Sr Software Systems Engineer

Section 1: Role Overview

• How does this role fit within the team/department? One of multiple software engineers on the team, joining the Desktop platform track. This engineer will build features and ship product on the Desktop browser (macOS/Windows) using AI coding tools as the primary development method. Unlike our Chromium specialist role, this person does not need deep Chromium internals expertise — they need to be a strong application engineer who can move fast with AI tools.
• Overview of the team: Cross-functional team (Product, Design, Engineering) building Yahoo's AI-powered browser across iOS, Android, and Desktop. The team uses AI coding tools (primarily Claude Code) as the primary development method — no code is written by hand.
• Key team goals: Build and ship Yahoo's next-generation AI-powered web browser on Desktop (macOS/Windows), with AI-driven features powered by LLMs and a polished consumer experience.

Section 2: Responsibilities & Expectations

• Primary responsibilities (daily/weekly):
  • Build features, fix bugs, and ship product on the Desktop browser application (macOS/Windows), which is built on top of Chromium.
  • Use AI coding tools (Claude Code, Codex) to write and maintain high-quality, efficient code — our team does not write code by hand.
  • Work across layers of the Desktop app — from UI components and browser chrome to backend service integrations — using AI tools to ramp quickly on unfamiliar areas.
  • Debug and resolve issues related to rendering, networking, and system integration on desktop platforms.
  • Participate in code reviews as applicable, weekly meetings, daily standups, and weekly demos (Fridays).
  • Occasionally work across platform boundaries when needed (e.g., touching backend services or shared code used by other platforms).
• Key projects or initiatives for the role:
  • Desktop browser feature development: AI-driven features, custom browser UI, and service integrations
  • Performance, stability, and quality improvements across the Desktop app
  • Developer tooling, CI/CD, and build system improvements as needed
• Success metrics or KPIs for this role:
  • Feature velocity — shipping user-facing desktop features within our 1-week cycle cadence
  • Effective use of AI coding tools — leveraging agents for implementation, managing multiple agent sessions, and maintaining quality through review
  • Ability to ramp quickly on unfamiliar parts of the codebase using AI tools to bridge knowledge gaps
  • Quality — PRs pass CI, don't regress existing features, and follow established conventions
• How is success measured?
  • PRs shipped per week
  • Stability metrics — crash rates, bug count, CI pass rate on desktop builds
  • Peer feedback and ability to unblock other engineers

Section 3: Candidate Profile

• Must-have skills/qualifications (technical, soft skills, certifications, tools):
  • 6 years of professional software engineering experience
  • Strong proficiency in at least one systems or application programming language (e.g., Swift, C , Rust, C#, or similar) — the Desktop app uses Swift (macOS) and C but AI tools help bridge language gaps
  • Experience building and shipping complex desktop applications on macOS and/or Windows
  • Strong problem-solving skills and comfort navigating large, unfamiliar codebases
  • Willingness and ability to use AI coding tools (Claude Code) as the primary development method — this is non-negotiable
• Ideal experience level (years, leadership, industries):
  • 6-10 years of software engineering with a track record of shipping consumer desktop products
  • Prior experience with large-scale desktop apps (browsers, IDEs, media apps, productivity tools, or similar)
  • No management or leadership requirement — this is a hands-on IC role
• Any preferred industries or companies for background?
  • Companies shipping consumer-facing desktop applications
  • Companies with fast-moving, small-team cultures (startups, growth-stage, or small teams within larger orgs)
  • Engineers who have already adopted AI coding tools in their workflow (Cursor, Copilot, Claude Code, Codex, Windsurf, etc.)
• Desired personality or work style:
  • Self-directed and autonomous — our team runs 1-week cycles with minimal process, no sprint planning or backlog grooming
  • Comfortable with AI-first development — must be willing to use AI agents as the primary coding method, not just autocomplete
  • Pragmatic and ship-oriented — we demo every Friday, everyone presents
  • Collaborative — ideas come from everywhere (engineering, design, product)
  • Comfortable with ambiguity and fast iteration — "ship-to-learn, not plan-to-ship"
  • Willing to work outside their comfort zone when needed
• Key attributes or values sought in the candidate:
  • Resourcefulness with AI tools — uses agents to bridge knowledge gaps rather than waiting to become an expert before contributing
  • Bias toward action — ship fast, iterate, learn
  • Strong communication — reaches out early for clarity rather than spinning in isolation
  • Adaptability — can pick up new parts of the codebase quickly and contribute meaningfully

Section 4: Recruitment & Logistics

• Hiring timeline and deadlines: ASAP — active need
• Interview process (who, how many rounds): 1 culture fit interview to assess team alignment and working style 1 pairing session where the candidate shares their screen, brings their preferred AI coding tools (IDE, CLI, or similar), and pair-programs on a simple Windows/macOS desktop project
• Location and remote work options: Remote
• Time zone preferences or travel requirements: US EST

Section 5: Closing Question s

• Challenges in hiring for this role in the past (if applicable):
  • Finding engineers who are genuinely comfortable with AI-first development — many claim to use AI tools but still default to writing code by hand. We need people who have actually changed how they work, not just added autocomplete.
  • Finding strong desktop application engineers — the industry has shifted heavily toward web and mobile, so experienced desktop engineers are less common than they used to be.
• What has worked well in hiring for similar roles?
  • Engineers that are able to delegate properly to coding agents, juggling multiple agents at once
  • Engineers that are willing to jump into new territory, balancing their engineering knowledge with their ability to use AI tools to fill in their knowledge gaps
  • Engineers that are proactive in delivering over paralyzed in decision — reaching out early for clarity rather than taking too long to deliver something not as expected
• Any additional details or red flags to note about the role or candidate?
  • Red flag: Resistance to AI coding tools — our entire team operates this way, and it's non-negotiable
  • Red flag: Not being able to work outside of their comfort zone — occasionally you may need to work across frontends and backend services to complete implementation
  • Red flag: Engineers who need heavy process or detailed specs to be productive — we move fast with lightweight issue descriptions and expect engineers to fill in gaps using AI tools and good judgment
  • Note: The codebase is a monorepo covering iOS, Android, Desktop, Cloud Functions, and Web. This role focuses on Desktop but may occasionally touch adjacent areas.

EEO:

“Mindlance is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of – Minority/Gender/Disability/Religion/LGBTQI/Age/Veterans.”