Lead Kernel Developer — Windows Networking / WFP

Overview

Acronis is a global leader in cyber protection, delivering AI-powered protection for productive MSPs in a single, natively integrated platform that unifies operations management, cybersecurity, and data protection. Driven by our mission to protect, manage and automate every workload that businesses and lives depend on, we’ve built the industry’s only all-in-one solution.

We are looking for a candidate who will be responsible for leading the design and development of high-performance Windows Kernel networking drivers, with a focus on WFP, high-speed networks, performance, and interoperability.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Lead the architecture, development, debugging, and maintenance of Windows kernel-mode and user-mode components, with a primary focus on Windows network drivers and Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) for Cyber Protection solutions.
• Design and optimize solutions for high-speed and high-throughput networks, focusing on performance, scalability, latency, reliability, and stability.
• Investigate and resolve complex kernel, networking, performance, compatibility, and interoperability issues, including BSODs, race conditions, deadlocks, memory corruption, and leaks.
• Drive issues from root-cause analysis through implementation, validation, and production, collaborating with other engineering teams where required.
• Contribute to the architecture and interface design of Windows-specific and cross-platform components and their integration with higher-level products.
• Maintain and continuously improve the Kernel Team’s existing codebase, drivers, and components, ensuring timely resolution of defects and technical issues.
• Perform reverse engineering and low-level analysis, working closely with security analysts, malware researchers, and reverse engineers on complex security-related investigations.
• Use WinDbg/KD, ETW/WPP, crash dump analysis, profiling, tracing, and other diagnostic tools to troubleshoot and optimize system behavior.
• Leverage AI-assisted engineering tools for development, code analysis, debugging, reverse engineering, root-cause investigation, trace/log analysis, and technical research.
• Provide technical leadership by breaking down work, assigning tasks, coordinating distributed developers, and supporting delivery across locations when required.
• Share expertise in Windows internals, kernel development, systems programming, and information security through technical discussions, code reviews, and documentation
• Maintain clear communication with the Kernel Team Director of Development on progress, technical challenges, risks, dependencies, and critical issues.
• 10+ years of hands-on Windows kernel development with strong expertise in Windows internals, networking, synchronization, memory management, and kernel debugging.
• Strong C/C++ systems programming skills and expertise in Windows kernel drivers, WinDbg/KD, ETW/WPP, crash dump analysis, and profiling; WFP/NDIS experience or willingness to develop expertise in these areas.
• Proven experience developing and optimizing performance-critical kernel components, with a strong understanding of concurrency, scalability, latency, resource efficiency, reliability, and system stability. Experience in kernel network development for high-performance/high-throughput environments is beneficial.
• Strong background in cybersecurity, endpoint protection, or other security-focused technologies, with experience working close to the operating system will be beneficial
• Practical reverse engineering and low-level analysis skills to investigate undocumented behavior and diagnose and resolve compatibility issues with third-party drivers and software.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to solve complex issues spanning kernel, networking, hardware, virtualization, and user/kernel boundaries.
• AI-assisted engineering experience is mandatory, including practical use of AI for development, debugging, code analysis, investigation, and technical research.
• Demonstrated ability to take technical ownership, lead complex investigations, coordinate work across teams, and share technical expertise
• Experience with Linux, macOS, or other low-level platforms is a strong advantage.
• Excellent English communication and cross-functional collaboration skills

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR