# Solutions Software Engineering with Matthew Sanabria

- Show: [Oxide and Friends](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends)
- Published: 2025-05-07
- Length: 1h 31m
- Episode: 16
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-05-07-solutions-software-engineering-with-matthew-sanabria
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/86865e1a

## Summary

Matthew Sanabria, a Solutions Software Engineer at Oxide Computer Company, discusses his transition from HashiCorp and CockroachDB to joining the hardware startup. He details the role's unique blend of software engineering, customer empathy, and technical breadth, specifically focusing on integrating Oxide's rack-scale computers with Kubernetes, Terraform, and other cloud-native tools. Sanabria also shares insights on hiring criteria, debugging complex plugin ecosystems, and the importance of partnership over vendor relationships in the hardware industry.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-05-07-solutions-software-engineering-with-matthew-sanabria#t=0) Introduction and Matthew's Background
- [4:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-05-07-solutions-software-engineering-with-matthew-sanabria#t=277) From HashiCorp and CockroachDB to Oxide
- [19:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-05-07-solutions-software-engineering-with-matthew-sanabria#t=1197) The Solutions Software Engineer Role and Culture
- [41:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-05-07-solutions-software-engineering-with-matthew-sanabria#t=2510) Hiring Criteria and Integration Challenges
- [53:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-05-07-solutions-software-engineering-with-matthew-sanabria#t=3225) Debugging Plugins and Observability
- [1:01:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-05-07-solutions-software-engineering-with-matthew-sanabria#t=3714) Go vs. Rust and Partnership Philosophy
- [1:20:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-05-07-solutions-software-engineering-with-matthew-sanabria#t=4828) Defending the Solutions Engineer Role

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Oxide Computer Company (company)
- HashiCorp (company)
- CockroachDB (company)
- Kubernetes (product)
- Terraform (product)
- OpenTelemetry (product)
- Fallthrough (product)
- Go (other)
- Rust (other)

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- [S3 E1: Mastering Tech Adoption and The Hardware Development Workflow with Jon Hirshtick](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2025-09-30-s3-e1-mastering-tech-adoption-and-the-hardware-development-workflow-with-jon-hir) (The Builder Circle)
- [338: Working With People Is Terrible](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-07-24-338-working-with-people-is-terrible) (Embedded.fm)
- [T-25-007 : Valentina Ratner - Mechanical Engineer to SaaS for Hardware CEO](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tradeoffs/2025-03-21-t-25-007-valentina-ratner-mechanical-engineer-to-saas-for-hardware-ceo) (TRADEOFFS)
- [Zane Hengsperger (Founder/CEO, Nox Metals)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-03-25-zane-hengsperger-founder-ceo-nox-metals) (Just Gonna Send It)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-05-07-solutions-software-engineering-with-matthew-sanabria. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Oxide and Friends.