
  • Exceptional office experience with catered meals, events, and comfortable workspaces
  • Monthly commuter stipend to help offset in-office commuting costs

 

Our team is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming interview experience for all candidates. If you require a specific accommodation during the application or interview process due to a physical or mental condition, please complete this Applicant Accommodation Form to notify our team. The form should only be completed if you need a specific accommodation.

Vacancy Notice: This job posting represents an existing vacancy that we are actively seeking to fill.

In addition to the base pay range listed below, this role is also eligible for bonus opportunities + equity + benefits.

Base pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of job-related factors, which may include education, training, experience, location, business needs, or market demands. The expected base pay range for this role is based on the location where the work will be performed.

Base Pay Range:

Toronto, ON$234,000—$275,000 CAD

Click here to learn more about our Total Rewards, which vary by region and entity.

If our mission energizes you and you’re ready to build the future of finance, we look forward to seeing your application.

AI Usage Disclosure: Robinhood uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of our recruiting process. These tools enhance the efficiency and consistency of our hiring process; however, all hiring decisions are made by our hiring teams.

Robinhood provides equal opportunity for all applicants, offers reasonable accommodations upon request, and complies with applicable equal employment and privacy laws. Inclusion is built into how we hire and work—welcoming different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences so everyone can do their best. Please review the Privacy Policy for your country of application.

How we rate this

Senior Staff Software Developer, Core Infrastructure at Robinhood rates 0 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Little AI. AI is not part of the work.

  1. ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
  2. ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
  3. ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
  4. ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

Core InfrastructureDistributed SystemsService MeshKubernetesIstioEnvoy

Also common in software engineer jobs at this level

Pay

Typical software engineer job
$168k

Use the typical software engineer figure as a reference when pay comes up. See software engineer jobs

Questions you could be asked

  1. Tell me about a project where core infrastructure was part of your work. What did you do?
  2. Tell me about a project where distributed systems was part of your work. What did you do?
  3. Tell me about a project where service mesh was part of your work. What did you do?
  4. What's a project where you used Kubernetes hands-on?
  5. Walk me through how you've used Istio in your day-to-day work.

Adapt your resume

  • List these exact terms on your resume: Core Infrastructure, Distributed Systems, Service Mesh, Kubernetes, and Istio. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
  • Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.

Want an expert to read your CV for this job?

Free. Send your CV and the role you want next. We reply by email within 2 to 4 business days.

Get new software engineer jobs by email

One email a week with the new software engineer jobs, each rated for how much AI is in the work. No recruiter spam, unsubscribe in one click.

Free. One email a week. Unsubscribe in one click.

Similar roles

Software Engineering roles that involve little AI, at other companies.

What kind of AI work fits you?

Answer 12 practical questions in about three minutes. Get a simple profile, the work it points to, and live roles to explore next.

Find my next step

More jobs at Robinhood

More software engineer jobs

Related searches

Same AI level

Jobs by city