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Open Source Software Developer Jobs in California

Epsilon3

Software Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

They are seeking Software Engineers who are passionate about space exploration and responsible for ... open-source telemetry and command and control systems • Rapidly prototype demos and proof-of ...

Info Way Solutions

Backend Engineer (Java, AWS)

Fremont, CA · On-site

$55.50 - $72/hr

... with open-source software capable to modify or extend code maintained as part of an open-source project. • Employ both Object Orientated development skills and Systems Engineering skills.

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Open Source Software Developer information

See California salary details

$47.4K

$110.4K

$163.8K

How much do open source software developer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for open source software developer in California is $110,380.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $88,800.00 and $128,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an open source software developer?

Open Source Software Developers are programmers who create, maintain, or contribute to software projects whose source code is made freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. They often collaborate with a global community of developers and may work on a voluntary basis or be employed by organizations that support open source initiatives. Their work involves writing code, fixing bugs, reviewing contributions, and helping manage project documentation. Open source developers play a key role in advancing technology by making software accessible and fostering innovation through community collaboration.

How do open source software developers typically collaborate with contributors from around the world?

Open Source Software Developers often work with a global community of contributors using online collaboration tools such as GitHub, mailing lists, and chat platforms like Slack or Discord. Communication is primarily asynchronous, requiring clear documentation and code review practices to ensure smooth project progress. Developers regularly participate in discussions, review pull requests, and help onboard new contributors, making strong written communication skills essential. This collaborative environment fosters learning and innovation, but also requires flexibility and patience to manage different time zones and cultural perspectives.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an open source software developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Open Source Software Developer, you need strong programming skills, knowledge of version control systems like Git, and familiarity with open source licensing, typically supported by a relevant degree or coding experience. Proficiency with collaborative development platforms such as GitHub or GitLab and understanding of continuous integration tools are commonly required. Excellent communication, self-motivation, and the ability to work effectively in distributed teams set outstanding contributors apart. These skills are crucial for efficiently building, maintaining, and contributing to widely used open source projects in a collaborative, global environment.

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

AspectOpen Source Software DeveloperSoftware Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires programming skills, familiarity with open source licenses, and sometimes certifications like Linux Foundation certificationsRequires a degree in computer science or related field; certifications like Microsoft Certified or AWS certifications are common
Work EnvironmentOften collaborates in open source communities, contributes to public repositories, and works remotelyWorks in corporate or enterprise settings, often in teams within organizations
Industry UsageUsed across tech, non-profit, and open source communities; focuses on public projectsEmployed in various industries including tech, finance, healthcare, and more for product development

While both roles involve software development, Open Source Software Developers focus on collaborative, community-driven projects often in open environments, whereas Software Engineers typically work within organizations on proprietary or internal systems. The roles overlap in skills but differ in scope and work setting.

What cities in California are hiring for Open Source Software Developer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Open Source Software Developer job openings:

Open Source Software Developer jobs near you

Head of Open Source Ecosystem

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Sentient Foundation
See more jobs at Sentient Foundationexternal

Full-time

Re-posted 27 days ago

Job description

About Sentient The Sentient Foundation is building the open-source future of intelligence: AI aligned with humanity and never controlled by a single entity. We're a neutral, transparent steward of the open AGI ecosystem, uniting researchers, builders, and communities through open research (ROMA, OML, Open Deep Search), global programs like the Open AGI Summit, and a fast-growing builder community.
The role You'll own Sentient's relationship with the global open-source AI community. This includes developers building open models, tools, agents, data, and evals. You'll be a credible champion for open-source AI as a whole, earn the trust of builders across the ecosystem, and bring the best of them and their projects into Sentient's orbit. You'll set community and ecosystem strategy, recruit builders to build on the open ecosystem broadly and on Sentient's own stack (ROMA, ODS, EvoSkills, Arena, OML), and bring council members, advisors, and recognized thought leaders into the Foundation's mission and governance. You'll help drive our open-source AI grants and investment program, which backs great open-source AI wherever it's built, and carry the community's needs back into product and research. This is a senior, relationship-first leadership role for a recognized leader in open-source AI.
What you'll do
  • Own the Foundation's community and ecosystem strategy for open-source AI broadly. Champion great open models, tools, agents, and evals across the ecosystem, with Sentient's own stack (ROMA, ODS, EvoSkills, Arena, OML) as one important part of it. Stand up the programs, content, and team that get developers from zero to shipping.
  • Champion open-source AI through writing and storytelling, such as tutorials, docs, blog posts, demos, and talks that help developers build with the best of the open ecosystem, including Sentient's own contributions (ROMA, ODS, OML) where they're the right tool.
  • Support and help drive Sentient's open-source AI grants / investment program. Source promising projects and builders, vetting technical quality and fit, and shepherding funded teams as they build on the Stack.
  • Lead and scale the developer community across Discord, GitHub, and X. Answer hard questions, review contributions, and turn power users into ecosystem partners.
  • Recruit and convene ecosystem leaders. Bring council members, advisors, and recognized open-source thought leaders into the Foundation's mission, programs, and governance.
  • Represent Sentient at hackathons, conferences, and online; run developer workshops and contribute to open-source libraries.
  • Be the developer's advocate internally: synthesize feedback into clear, prioritized input for product and research, and help shape SDK and API design.
  • Partner with product, research, and growth to amplify developer success stories across the open-source AI ecosystem and onboard new agent, model, data, and compute partners into the open ecosystem and, where it fits, onto the Sentient Stack.

What we're looking for
  • 4+ years in developer relations, community, or ecosystem roles, ideally in open-source AI/ML, data, or infrastructure.
  • Strong hands-on technical ability. You can read and write code (Python and/or TypeScript), work directly with agent frameworks and the open stack (ROMA, ODS, EvoSkills, Arena, OML), and go deep enough technically to earn the respect of serious open-source developers.
  • 4+ years building open-source software yourself, with a deep personal network across the open-source AI developer community. You already know many of the developers, maintainers, and projects we want to reach, and they know you.
  • A track record of recruiting and convening senior people ( founders, advisors, council members, or thought leaders) around a mission, and of being a recognized voice in an open-source or developer community.
  • A working understanding of LLMs, AI agents, and agent frameworks, and the ability to explain complex technical ideas simply through writing, demos, and talks.
  • A public portfolio of developer content, eg: tutorials, talks, demos, OSS contributions, or community building.
  • Sound technical judgment for evaluating projects, for sourcing and vetting grant and investment candidates.
  • Comfort with, or genuine curiosity about, Web3 / token incentive mechanics and on-chain interoperability.
  • High user empathy, strong written communication, and a bias toward shipping.

Nice to have
  • Experience contributing to or maintaining open-source AI/ML projects.
  • Familiarity with agent frameworks, model fine-tuning, evaluation/benchmarking, or decentralized/crypto ecosystems.
  • Experience running or participating in a grants, accelerator, or developer-fund program.
  • A track record of measurably growing a developer ecosystem.

Why join Build and lead the community and ecosystem function for an open AGI network at the ground floor, work across the full open-source AI + Web3 stack (OML, ROMA, ODS, EvoSkills, Arena), help direct where grant capital flows, and help a 2M+ community build and own the next wave of AI agents.

Apply