
Staff Software Engineer
Anaconda · United States
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- $184,500 / year
- United States
Job highlights
- Build and evolve package compilation toolchain.
- Shape technical strategy for production releases.
- Collaborate with Python wheels and distribution teams.
- Mentor engineers on architecture and packaging.
- Lead incident response for build infrastructure.
About the role
About Anaconda
Be at the center of AI
Anaconda is built to advance AI with open source at scale, giving builders and organizations the confidence to increase productivity, and save time, spend and risk associated with open source. 95% of the Fortune 500 including Panasonic, AmTrust, Booz Allen Hamilton and over 50 million users rely on the value The Anaconda AI Platform delivers through a centralized approach to sourcing, securing, building, and deploying AI. With 21 billion downloads and growing, Anaconda has established itself as the gold standard for Python, data science, and AI and the enterprise-ready solution of choice for AI innovation. Anaconda is backed by world-class investors including Insight Partners. Learn more at https://www.anaconda.com.
Summary
Anaconda has always built and shipped conda packages. Now we're expanding into wheels, the format used across the wider Python ecosystem, so builders who would otherwise go to PyPI or conda-forge for a package can find it with us instead. That shift has already taken our catalog from around 2,000 packages to more than 6,000, and wheels.
You'll join a small, focused team building the toolchain that compiles these packages from source. As our Staff Software Engineer, you'll help carry that work from prototype to production: shaping technical strategy, building out the tooling, and working closely with our pure Python wheels and distribution teams as the effort scales.
What You'll Do
- Build and evolve the toolchain that compiles complex packages like NumPy, SciPy and PyTorch from source, moving the effort from research into production.
- Create, review, and evolve conda recipes, build tooling, and release processes that keep compiled packages reliable at scale.
- Partner with our pure Python wheels and distribution teams so both efforts stay in step as automation and infrastructure needs grow.
- Mentor engineers on architecture, debugging, and packaging practices, sharing context as you go rather than hoarding it.
- Lead postmortems, capacity planning, and incident response for build and distribution infrastructure.
- Advise technical leadership on project scoping and delivery trade offs, bringing full context before recommending a path.
- Comfortable engaging with AI assisted development tools, such as Claude Code, as appropriate, including reviewing and validating AI generated code before it ships.
Your Impact Will Be Measured Through
- Growth of Anaconda's compiled package catalog and reliability of the build and release pipeline.
- Reduction in manual, repetitive engineering work through automation.
- Cross team adoption of packaging standards and reusable components.
- Time to resolution for build and distribution incidents.
What You Need
- 10+ years of professional software development experience, including driving technical strategy, system design, and architecture evolution.
- Deep, hands on experience in C/C++, comfortable debugging and fixing issues at the compilation and linking level across large codebases.
- Experience building or maintaining production software across multiple operating systems, such as Linux, macOS, and Windows.
- Experience using AI assisted development tools, such as Claude Code, as part of a professional workflow, including reviewing and validating AI generated code before it ships.
- Experience with Git or another version control system.
What Will Make You Stand Out
- Active contributor to a mainstream toolchain such as GCC or LLVM, a dynamic linker, or direct experience developing compilers or linkers.
- Working knowledge of libc++/libstdc++/STL and glibc, macOS SDKs, or UCRT/vcruntime on Windows.
- Familiarity with distribution tooling such as the RedHat devtoolset, or experience maintaining a Linux distribution, Homebrew, or a similar package system at scale.
- Proficiency with build tools such as CMake, Bazel, Make, or Automake, and working knowledge of the Python packaging ecosystem, including manylinux.
- Experience with GPU build tooling and runtime environments (e.g., CUDA, cuDNN).
- Active involvement in the conda-forge or wider Python packaging community, ideally gained in a fast paced, open source driven environment, with public projects you can walk us through.
- Programming experience in Python, particularly for build automation or infrastructure tooling.
- You embody our values: “Curious by Default”, “Build Together”, “Own It”, and “Lead with Guts and Heart”, and our behaviors: Clarity, Care and Candor.
- You care deeply about fostering an environment where people of all backgrounds and experiences can flourish.
Why You'll Like Working Here
- You'll thrive in a high-performance environment where results are recognized and rewarded
- Your work directly contributes to shaping the future of data science, machine learning, and AI in the enterprise.
- You'll work alongside a collaborative team that values diverse, thoughtful discussion, clarity and candor.
- You'll be supported by a culture that puts employees first - with flexible hours, a fully remote setup, and a genuine commitment to your wellbeing and growth.
The application deadline for this role is 09/24/2026; applicants will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the role is filled.
The base salary range for this role is $149,500 - $219,500, along with annual bonus potential, equity participation, and benefits.
Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual compensation is determined by various factors, including work location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter will provide more specific details on the salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
In addition to base salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- Flexible Vacation Policy
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Short Term and Long Term Disability
- Paid Parental Leave
- Monthly Wellness Stipend
- Employee Assistance Program and Mental Health Resources
An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
Anaconda, Inc. (“We”, “Us”) are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Notice sets out the basis on which the personal data collected from you, or that you provide to Us, will be processed by Us in connection with Our recruitment processes.
By clicking “Submit Application”, you acknowledge you have read our Privacy Policy and that Anaconda can retain your application data for up to 1-year, unless otherwise stated. For the purpose of the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”)) and the version of the GDPR retained in UK law (the “UK GDPR”) the Data Controller is Vanessa Macilwaine.
Anaconda is an EEO/AA employer M/F/V/D.
Key skills/competency
- Staff Software Engineer
- C/C++
- System Design
- Architecture
- Build Tooling
- Package Management
- Python
- AI Assisted Development
- Open Source
- Linux
Skills & topics
- Staff Software Engineer
- Software Engineering
- C++
- Build Toolchain
- Package Management
- Python
- AI Development
- Open Source
- Linux
- System Design
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight C/C++ and build toolchain experience.
- Showcase open source contributions: Detail involvement in conda-forge or similar.
- Emphasize AI tool experience: Document use of AI assisted development.
- Prepare for technical questions: Be ready to discuss system design and C++ debugging.
- Understand Anaconda's values: Align your responses with their core principles.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What are the key responsibilities for a Staff Software Engineer at Anaconda?
- As a Staff Software Engineer at Anaconda, you will build and evolve the toolchain for compiling complex packages like NumPy, SciPy, and PyTorch from source. You'll also create and maintain conda recipes, build tooling, and release processes, while mentoring other engineers and leading incident response for build and distribution infrastructure.
- What technical skills are essential for this Staff Software Engineer role at Anaconda?
- Essential technical skills include 10+ years of software development experience, deep C/C++ expertise for debugging compilation and linking issues, experience with cross-OS production software, and familiarity with AI assisted development tools like Claude Code. Experience with Git is also required.
- What makes a candidate stand out for the Staff Software Engineer position at Anaconda?
- Standout candidates will have experience contributing to mainstream toolchains (GCC, LLVM), knowledge of low-level libraries (libc++, glibc), familiarity with distribution tooling (RedHat devtoolset, Homebrew), proficiency with build tools (CMake, Bazel), and experience with GPU build tooling. Active involvement in the Python packaging community is highly valued.
- Can you tell me more about Anaconda's remote work policy for this role?
- Anaconda offers a fully remote setup for this position, supporting flexible hours and a genuine commitment to employee wellbeing and growth. This allows for a good work-life balance.
- What is the salary range and benefits package for the Staff Software Engineer role at Anaconda?
- The base salary range for this role is $149,500 - $219,500 annually, with potential for an annual bonus, equity participation, and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision insurance, flexible vacation, and paid parental leave.
- How does Anaconda use AI assisted development tools in its engineering processes?
- Anaconda encourages engineers to comfortably engage with AI assisted development tools, such as Claude Code, as part of their professional workflow. This includes reviewing and validating AI-generated code before it is shipped, ensuring quality and efficiency.
- What is Anaconda's approach to open source and community involvement for this role?
- Anaconda is built on open source principles and values active community involvement. Experience with open source projects, particularly in the Python packaging ecosystem like conda-forge, is highly desirable and can significantly strengthen an application.