Software Engineer, The Stacks - Radial Science

Astera Institute; Emeryville (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Astera Institute seeks a full-time software engineer to develop and enhance The Stacks, a new content platform aimed at improving knowledge-sharing. The ideal candidate will have experience building complex web applications and a user-centered mindset.

Located in Emeryville, CA, the role requires collaboration across teams and strong architectural judgment. Compensation will be competitive based on experience.

Qualifications

• 2-3+ years experience building and maintaining software systems.
• Interest in content-heavy or knowledge-based platforms.
• Strong engineering fundamentals and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain The Stacks, including backend services and frontend interfaces.
• Implement user-facing interfaces using modern web technologies.
• Assist in building APIs for content management.

Skills

Experience with TypeScript

Experience with React

Experience with Node.js

Experience with SQL databases

Education

BA/BS in Computer Science or equivalent experience

Tools

Version control systems

CI/CD workflows

Job description

About Astera

Astera is a private foundation on a mission to steer science and technology toward an abundant future. We believe the coming years will bring an era of unprecedented scientific and technological advancement as exponential progress in AI converges with central advances in other fields to dramatically accelerate innovation. This inflection point provides an unparalleled opportunity to fundamentally rethink the institutions, systems, and tools that drive scientific progress.

Unlike traditional non‑profit research organizations, projects supported by Astera operate like high‑velocity startups, allowing us to focus on ambitious goals, match structure to problem, and attract strong technical talent and leadership. You can read more about our mission, vision, and programming here.

Position Summary

The Astera Institute is seeking a full‑time software engineer to help build and scale The Stacks https://thestacks.org, a new content platform designed to meaningfully improve how scientific, technical, and intellectual work is shared, discovered, and built upon. The ideal candidate is a highly capable, hands‑on generalist who has built and maintained complex content platforms or large‑scale web applications, and who is comfortable redesigning core systems as the product’s identity evolves. Beyond technical skill, you should have strong architectural judgment, a user‑centered mindset, and enthusiasm for building tools that accelerate knowledge‑sharing.

This is a unique opportunity to shape a core piece of public digital infrastructure at the earliest stages. Successful candidates will be comfortable working in fast‑moving environments, collaborating across multiple teams, and making thoughtful architectural decisions that support long‑term growth. Open‑source experience and enthusiasm are a major plus.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of The Stacks—including backend services, frontend interfaces, data models, and integrations.
• Implement high‑quality user‑facing interfaces and experiences using modern web technologies.
• Assist in building APIs and services for content‑management
• Work closely with team members to develop features and iterate rapidly based on feedback.
• Help manage cloud infrastructure, ensuring high availability, observability, and smooth development workflows.
• Maintain high‑quality engineering practices including version control, testing, documentation, and CI/CD workflows.
• Provide ongoing support and improvements post‑launch, including bug fixes, feature development, and performance optimization.
• Contribute to open‑source components of The Stacks when appropriate.
• Collaborate with related internal teams across Astera’s connected programs and external partners as needed.

Qualifications and Experience

• BA/BS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• 2-3+ years experience building and maintaining software systems.
• Interest in working with content‑heavy or knowledge‑based platforms, and tackling problems related:
  • publishing systems
  • large documentation or archival sites
  • user‑generated content
• Strong engineering fundamentals and problem‑solving skills
• Experience with some modern backend and frontend technologies (e.g., TypeScript, React, Node.js, Express.js/Hono, SQL databases, Prisma/Drizzle, etc.)—specific technologies matter less than your ability to learn and adapt.
• Ability to move quickly in environments with evolving requirements, ambiguity, and rapid iteration cycles.
• Highly adaptable and comfortable working across disciplines.

Location

On site at our office in Emeryville, CA. Some travel may be required from time‑to‑time for in‑person collaboration and work.

Compensation

The posted salary range is based on location in the Bay Area. The successful candidate will receive a competitive compensation package, commensurate with their experience and location.