Staff Research Engineer, GitHub Next

Overview

As a Staff Research Engineer on the GitHub Next team, you will drive technical innovation by researching, designing, and prototyping tools and technologies that empower millions of developers. This role is a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of research, engineering, and product development. You will collaborate closely with researchers, product teams, and the open-source community to transform bold ideas into practical solutions that enhance the developer ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead research initiatives to explore new paradigms in software development and developer tooling.
• Design and build high-quality prototypes that demonstrate the potential of novel technologies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including machine learning researchers, product managers, and engineers.
• Stay abreast of advancements in fields such as AI/ML, software engineering, and developer experience.
• Contribute to technical decision-making, roadmap planning, and long-term strategic goals.
• Publish findings, share insights, and represent GitHub Next at conferences, blogs, and within the developer community.

Qualifications:

Required Skills and Experience:

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, research, or related technical roles.
• Strong expertise in programming languages such as Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, or Rust.
• Proven experience in research and development, with a focus on prototyping and building innovative solutions.
• Knowledge of machine learning frameworks and techniques, including experience with tools like PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Familiarity with modern developer workflows, CI/CD pipelines, and version control systems like Git.
• Exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to tackle complex, ambiguous challenges.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• A deep understanding of GitHub’s industry and business context and the ability to articulate topics related to our product and audience
• Has held roles that deal with topics at the boundary of human knowledge regarding software development and developers
• Have significant experience with one or more frontend technologies. We currently default to Typescript and React for the web, but we also have some efforts underway with Svelte and SvelteKit. “Whatever enables us to ship” is the top concern
• Have significant experience with machine learning, LLMs, and the rapidly-evolving landscape of techniques and tools used to build intelligence into products
• Have significant experience with one or more backend technologies: server-side environments, compute, datastores, networking, infrastructure, devops, security, and programming languages
• Have significant experience with open-source software, communities, and the systems these communities use to self-organize and ship software for others
• Have significant experience operating production systems at a nontrivial scale and are familiar with the common patterns and pitfalls of that work
• Have significant experience in another area of computing that is relevant to our mission. Human-computer interaction, distributed systems, $YOURTHING

GitHub values

• Customer-obsessed
• Ship to learn
• Growth mindset
• Own the outcome
• Better together
• Diverse and inclusive

Manager fundamentals

• Model
• Coach
• Care

Leadership principles

• Create clarity
• Generate energy
• Deliver success

Who We Are

GitHub is the world’s leading AI-powered developer platform with 100 million developers and counting. We’re also home to the biggest open-source community on earth (and 99% of the world’s software has open-source code in its DNA). Many of the apps and programs you use every day are built on GitHub.
Our teams are dreamers, doers, and pioneers, leading the way in AI, driving humanitarian efforts around the globe, and even sending open source to Mars (and beyond!). At GitHub, our goal is to create the space you need to do your best work. We’re remote-first and offer competitive pay, generous learning and growth opportunities, and excellent benefits to support you, wherever you are—because we know that people flourish when they can work on their own terms.
Join us, and let’s change the world, together.

EEO Statement

GitHub is made up of people from a wide variety of backgrounds and lifestyles. We embrace diversity and invite applications from people of all walks of life. We don’t discriminate against employees or applicants based on gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, age, national origin, citizenship, disability, pregnancy status, veteran status, or any other differences. Also, if you have a disability, please let us know if there’s any way we can make the interview process better for you; we’re happy to accommodate!

Why Join GitHub Next?

• Work with a passionate, innovative team committed to transforming the developer experience.
• Collaborate on cutting-edge projects that shape the future of software development.
• Enjoy a flexible, remote-first work environment with a culture of transparency and inclusivity.
• Access world-class learning opportunities and professional growth resources.