Join Proton and build a better internet where privacy is the default

At Proton, we believe that privacy is a fundamental human right and the cornerstone of democracy. Since our inception in 2014, founded by a team of scientists from CERN, we have dedicated ourselves to providing free and open-source technology to millions worldwide, ensuring access to privacy, security, and freedom online. Our journey began with Proton Mail, the largest secure email service globally, and has since expanded to include Proton VPN, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive, and Proton Pass. These tools empower individuals and organizations to take control of their personal data, break away from Big Tech’s invasive practices, and defeat censorship. Our work impacts hundreds of millions of lives, from activists on the front lines defending freedom to leaders in governments protecting sensitive information. In some cases, Proton’s services have even been instrumental in saving lives by enabling secure and private communications in high-risk situations. Proton is a profitable company that does not rely upon VC funding, supporting over 100 million user accounts with a growing team of over 500 people from over 50 different countries, from the world's top companies and universities. We value intelligence, learning potential, and ambition in our hiring process. Adaptability is key as we navigate uncharted territories and redefine how business is conducted online. Hiring at Proton is highly selective, with less than 1% of candidates hired. We believe smaller teams of exceptional talent will always prevail over larger teams with lower talent density. You will have the opportunity to work with many of the world's top minds in their fields, ranging from former international math and science olympiad winners to chess champions. We have a global mindset and big ambitions but remain a start-up at heart. We value empowerment and flexibility and keep our structure flat to keep moving fast and avoid unnecessary politics. Tired of blending into the crowd? Join us and do work you can truly be proud of. Check our [open-source projects](here).

The team:

Our business unit, Inbox, is a cross-functional team of about 60 engineers, product managers, designers and data analysts driving the development of Proton Mail, the company’s flagship product, and Proton Calendar. Our mission is to create an end-to-end encrypted solution with a better user experience than any other productivity products on the market. While that is not an easy journey, it is one that offers the chance to create meaningful impact and drive lasting change that we are fully committed to. The Inbox Desktop team is responsible for developing desktop clients of Inbox, specifically the Proton Mail Desktop App, Proton Mail Bridge, and the Export tool. We are in the process of rebuilding our client applications on a new, innovative technology stack centered around cross-platform Rust code. We are looking for a Software Engineer with a Rust focus to accelerate this engineering transformation.

Tech Stack and Tools:

We use standard tools for communication and work organization (Git, GitLab, GitHub, GitLab CI, Jira, Confluence). Our backend runs on premise in Proton’s data centers, and all our client-code is open source and GPL3.

Purpose of the role:

As a Software Engineer in the Inbox Desktop team, you will play a crucial role in driving the development of one of Proton's most vital desktop offerings, the Proton Mail Desktop App. We expect you to be customer-centric, continuous learner, passionate about technology and usability. You are adept at turning technical complexities into seamless user experiences. Effective teamwork, data-driven decision-making, using APIs wisely, collaboration with Product, Design, and with other teams are essential aspects of this role. In the Inbox organization, we believe that a psychologically safe environment is critical to foster innovation, collaboration, and growth. We are rooted in science, and according to both academic research and empirical evidence, teams that feel safe to take risks and express their ideas are more likely to be innovative and perform better: you will play a key role in helping us creating such an environment across the entire organization.

What you will do

Research: Assessing new technologies,

supporting cross team and cross business unit technical decision making.

Work breakdown: Transforming product specifications into technical requirements and leading your team to their successful implementation.
Product development: Ensuring high-quality user experiences within our product portfolio by implementing,deploying,and maintaining existing and new features.
Scalability: Enhancing software development lifecycle,tools,and processes to improve developer experienceandto ensure our solutions are scalable.
Write clear,testable code,to maintainandelevate codebase quality.
Manage scoping/planning/executionof featuresand projects.
Mentor team members fostering learning/creativity/accountability.

Job Requirements:

Significant professional experience with Rust or complex Rust projects.
Experience developing desktop software (UIand business logic) on macOS/Windows/Linux.
Product mindset focused on outstanding user experienceand business metrics familiarity.
Engineering leadership skills including architectural decisionsand strategic planning.
Collaborative skills: teamworkin distributed environments; excellent written communication.
Strong problem-solving skills; abilityto troubleshoot remotely while protecting privacy.
Security focus: understanding secure coding practices maintaining high security/privacy standards.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degreein Computer Science or related field.

Bonus Points For:

Mobile development experience.
Familiaritywith native/cross-platform desktop UI frameworks (Avalonia UI,QT,Eelctron).
Familiaritywith unidirectional data-flow frameworks(Elm-like).
Experiencewith monitoring platforms like Grafana or Metabase.
Experiencein B2B contexts especially online privacy/productivity.

Additional Notes on Work Environment & Benefits:

office first policy with flexibilityto workfrom home upto30% . offices across multiple cities worldwide including London/Geneva/Barcelona etc . p rovisionof devices/softwarefor work excellence . lunch/snacks provided at offices daily . t ransport cost support via subsidies or allowances dependingon location . stock options availableto employeesas company owners . flexible working hours alignedwith team meetings . l earning opportunities via training/conferences/events offeredby proton . note #LI-Onsite indicator present(suggesting onsite presence expected but partial remote allowed).