ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Software Engineer Open Source Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Xora

Platform Director (Open Source)

State College, PA

$247K/yr

At Xora, we connect pioneering software developers in the AR/VR space and deliver an open source stack for trusted, high performing, cross-platform software development. Our software auto compiles to ...

Qualcomm

Compiler Software Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. is seeking a Compiler Software Engineer to enable open source developers to build software for Qualcomm silicon. The role involves enhancing compiler toolsets and ...

Canonical

Software Engineer - OpenStack

Chicago, IL · On-site +1

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global ... We are hiring a Software Engineer for our OpenStack Engineering team. This is an exciting ...

Wrenchio LLC

Software Engineer- All Levels

Laurel, MD · On-site

The role of Software Engineer includes developing, maintaining, and enhancing software systems in ... ELK Stack (ElasticSearch, Logstash and Kibana), Nagios Desired Skills: - Apache Open Source Hadoop ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsSoftware Engineer Open Source Jobs

Software Engineer Open Source information

See salary details

$63.5K

$147.5K

$205.5K

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

As of Jul 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for software engineer open source in the United States is $147,524.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $120,000.00 and $173,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Software Engineer Open Source, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Software Engineer Open Source, you need strong programming skills (often in languages like Python, JavaScript, or C++), a solid understanding of software development principles, and experience contributing to public code repositories. Familiarity with version control systems like Git, open source collaboration platforms such as GitHub or GitLab, and knowledge of CI/CD tools are typically expected. Excellent communication, collaboration, and self-motivation help you work effectively with distributed teams and diverse communities. These skills are crucial to build high-quality software, foster community trust, and drive impactful contributions in open-source environments.

How do Software Engineers in open source projects typically collaborate with a distributed team?

Software Engineers working on open source projects often collaborate with contributors from around the world using asynchronous communication tools like GitHub, Slack, and mailing lists. Team members submit and review code through pull requests, participate in discussions through issues, and attend virtual meetings when necessary. This distributed structure requires strong written communication skills, self-motivation, and familiarity with version control workflows. Engaging with a diverse community also provides valuable networking opportunities and exposure to a wide range of technical challenges.

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

AspectSoftware Engineer Open SourceSoftware Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in CS or related field, sometimes open source contributionsBachelor's in CS or related field, sometimes certifications
Work EnvironmentCollaborative, community-driven projects, often remoteCorporate or startup settings, team-based, often in-office or hybrid
Industry UsageTech companies, open source communities, nonprofitsTech, finance, healthcare, and various industries
Search & Comparison IntentFocus on open source contributions, community involvementBroader software development roles, product focus

While both roles involve software development, Software Engineer Open Source emphasizes contributions to open source projects and community collaboration, often with a focus on transparency and shared knowledge. Software Engineers in general may work on proprietary products within organizations. The key difference lies in the environment and nature of work, with open source roles being more community-oriented and transparent.

What does a Software Engineer Open Source do?

A Software Engineer Open Source designs, develops, and maintains software that is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. They typically contribute to open source projects by writing code, fixing bugs, and collaborating with a global community of developers. Their work often involves using and improving open source tools, libraries, and frameworks, ensuring code quality, and adhering to community standards and licensing requirements. Open source software engineers may work for companies that support open source projects or contribute in their free time to public repositories.
What states have the most Software Engineer Open Source jobs? States with the most job openings for Software Engineer Open Source jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Software Engineer Open Source jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Software Engineer Open Source jobs are:
Software Engineer Open Source jobs near you
Infographic showing various Software Engineer Open Source job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Locum Tenens, 94% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,524 per year, or $70.9 per hour.
Sr. Open-Source Software Engineer - Apache Cassandra

Sr. Open-Source Software Engineer - Apache Cassandra

NetApp

Seattle, WA • On-site

$139K - $183K/yr

Full-time

Posted 11 days ago

Job description

Job Summary:
NetApp is a leading provider of cloud data services and data management solutions, and they are seeking a Senior Open Source Software Engineer specializing in Apache Cassandra. In this role, the successful applicant will lead upstream initiatives, manage core releases, and mentor engineers, while influencing community direction and translating customer needs into technical proposals.
Responsibilities:
• Lead end-to-end upstream initiatives in Apache Cassandra, from CEP authoring and design consensus through implementation, review, and release, in domains such as storage/compaction, indexing and SAI/vector, distributed repair, observability, and Cassandra releases.
• Provide binding committer reviews on upstream patches and community contributions, applying the technical rigor and authority that moves high-quality work through the Apache Cassandra review process.
• Co-own Apache Cassandra core release management as part of the rotating committer pool and, where capacity allows, contribute to NetApp-led ecosystem releases (Cassandra Sidecar, Analytics, GoCQL).
• Translate enterprise customer needs into credible upstream proposals, CEP-level designs, and sustained technical engagement that only a committer can supply; advise product and field teams on complex upstream trade-offs.
• Shape community direction through evidence-based participation on the dev@ mailing list, Apache Jira, GitHub, and community forums; influence project decisions on architecture, release policy, contribution standards, and long-term roadmap.
• Mentor engineers toward committer standing and raise overall contribution quality through rigorous review practices, test discipline, and clear engineering guidance.
• Improve upstream infrastructure - CI reliability, test coverage, contributor tooling, and release automation - to reduce project-wide maintenance burden and strengthen NetApp's reputation as a steward of the project.
Qualifications:
Required:
• A minimum of 12 years of applicable professional software engineering experience is required.
• Current Apache Cassandra committer status with a sustained and publicly verifiable upstream track record across patches, reviews, and community standing in Cassandra core or a closely related subproject.
• Expert Java engineering capability in performance-sensitive, concurrent, and production-grade distributed systems - comfortable writing, reviewing, and reasoning about complex Cassandra internals at depth.
• Deep mastery of Apache Cassandra internals in at least one major domain: storage engine and compaction, indexing and SAI/vector, distributed consensus and repair (including Accord and CEP-37), observability and virtual tables, or release management and CI.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical work through the Apache open source governance model: CEP authoring or co-sponsorship, design consensus, mailing-list engagement, and Jira-driven delivery from proposal through merge.
• Strong written communication for asynchronous, global, public technical collaboration - mailing lists, design documents, code reviews, and Jira threads.
• Proven senior-level technical judgment: resolves most blockers independently, determines approach on novel or ambiguous assignments, surfaces systemic risks proactively, and produces work that is consistent with project and team objectives.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering or technical related field of study Or additional equivalent experience.
Preferred:
• PMC membership in Apache Cassandra or a related Apache subproject.
• Track record of work in Cassandra 6.0 feature areas (Accord, Transactional Cluster Metadata, CEP-37 automated repair, CEP-38 CQL Management API, ZSTD dictionary compression, SAI/vector write performance).
• Experience connecting upstream technical leadership to enterprise customer and operator outcomes - translating production pain points into accepted community improvements.
• History of mentoring contributors toward reviewer or committer standing in an open governance project.
• Familiarity with Cassandra ecosystem subprojects: Sidecar, Analytics (Spark bulk), GoCQL, or Apache Cassandra drivers.
Company:
NetApp specializes in data storage, data infrastructure, and data management solutions. Founded in 1992, the company is headquartered in San Jose, USA, with a team of 10001+ employees. The company is currently Late Stage.

Apply