Desktop Applications Developer

Skillsearch Limited; United States; Hybrid; USD 86,000 - 112,000; Full time

Job summary

Skillsearch Limited is seeking a Desktop Software Engineer to lead the development of high-performance cross-platform desktop applications using Electron, TypeScript and React. You will own desktop experiences with real-time AI-powered features, ensuring reliability across Windows and macOS within a fast-moving engineering team.

You’ll work on architecture, local data handling, real-time systems and seamless deployment, collaborating with backend and product teams to deliver responsive, scalable

Qualifications

• Proven professional software engineering experience.
• Experience developing and shipping production Electron applications.
• Experience building desktop software used in real-world environments.
• Track record delivering performant and reliable user-facing applications.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain cross-platform desktop applications using Electron.
• Develop scalable and responsive user interfaces.
• Ensure applications remain stable, reliable and performant across operating systems.
• Contribute to overall application architecture and technical direction.
• Integrate AI-powered capabilities through backend services and APIs.
• Support intelligent features such as conversational experiences, AI assistants, automated workflows, agent-driven functionality.
• Profile Electron applications and resolve performance bottlenecks.
• Improve startup times, memory usage and real-time responsiveness.

Skills

JavaScript

TypeScript

Electron

React

IPC

SQL

NoSQL

WebSockets

Performance debugging

Tools

SQLite

IndexedDB

Filesystem storage

Node.js

Job description

Are you an experienced Desktop Software Engineer with expertise in Electron, TypeScript and building high-performance desktop applications?

Join an ambitious technology company building next-generation AI-powered software. This is an opportunity to own the desktop experience, developing applications where performance, reliability and real-time responsiveness are critical to the user experience.

About The Role

As a Desktop Software Engineer, you will be responsible for designing, building and maintaining cross-platform desktop applications that deliver intelligent, real-time experiences to users.

You'll focus on creating reliable and performant applications that seamlessly integrate AI-powered features while ensuring a smooth experience across Windows and macOS. This is not simply a frontend role. You'll work across application architecture, local data management, real-time systems and desktop-specific functionality.

Working closely with backend and product teams, you'll help shape how users interact with intelligent features through responsive and scalable desktop experiences.

What You'll Do

Desktop Application Development

• Build and maintain cross-platform desktop applications using Electron.
• Develop scalable and responsive user interfaces.
• Ensure applications remain stable, reliable and performant across operating systems.
• Contribute to overall application architecture and technical direction.

AI-Powered Product Experiences

• Integrate AI-powered capabilities through backend services and APIs.
• Support intelligent features such as:
  • Conversational experiences
  • AI assistants
  • Automated workflows
  • Agent-driven functionality
• Ensure AI features feel responsive and reliable within desktop environments.

Performance & Optimisation

• Optimise startup performance and runtime efficiency.
• Reduce memory consumption and application overhead.
• Profile Electron applications and resolve performance bottlenecks.
• Improve responsiveness across large-scale application states and datasets.
• Continuously monitor and improve system performance.

Desktop Platform Features

• Implement desktop-specific functionality including:
  • File system access
  • Native notifications
  • Deep linking
  • Auto-update systems
  • Native operating system integrations
• Ensure seamless user experiences across Windows and macOS platforms.

Real-Time Systems

• Build and optimise real-time communication features.
• Develop systems supporting:
  • Live updates
  • Presence indicators
  • Messaging
  • Collaborative workflows
• Manage large local state stores and message histories efficiently.
• Ensure low-latency and reliable synchronisation experiences.

What We're Looking For

Experience

• Proven professional software engineering experience.
• Experience developing and shipping production Electron applications.
• Experience building desktop software used in real-world environments.
• Track record delivering performant and reliable user-facing applications.

Technical Skills

• Strong JavaScript and TypeScript expertise.
• Experience with Electron.
• Strong React or modern frontend framework experience.
• Understanding of desktop application architecture and lifecycle management.
• Experience with IPC communication patterns.
• Experience working with local storage solutions including:
  • SQLite
  • IndexedDB
  • Filesystem-based storage
• Experience building real-time applications using WebSockets or similar technologies.

Performance & Debugging

• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills.
• Experience profiling application performance.
• Ability to identify and resolve memory and performance issues.
• Understanding of scalability challenges in desktop applications.

Platform Knowledge

• Familiarity with native operating system behaviours.
• Experience supporting Windows and/or macOS environments.
• Understanding of desktop deployment and update workflows.

Technology Stack

• Electron
• Node.js
• TypeScript
• SQL databases
• NoSQL databases
• React and modern frontend technologies
• WebSockets and real-time communication systems

Success In This Role

• Desktop applications remain fast, stable and highly reliable.
• AI-powered features integrate seamlessly into the user experience.
• Startup times, memory consumption and runtime performance continuously improve.
• Real-time collaboration features operate smoothly under production loads.
• Applications maintain a consistent experience across macOS and Windows.
• Technical decisions balance performance, maintainability and user experience.

Working Environment

You'll join a small, highly capable team where engineers take ownership of features and systems from design through production. Team members are encouraged to contribute ideas, challenge assumptions and make meaningful technical decisions.

We value strong engineering fundamentals, rapid execution and continuous learning. This is an environment where individuals can have significant influence over both product direction and technical architecture.

Why Join?

• Build sophisticated desktop products with real-world impact.
• Work at the intersection of AI, productivity and user experience.
• Significant ownership and technical influence.
• Collaborate with a highly talented engineering team.
• Solve challenging performance, reliability and scalability problems.
• Help shape a category-defining software product.

Location: Remote from UK / Hybrid
Employment Type: Full-time
Salary Range:£65,000 - £85,000 GBP per annum

If you're passionate about building fast, reliable desktop applications and enjoy solving complex engineering challenges, we'd love to hear from you.