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Open Source Developer Jobs in Massachusetts (NOW HIRING)

Principal Software Engineer

Lowell, MA · On-site

$170K - $281K/yr

We seek a skilled software engineer to join the Red Hat OpenStack NFV Architecture team. In this ... Contribute to open-source NFV projects, particularly within the OpenStack ecosystem. * Participate ...

You will bridge the gap between upstream open-source innovation and the operational excellence ... Mentor senior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning.

Build application platforms in the AWS Cloud by leveraging Pivotal Cloud Foundry, open-source technologies, and best engineering practices of CI/CD. Architect, implement, and optimize scalable ...

Machine Learning Engineer

Dorchester, MA · On-site

$175K - $250K/yr

Dig into the internals of open-source ML tools to extend their capabilities and improve performance ... Strong engineering skills, including Python, CUDA, or C++ * Knowledge of machine learning ...

Java Developer

Boston, MA

$55.50 - $71.75/hr

Senior Software Engineer We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Software Engineer with deep ... Build cloud-based applications leveraging AWS or Azure native services and open-source frameworks.

Senior Software Engineer, DevOps

Boston, MA · On-site +1

$118K - $195K/yr

About the Job We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to lead the modernization of our core ... We're a leader in open source because of our open and inclusive environment. We hire creative ...

Contribute code upstream to OpenStack projects; adhere to open source community guidelines and Red ... Nice to have: Rust Programming The salary range for this position is $118,600.00 - $195,680.00.

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Open Source Developer information

See Massachusetts salary details

$65.1K

$84.1K

$99.9K

How much do open source developer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for open source developer in Massachusetts is $84,120.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $76,000.00 and $92,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Open Source Developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Open Source Developer, you need strong programming skills, familiarity with version control systems like Git, and experience contributing to or maintaining open source projects. Proficiency with platforms such as GitHub, bug tracking systems, and knowledge of relevant programming languages (e.g., Python, JavaScript) are typically required. Excellent communication, collaboration, and self-motivation are crucial soft skills, as much of the work involves distributed teams and community interaction. These skills ensure effective project contributions, sustained community engagement, and the successful growth of open source initiatives.

What Does an Open Source Developer Do?

As an open source developer, you work with open source code, tweaking, improving, and building upon it to create new software for an organization. Your duties vary depending on the position, but they can include using your knowledge of various open source coding systems and software to code new programs and applications, troubleshooting and debugging software, and tracking and reporting issues. Your responsibilities also include researching and learning about current and new standards for the coding languages with which you work. Most open source developers have skills and expertise in multiple programming languages, but many organizations are willing to train quick learners on each project.

What is an Open Source Developer?

An Open Source Developer is a software professional who creates, maintains, or contributes to software projects whose source code is freely available to the public. These developers collaborate with others in online communities, often working on projects hosted on platforms like GitHub or GitLab. Their work involves writing code, fixing bugs, reviewing pull requests, and documenting software. Open Source Developers help improve software that anyone can use, modify, or distribute, fostering innovation and collective problem-solving.

How does an Open Source Developer typically collaborate with a global, distributed team?

Open Source Developers often work with contributors from around the world, which means collaboration takes place primarily through online platforms such as GitHub, mailing lists, and chat tools like Slack or Discord. Communication is usually asynchronous due to time zone differences, so clear documentation and issue tracking are essential. Developers regularly review and comment on each other's code, participate in discussions about project direction, and sometimes join virtual meetings or code sprints. This environment encourages learning from diverse perspectives and requires strong written communication and self-motivation.

What is the difference between Open Source Developer vs Software Engineer?

AspectOpen Source DeveloperSoftware Engineer
Required CredentialsTypically a bachelor's degree in CS or related field; strong coding skillsUsually a bachelor's or higher in CS or related field; programming proficiency
Work EnvironmentCollaborative open source communities, remote or distributed teamsCorporate or organizational settings, often in-office or remote
Employer & Industry UsageOpen source projects, tech companies, startupsTech firms, software companies, enterprises
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared for coding skills and community involvementCompared for project management and product development roles

Open Source Developers focus on contributing to publicly available projects, often working in collaborative communities. Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software products within organizations. While both require programming skills and a background in computer science, Open Source Developers emphasize community collaboration and open contributions, whereas Software Engineers typically work within structured teams on proprietary or client projects.

What are the most commonly searched types of Open Source Developer jobs in Massachusetts? The most popular types of Open Source Developer jobs in Massachusetts are:
What job categories do people searching Open Source Developer jobs in Massachusetts look for? The top searched job categories for Open Source Developer jobs in Massachusetts are:
What are popular job titles related to Open Source Developer jobs in MA? For Open Source Developer jobs in MA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Open Source Developer job openings in Massachusetts as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% Internship, 4% As Needed, 61% Full Time, 19% Part Time, 4% Temporary, and 10% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $84,120 per year, or $40.4 per hour.
Senior Technical Product Manager - SDK and User Engagement

Senior Technical Product Manager - SDK and User Engagement

QuEra Computing, Inc.

Boston, MA

$137K - $181K/yr

Other

Posted 13 days ago


Job description

Summary

QuEra Computing is seeking a Senior Technical Product Manager - SDK and User Engagement to own the product strategy, delivery, and adoption of the developer tooling that researchers and developers use to run highimpact experiments and applications on QuEra's neutralatom quantum computers. You'll operate at the intersection of quantum R&D, scientific software engineering, and an external developer community, translating capabilities across quantumclassical hybrid workflows, circuitlevel programming, qubit/atom shuttling, and pulselevel control into an SDK that is coherent, usable, and trusted.

This is a foundational product role in a fast-growing area. You'll drive the end-to-end developer journey: from "timetofirstexperiment" and documentation quality, to stable APIs and predictable release processes, to community engagement and open-source governance. Working closely with R&D and engineering teams, you'll turn emerging research results (including advances in neutralatom platforms and quantum error correction) into concrete product requirements, representative examples, and developer-ready interfaces-balancing rapid innovation with robustness, reliability, and long-term maintainability.

Responsibilities

  • Own the SDK product vision and roadmap
    • Define and communicate the product vision, positioning, and roadmap for QuEra's SDK and developer-facing software stack.
    • Align priorities across company strategy, hardware/service constraints, internal stakeholders, and external developer needs.
  • Translate science and R&D into software requirements
    • Convert quantum concepts, system capabilities, and new R&D outcomes into actionable product specifications (PRDs), Request for Comments (RFCs), and well-scoped deliverables.
    • Identify representative use cases, minimal reproducible examples, and benchmarking targets to validate requirements and guide implementation.
  • Collect structured user feedback and drive prioritization
    • Collect structured feedback from customers and users on usability, UI, workflows, recurring pain points, and operational friction.
    • Synthesize insights into roadmap updates and requirements. Partner with software teams to ensure feedback is actionable, prioritized, and reflected in backlogs and release plans.
  • Drive developer experience and steward an open-source community
    • Partner with software engineers and scientists to improve usability across the SDK: APIs, workflows, error messages, onboarding, tutorials, and reference examples.
    • Establish open-source triage and governance practices: issue taxonomy, labeling, prioritization, contribution guidelines, and community processes.
  • Ensure quality, reliability, and operational readiness
    • Support QA, integration readiness, and operational considerations so SDK releases work reliably with hardware services (cloud and/or managed environments).
    • Drive versioning, deprecation policy, change logs, migration guides, and release communications to maintain trust with the community.
    • Help balance early-stage innovation with stability-setting expectations clearly when features are experimental vs. production-ready.

Qualifications

  • M.S. in Computer Science, Physics, or a related field, with 5+ years of experience in technical product management, developer tools, scientific software, HPC, or adjacent domains.
  • Proven ability to work deeply with engineering and research teams-comfortable operating in ambiguity and making sound trade-offs across scope, schedule, and technical risk.
  • Strong understanding or hands-on experience in modern software engineering practices (API design, backwards compatibility, testing, CI/CD fundamentals, documentation, and lifecycle discipline).
  • Ability to learn new quantum algorithms and translate them into clear requirements and minimal examples.
  • Working knowledge of compiler concepts (e.g., intermediate representations, compiler transforms, optimization strategies) and a clear understanding of compile-time vs. runtime trade-offs.
  • Excellent communication and technical writing skills; strong at reframing "XY problems" into clear, actionable requirements.
  • Proficiency with product management tools and agile execution (e.g. GitHub and Jira); demonstrated cross-functional delivery and project/program leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in quantum computing, quantum information, computer science or engineering (or related area) with demonstrated exposure to software development cycles (especially SDKs, compilers, or scientific tooling).
  • 3-5+ years of hands-on technical development or research experience in scientific software, compilers, infrastructure, or tooling.
  • Experience engaging and growing an open-source community (triage, contributor workflows, governance, and public roadmap practices).
  • Demonstrated systems/low-level programming experience (e.g., Rust, C++) and/or compiler engineering experience (including contributions to widely used open-source compilers or developer toolchains).
  • Strong track record of translating emerging research into pragmatic product requirements and developer-ready deliverables.
  • Proven technical communication through public artifacts (e.g., blog posts, tutorials, documentation sets, workshops, talks, or example repositories).

QuEra is committed to cultivating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We highly value diversity in our current and future employees and do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.