Software Engineer C++, Level 4

Snap Inc is a technology company. We believe the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. Snap contributes to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together. The Company’s three core products are Snapchat, a visual messaging app that enhances your relationships with friends, family, and the world; Lens Studio, an augmented reality platform that powers AR across Snapchat and other services; and its AR glasses, Spectacles.

Snap Engineering teams build fun and technically sophisticated products that reach hundreds of millions of Snapchatters around the world, every day. We’re deeply committed to the well-being of everyone in our global community, which is why our values are at the root of everything we do. We move fast, with precision, and always execute with privacy at the forefront.

We’re looking for a C++ Software Engineer to join our Messaging team! 

The Messaging team builds and maintains the core infrastructure that powers chat, media sharing, presence, and real-time interactions across Snapchat. We own critical C++ client libraries that are deployed across all Snap owned surfaces —   iOS & Android apps, Snapchat for web and Spectacles, enabling consistent behavior and rapid product development at scale.

We work across the stack — from local data models to backend integration — to ensure a fast, reliable, and delightful messaging experience for hundreds of millions of users.

What you’ll do:
Architect, design, implement, and maintain high-performance C++ infrastructure powering Snapchat’s core messaging experiences
Evolve our cross-platform C++ client libraries that underpin chat, media, and push systems
Optimize for latency, reliability, and resource efficiency in constrained mobile environments
Collaborate with iOS, Android, backend, and product teams to ship high-quality features
Build robust abstractions, APIs, and tools that scale across multiple surfaces and use cases
Contribute to architectural decisions and long-term technical direction of messaging systems
Perform code reviews that guarantee code quality and raise the bar for development

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
Deep expertise in modern C++ (C++11/14/17), with experience in large-scale production codebases
Familiarity with one of the following programming languages: Swift, Objective-C, Kotlin, or TypeScript
Experience with mobile development (Android/iOS) and cross-platform libraries
Familiarity with messaging systems, networking protocols, or real-time systems is a plus
Proficiency with performance optimization techniques
Strong CS fundamentals (algorithms and data structures) and problem-solving skills
Comfortable working in a fast-paced, iterative, and highly collaborative environment
Knowledge of software design patterns and best practices

Minimum Qualifications:

BS in a technical field such as computer science or equivalent years of experience

2+ years of post-Bachelor’s software development experience; or Master’s degree in a technical field + 1+ year of post-grad software development experience; or PhD in a relevant technical field
C++ development experience

Preferred Qualifications:
Experience developing for desktop, mobile, or web using C++ or TypeScript
Experience with declarative UI frameworks (e.g. React Native)
Experience building or scaling messaging, media, or real-time communication systems
Familiarity with metrics instrumentation, observability, and debugging tools
 

If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please don’t be shy and provide us some information.

"Default Together" Policy at Snap: At Snap Inc. we believe that being together in person helps us build our culture faster, reinforce our values, and serve our community, customers and partners better through dynamic collaboration. To reflect this, we practice a “default together” approach and expect our team members to work in an office 4+ days per week. 

At Snap, we believe that having a team of diverse backgrounds and voices working together will enable us to create innovative products that improve the way people live and communicate. Snap is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. EOE, including disability/vets.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law (by example, the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, where applicable).

Our Benefits: Snap Inc. is its own community, so we’ve got your back! We do our best to make sure you and your loved ones have everything you need to be happy and healthy, on your own terms. Our benefits are built around your needs and include paid parental leave, comprehensive medical coverage, emotional and mental health support programs, and compensation packages that let you share in Snap’s long-term success!

Compensation

In the United States, work locations are assigned a pay zone which determines the salary range for the position. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. The starting pay may be negotiable within the salary range for the position. These pay zones may be modified in the future.

Zone A (CA, WA, NYC):

Zone B:

Zone C:

This position is eligible for equity in the form of RSUs.