Job details

Software Engineer, Package Management

Astral

At Astral, our goal is to make the Python ecosystem more productive by building next-generation developer tools — tools that enable developers to ship great software, faster.

To start, we're building Ruff, an extremely fast Python linter and formatter; and uv, an extremely fast Python package manager — two of the fastest-growing developer tools ever.

Our early team includes the authors of ripgrep, bat, hyperfine, and maturin; early, core contributors to Biome and Prefect; and multiple CPython core developers — all building at the intersection of Rust and Python.

The Role

This role centers on uv, an extremely fast Python package and project manager, written in Rust.

Since launch, uv has grown to tens of millions of downloads per month, and now accounts for hundreds of millions of network requests per day to the Python Package Index (PyPI).

Work on uv tends to span the spectrum from low-level optimization work to high-level user experience design. If you like working on SAT solvers, it could be a good fit. If you like thinking about the future of the Python developer experience, it could also be a good fit.

As with all positions at Astral, being an open source maintainer is a big part of the job too: engaging with the community, reviewing pull requests, debugging issues, and generally contributing to our culture of developing in the open.

Strong candidates tend to have deep experience with Rust, Python, open source, or developer tools — but few candidates are deep in all of these areas, and we've successfully hired candidates with no prior Rust experience alongside candidates with no prior Python experience.

The Team

We're not only remote, but highly distributed. We hire from UTC-7 (e.g., San Francisco, USA) to UTC+1 (e.g., Munich, Germany), and get together twice annually for week-long, in-person on-sites.
We pay competitively (salary and equity) and offer comprehensive benefits (healthcare and more).
Our work is highly collaborative, but as is common in open source, much of that collaboration takes place asynchronously (in Discord, or GitHub, or Notion). We minimize meetings, and maximize time spent working in code.

Our Process

Our hiring process is entirely remote and does not include any live coding segments. Instead, while the process may vary from candidate to candidate, it generally consists of three phases, each designed to mimic the kind of engagement and interactions you would have as a member of the team:

A take-home project, where we ask you to build a command-line tool based on a pre-defined specification.
A presentation, where we ask you to present on some of your own work, and have the kind of technical conversation you'd have as a member of the team, grounded in something that you know well.
A co-working engagement, where we spend time working through issues and pull requests synchronously.

Along the way, we'll talk through your background and interests to determine whether Astral is a good fit for your career goals.

Reach us directly at hiring@astral.sh.

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What You Should Know About Software Engineer, Package Management, Astral

At Astral, we’re on a mission to supercharge the Python ecosystem by crafting state-of-the-art developer tools that help developers produce high-quality software faster. We’re excited to welcome a passionate Software Engineer specializing in Package Management to our dynamic team. In this role, you’ll work on 'uv', an ultra-fast Python package and project manager written in Rust, which has already achieved remarkable success, boasting tens of millions of downloads every month. You'll have the opportunity to engage in a wide range of tasks, from low-level optimizations to enhancing the user experience. Whether you’re interested in SAT solvers or have a vision for the future of Python development, there’s a place for you here. As a member of our team, you’ll also be actively involved in open source maintenance, community engagement, and contributing to our collaborative culture. We pride ourselves on our remote work environment, hiring from UTC-7 to UTC+1, and gathering twice a year for in-person team meetings. At Astral, we offer competitive salaries, equity, and comprehensive benefits while minimizing meetings to maximize your coding time. If you’re ready to be part of something transformative in the developer tools space, we can’t wait to meet you!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Software Engineer, Package Management Role at Astral

What should I know about the Software Engineer, Package Management position at Astral?

The Software Engineer, Package Management role at Astral focuses on developing 'uv', an innovative Python package and project manager. Candidates will work on various aspects of the project, contributing to its optimization and user experience enhancement while also participating in open source initiatives within the community.