Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Anaconda is an AI and open-source company focused on Python, data science, and enterprise AI solutions. The Staff Software Engineer will lead the evolution of the Kilo Code VS Code extension by setting technical direction, shipping advanced AI-assisted coding features, optimizing performance at scale, mentoring engineers, and driving cross-team initiatives.
Responsibilities
- Set technical direction for performance optimization initiatives across startup time, memory footprint, and CLI communication, establishing patterns and instrumentation that the team can leverage
- Design, build, and ship advanced features including granular auto-approval rules, context optimization, and Smart Apply workflows, then extract the patterns so the team can reuse them
- Drive cross-team initiatives that span the extension, backend services, and AI infrastructure, translating business priorities into technical roadmaps and breaking down complex problems into shippable increments
- Mentor engineers on the team through code review, architectural discussions, and pairing sessions, raising the bar for code quality, testing practices, and performance rigor
- Own end-to-end delivery of high-impact features from technical design through production deployment, including rollout strategy, telemetry design, and post-launch iteration based on user feedback
- Establish engineering standards for AI coding workflows including context window optimization, token compression strategies, and chat interface patterns that serve 6T+ tokens per month
- Identify and prioritize technical debt and performance bottlenecks proactively, balancing feature velocity with long-term system health on a mature codebase serving millions
- Partner with Product and Design to shape roadmap priorities, advocating for technical feasibility and incremental delivery while representing engineering constraints and opportunities
Skills
- 10+ years of professional software development experience with demonstrated technical leadership on production systems serving large user bases
- Proven track record of setting technical direction for complex projects, making architectural decisions under uncertainty, and delivering results through both hands-on contribution and technical leadership
- Deep experience building developer tools, IDE extensions, or similar productivity software with 100K+ users, including performance optimization and scale considerations
- Expertise in TypeScript and modern JavaScript including asynchronous patterns, event-driven architectures, and Node.js runtime optimization
- Track record of performance optimization work at scale including profiling, instrumentation, and measurable improvements in startup time, memory usage, or throughput
- Experience working with AI-assisted coding tools, chat interfaces, or agent-based development workflows, including context window management and LLM integration patterns
- Demonstrated ability to influence technical decisions across teams, mentor other engineers, and elevate engineering practices through code review, documentation, or tooling
- Strong product sense and ability to partner with non-engineering stakeholders to translate business needs into technical solutions and tradeoffs
- Based in and willing to work Eastern TimeZone hours
- You've set technical direction for developer tools at companies building IDE extensions, AI coding assistants, or productivity platforms, with measurable impact on product quality or team velocity
- You have deep expertise in performance optimization for high-scale systems, with specific experience profiling and optimizing VS Code extensions, Electron apps, or similar runtime environments
- You've led cross-functional initiatives in fast-paced startup environments where you balanced technical leadership with hands-on contribution and shipped with minimal process overhead
- You've mentored engineers through architectural decisions, code review, or technical design, with clear examples of engineers leveling up through your guidance
- You've contributed to open-source projects as a core maintainer or technical lead, navigating community dynamics while maintaining code quality and project direction
- You have experience working at AI or data science-focused companies building tools for technical audiences, with deep understanding of developer workflows and pain points
- 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
Benefits
- Annual bonus potential
- Equity participation
- 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
- Flexible hours
- A fully remote setup
- A genuine commitment to your wellbeing and growth
- A paid trial, 3-5 days of real work for real pay, with a defined deliverable
- In-person onboarding in Austin, TX
Company Overview
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