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Software Engineer Open Source Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Xora

Platform Director (Open Source)

State College, PA · On-site

$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 ...

Socket.dev

WI · On-site

$112K - $147K/yr

Are you excited about open-source software, developer tools, and the future of agentic applications? We are looking for a Senior Software Engineer to help build the core libraries, evaluation systems ...

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Software Engineer Open Source information

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$63.5K

$147.5K

$205.5K

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

As of Sep 15, 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 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 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 states have the most Software Engineer Open Source jobs?

States with the most job openings for Software Engineer Open Source jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Software Engineer Open Source jobs?

For Software Engineer Open Source jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What other helpful pages are available for Software Engineer Open Source?

Other pages related to Software Engineer Open Source:

Software Engineer Open Source jobs near you
Infographic showing various Software Engineer Open Source job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Full Time, and 50% Contract. Highlights an 50% In-person, and 50% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,524 per year, or $70.9 per hour.

Staff Software Engineer (TN)

Nashville, TN • On-site

Matthews
See more jobs at Matthewsexternal

$170K - $220K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 15 days ago

Job description

The Staff Software Engineer is a technical leader who drives reliability, performance, and long-term maintainability across our systems. This role goes beyond feature delivery: you will shape architecture, mentor engineers, reduce operational toil, and help the organization see problems in metrics before customers experience them.
You are expected to operate with high autonomy, strong judgment, and a bias toward durable solutions over quick fixes.
This role is based on-site at our Nashville, TN office. Please note that we do not currently have the capability to provide visa sponsorships of any kind.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership
  • Lead design and implementation of complex systems across frontend, backend, and infrastructure boundaries.
  • Make architectural decisions that balance scalability, reliability, and developer velocity.
  • Set standards for code quality, testing, observability, and operational readiness.
Engineering Execution
  • Build and maintain web applications using React and TypeScript.
  • Design and implement APIs and data models using Golang, Python, GraphQL, and Postgres.
  • Drive CI/CD automation using GitHub Actions, Terraform, and infrastructure-as-code practices.
  • Identify and eliminate sources of toil through automation and system improvements.
Operational Excellence
  • Proactively identify reliability risks using metrics, logs, and traces.
  • Lead incident response and postmortems with a focus on systemic improvement.
  • Champion observability using tools such as Grafana, Prometheus, and Loki.
Mentorship & Collaboration
  • Mentor mid-level and junior engineers in technical skills and engineering judgment.
  • Provide thoughtful, constructive code reviews.
  • Communicate technical risks, tradeoffs, and long-term needs clearly to leadership.
Requirements
  • 12+ years of professional software engineering experience
  • Deep experience with modern web applications (React strongly preferred)
  • Strong background in at least one typed language beyond TypeScript
  • Solid understanding of distributed systems, networking, security, and DNS
  • Strong SQL skills (schema design, performance, complex queries)
  • Demonstrated ability to lead technical initiatives end-to-end
  • A strong aversion to manual, repetitive toil (per Google SRE principles)
Preferred Extras
  • Golang in production systems
  • Kubernetes and container orchestration
  • Terraform and cloud infrastructure (AWS preferred)
  • Experience as a Site Reliability Engineer
  • Open-source contributions
  • Code generation frameworks
  • GraphQL schema design
  • Linux internals and CLI tooling
  • Experience with LLMs, LangChain/LangGraph, and vector databases

Salary Range - $170k-220k depending on capability level and industry experience
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