ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Programming Language Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Jane Street

Programming Language Engineer

New York, NY · On-site

Programming languages work at Jane Street spans a wide variety of different areas: * Language design and type systems. Designing language features and stronger type-level guarantees that let our ...

Jane Street

Programming Language Engineer

New York, NY · On-site

Programming languages work at Jane Street spans a wide variety of different areas: * Language design and type systems. Designing language features and stronger type-level guarantees that let our ...

Tangram Flex

Software Language Engineer

Dayton, OH · On-site

This role will develop language features as well as hardware abstraction layers to describe ... Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, and C++ * Familiarity with software ...

Tangram Flex

Software Language Engineer

Dayton, OH · Hybrid

This role will develop language features as well as hardware abstraction layers to describe ... Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, and C++ * Familiarity with software ...

Tangram Flex

Software Language Engineer

Dayton, OH · On-site

This role will develop language features as well as hardware abstraction layers to describe ... Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, and C++ * Familiarity with software ...

Microsoft

Senior Language Engineer

Redmond, WA · On-site

$160K - $261K/yr

As a Language Engineer on the Copilot team, you will be responsible for how Copilot wields language. You will collaboratively work with data scientists, AI researchers, engineers, designers, and ...

Tangram Flex

Software Language Engineer

Dayton, OH · On-site

$125 - $150/hr

This role will develop language features as well as hardware abstraction layers to describe ... Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, and C++ * Familiarity with software ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsTechnology JobsSoftware JobsSoftware Engineering Specialist JobsProgramming Language Engineer Jobs

Programming Language Engineer information

See salary details

$39K

$101.8K

$137.5K

How much do programming language engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for programming language engineer in the United States is $101,752.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $84,000.00 and $116,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a programming language engineer?

Programming Language Engineers are specialized software engineers who design, implement, and maintain programming languages and their associated tools, such as compilers, interpreters, and development environments. They work on creating new programming languages or improving existing ones to enhance performance, security, and usability. Their responsibilities often include developing language specifications, optimizing code generation, and ensuring compatibility with hardware and software platforms. This role requires a deep understanding of computer science fundamentals, algorithms, and software architecture. Programming Language Engineers frequently collaborate with researchers and developers to advance programming technology.

What are some common challenges faced by programming language engineers when designing or maintaining a language?

Programming Language Engineers often encounter challenges related to balancing language performance, usability, and backward compatibility. They must continuously address evolving user needs, ensure that new features integrate seamlessly without introducing bugs, and optimize the language for various platforms. Collaboration with compiler developers, documentation teams, and the user community is crucial to gather feedback and ensure robust language evolution. Additionally, staying current with advancements in programming paradigms and tooling is essential for long-term success in this role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a programming language engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Programming Language Engineer, you need a strong background in computer science, expertise in compiler design, and proficiency in multiple programming languages, often supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with tools like LLVM, parser generators, and version control systems, as well as experience with language standards and development environments, is typically required. Analytical thinking, creativity, and effective communication are essential soft skills for solving complex problems and collaborating with cross-functional teams. These skills and qualities are crucial for designing robust programming languages and tools that meet user needs and advance software development.

What is the difference between Programming Language Engineer vs Software Developer?

AspectProgramming Language EngineerSoftware Developer
CredentialsBachelor's in Computer Science or related field; knowledge of programming languagesBachelor's in Computer Science or related field; coding skills
Work EnvironmentResearch and development, language design, compiler developmentApplication development, coding, debugging
Industry UsageTech companies, language tool providers, research labsSoftware firms, startups, enterprise IT
Search/Comparison IntentUnderstanding specialized language design rolesGeneral software development roles

Programming Language Engineers focus on designing, implementing, and optimizing programming languages and compilers, often working in R&D settings. Software Developers create applications and software solutions across various industries. While both roles require strong coding skills and a computer science background, Programming Language Engineers specialize in language architecture, whereas Software Developers focus on building software products.

What are popular job titles related to Programming Language Engineer jobs?

For Programming Language Engineer jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Programming Language Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 73% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $101,752 per year, or $48.9 per hour.

Programming Language Engineer

New York, NY • On-site

Jane Street
Finance and Insurance • 1 - 5K employees
Learn more about Jane Streetexternal

Full-time

Re-posted 17 days ago

Job description

About the Position

We're looking for Software Engineers with a background in programming languages to join one of our PL-focused teams at Jane Street.

Programming languages work at Jane Street spans a wide variety of different areas:

  • Language design and type systems. Designing language features and stronger type-level guarantees that let our developers express more of what they mean, and catch more mistakes at compile time.
  • Compilers and optimization. Investing in optimization, code generation, and backend work that translates directly into measurable speedups across the firm's most performance-sensitive systems.
  • Incremental and parallel computation. Building runtimes that can evaluate large, irregular, dynamic computation graphs incrementally and/or parallel across many cores and machines, with first-class attention to scheduling, memory, and resource accounting.
  • Support for high-performance computing, including work on tooling, verification techniques, and languages for hardware design, as well as support for programming GPUs and other ML accelerators.
  • Domain-specific languages. Designing, implementing, and evolving custom languages that power some of our most important internal platforms.
  • Tooling and developer experience. Profilers, debuggers, language servers, IDE integrations, documentation tools, and the surrounding infrastructure that makes a language genuinely pleasant to use at scale.

Some of this work involves working on open-source language implementations, like those of OCaml and Python, and for those areas, a meaningful portion of our work is open-source as well. Some of it involves custom languages and DSLs that we've built entirely in-house, some open-source, some purely internal.

We're looking for people who have:

  • Deep experience with-and love for-programming languages. There's no specific checklist; we are interested in people with experience in language design, type systems, compilers, runtimes, or DSL implementation
  • Top-notch programming skills
  • Strong interpersonal skills. Software engineering at Jane Street is highly collaborative, and we are looking for people who can work effectively in small, close-knit teams

No previous experience with OCaml or functional programming is required.

You only need to submit one application for Programming Language Engineering at Jane Street. We're excited to evaluate folks for areas across all of these roles, but if you feel like your experience relates best to a more specific area, please indicate that in the notes section of your application.

If you're a recruiting agency and want to partner with us, please reach out to agency-partnerships@janestreet.com.

Apply