About the Role
The Falcon sensor is the front line of CrowdStrike's platform. Running as a lightweight agent on millions of endpoints, it observes system activity in real time, stops malicious behavior on the device, and streams telemetry to the cloud, where it's correlated across customers' environments to surface and prioritize threats.
The Core Windows team owns the kernel-mode foundation and user-mode low level system frameworks of the Falcon sensor on Windows: the drivers and event sources that give CrowdStrike deep visibility into file system, registry, process and network activity, and the mechanisms that let the sensor act on that in real time. These components run at the lowest level of the operating system on every Windows endpoint CrowdStrike protects.
As a Senior Engineer II on this team, you'll own the design and development of core capabilities in both kernel and user mode that cut across the major OS subsystems, including memory management. Many of these capabilities share components with the Linux and macOS sensors. Because this code runs on every protected Windows endpoint, performance, stability, and correctness are first-class requirements.
This is a systems software role. You'll work close to the OS, reason carefully about behavior under real-world load, and hold a high engineering bar in a codebase where reliability is non-negotiable. You'll collaborate closely with peer engineers on the macOS and Linux teams, and with many other teams inside and outside the core organization.
What You're Stepping Into
You'll join a tight-knit team of deep Windows kernel and system software engineers with a strong track record of delivering complex, cross-team initiatives without lowering the quality bar. The team's scope is expanding, and it holds a central role in shaping the next generation of the Falcon sensor on Windows. That means real ownership early: you won't be maintaining a corner of the codebase, you'll be helping decide where it goes next.
What You'll Do
•Design, develop, and own kernel-mode and lower level system software components of the Windows sensor, from design through delivery and production validation
•Partner on sensor architecture and technical strategy for endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities
•Build software with cross-platform deliverables in collaboration with Linux and macOS engineers
•Drive design reviews and provide substantive code review that raises the bar for the team
•Diagnose and resolve complex production issues and customer escalations, including crashes, hangs, and performance regressions
•Improve the test infrastructure and tooling that keep kernel-mode code reliable as it evolves
•Mentor other engineers and collaborate effectively with multi-functional teams across locations
What You'll Need
•In-depth knowledge of C/C++ and Windows kernel and driver development (e.g., minifilter drivers, kernel callbacks, kernel/user-mode communication)
•Strong low-level Windows OS internals: processes and threads, memory management, the I/O subsystem, and the security model
•Experience debugging memory corruption, deadlocks and resource contention, and system performance problems, including crash dump analysis with WinDbg
•Experience shipping major features and releases as part of a team
•Ability to lead, mentor, communicate, and work effectively in a distributed team
•Willingness to travel occasionally for team offsites and in-person collaboration
•Proven experience utilizing AI technologies to enhance decision-making, streamline workflows and processes, improve efficiency and drive business outcomes
Bonus Points
•Experience with Windows Filtering Platform (WFP), Event Tracing for Windows (ETW), or other kernel-mode telemetry sources
•Background in endpoint security, EDR, or anti-tamper technologies
•Strong background in scalable, lightweight, high-performance systems
•Low-level OS internals experience on macOS or Linux
•Familiarity with Agile development practices
Benefits of Working at CrowdStrike
•Market leader in compensation and equity awards
•Comprehensive physical and mental wellness programs
•Competitive vacation and holidays for recharge
•Paid parental and adoption leaves
•Professional development opportunities for all employees regardless of level or role
•Employee Networks, geographic neighborhood groups, and volunteer opportunities to build connections
•Vibrant office culture with world class amenities
•Great Place to Work Certified™ across the globe
The base salary range for this position for all U.S. candidates is $160,000 - $260,000 per year, with eligibility for bonuses, equity grants and a comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance, 401k and paid time off.
