Software Engineer, Developer Experience & SDKs at Stellar… · San…

Interested in working on cutting-edge blockchain technology and creating equitable access to the global financial system? Since 2014, the mission-driven team at the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) has helped fuel the tremendous growth of the Stellar blockchain network, an open-source platform that operates at high-scale today. Developers and companies around the world build on it, and the SDF team is expanding to support the rapidly growing and changing Stellar ecosystem.

About the Project & Team:

At the SDF, a small team of roughly 8 engineers is incubating a novel distributed systems prototype. Not a blockchain as you know it, something new. This is a rare opportunity for a zero-to-one build where much of the infrastructure and tooling does not exist yet. You will be building it.

To be clear: this is not a maintenance role for our existing network, nor is it an academic research project. We are actively building a high-performance platform designed to handle real value.

We operate as a fast-moving, highly technical team with no layers of management. You will work directly with the protocol architect and core systems engineers to take this completely greenfield project to production. If you thrive on the urgency of a new launch and want the agility of an early-stage startup with the stability of SDF, this is the place to be.

About the Role

We have a working Rust SDK and a core system approaching its first e2e test. What we don't have is the developer experience layer that turns "it works for us" into "anyone can build on it."

You will own the SDKs, developer tooling, documentation, and the initial technical onboarding for our partners. This starts as a hardcore building role (Rust/TypeScript SDK, docs site, faucet, CLI tooling) and grows to include Developer Relations as we bring partners onto the platform. We need an engineer who can write production-quality developer tools and act as the primary technical interface for our first external users. You aren't just demoing other people's work, you are building the tools, writing the docs, and ensuring developer success.

What the First Few Months Look Like:

• Month 1: Get the full system running locally. Understand the Rust SDK and workflow. Identify the gaps between "works for the team" and "works for an outside developer."

• Month 2-3: TypeScript SDK with core functionality (submit transactions, query state). First draft of getting-started guide. Web faucet live.

• Month 4-6: CLI tooling, block explorer polish, API docs, example applications. Onboarding tested with real partner developers. Iterate based on feedback.

• Beyond: SDK expansion, developer portal, public testnet developer experience.

In this role, you will:

• TypeScript SDK: Build and maintain the SDK for application developers to complement the Rust SDK, wrapping our JSON-RPC API.

• Developer Tooling: Build the "developer daily driver," including CLI tooling for contract deployment, a reliable web faucet, and a web block explorer UI.

• Documentation: Write and maintain the "Getting Started" guide, API documentation, and realistic example applications to ensure new developers can deploy within 30 minutes.

• Developer Relations: Serve as the first point of contact for partner developers during the private testnet, translating their feedback directly into SDK and tooling improvements.

You have:

• Strong programming skills in TypeScript and an ability/willingness to work with Rust (you will build the TS SDK and contribute to the existing Rust SDK).

• Experience shipping developer tools, SDKs, or public-facing libraries.

• A high degree of empathy for developers and the ability to write clear, accurate, and engaging technical documentation.

• Comfortable being the public face of a highly technical product for early adopters.

Bonus Points if (optional):

• Experience with blockchain developer tooling (SDKs, block explorers, faucets, wallets).

• Familiarity with smart contract development patterns.

We offer competitive pay with a base salary range for this position of $140,000 - $210,000 depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, we offer lumen-denominated grants along with the following perks and benefits:

USA Benefits/Perks:

• Competitive health, dental & vision coverage with most plans covered at 100% for the employee + any dependents

• Flexible time off + 15 company holidays including a company-wide holiday break

• Generous paid parental leave for all parents, plus paid pregnancy disability leave for birthing parents

• Gym reimbursement ($80 per month)

• Life & ADD (up to $50K)

• Short & Long term disability

• 401K with 4% match

• Health & Dependent Care FSA Accounts

• Commuter benefits with $250/month employer contribution

• Health Savings Account (HSA) with monthly employer contribution

• Family building benefits through Kindbody

• Wellbeing benefits (One Medical, Rightway, Headspace)

• L&D budget of $1,500/year

• Daily lunch and snacks in office

• Company retreats

About Stellar

Stellar is more than a blockchain. Powered by a decentralized, fast, scalable, and uniquely sustainable network made for financial products and services and a thriving and passionate ecosystem that includes a non-profit organization driven by a mission, Stellar is paving the path to unlock the world’s economic potential through blockchain technology. Built with speed and low costs in mind, the Stellar network provides builders and financial institutions worldwide a platform to issue assets, and to send and convert currencies in real time creating real world utility. Founded in 2014, the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) supports the continued development and growth of the Stellar network and also serves the ecosystem of NGOs, corporations, universities, small businesses, governments, and solo entrepreneurs building on the Stellar network through tooling, funding and strategic collaborations. Together, Stellar is where blockchain meets the real world.

About the Stellar Development Foundation

The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) is a non-profit organization focused on working with and supporting change-makers to create equitable access to the global financial system through blockchain technology. SDF provides grants, investments, funding, and other awards to builders and organizations. SDF also develops resources and tooling on the Stellar network to help unlock real world utility. As a nonprofit foundation, SDF puts the health of the Stellar network and the Stellar ecosystem and its mission above all else.

We look forward to hearing from you!

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SDF is committed to diversity in its workforce and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. SDF does not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state or federal law.