Job Description
The Python Software Foundation (PSF) is hiring a contract Sustainability Engineer, PyPI reporting to the PSF’s Director of Engineering. The mission of the Python Software Foundation is to promote, protect, and advance the Python programming language, and to support and facilitate the growth of a diverse and international community of Python programmers. In support of our mission, the PSF manages the infrastructure that provides resources and downloads on python.org, documentation on docs.python.org, packages on pypi.org, and more.
Overview
This role will be focused on building features in Warehouse, PyPI’s codebase. The goal is straightforward: make PyPI financially sustainable so it doesn’t depend entirely on donations and sponsorships. We launched PyPI organization accounts in 2025 as our first revenue stream, so there’s already some groundwork laid.
Most of your time goes to shipping features that help sustain PyPI and the PSF. You’ll write Python, work with the packaging ecosystem’s standards process when new features need upstream changes, and deal with the unglamorous parts: billing integrations, access control edge cases, storage and CDN costs.
The tricky part isn’t technical. It’s figuring out what PyPI can offer to free users as well as organizations. You’ll be part of those decisions, which means understanding what commercial tools offer, what enterprises actually need, and how to generate revenue while keeping the PSF’s mission first. PyPI is free infrastructure that millions of people depend on. We have an opportunity to make it more powerful for organizations, which will help sustain the foundation, as well as free users.
Core Responsibilities
- Build and ship features in Warehouse, PyPI’s codebase
- Billing integrations, access control, storage and CDN work
- Write Python, review PRs, ship user-facing changes
- Coordinate with the Infrastructure Engineer on deployment, scaling, and operational concerns
- Collaborate with PSF and PyPI security engineers on security-related features and concerns
- Work closely with the PyPI Support Specialist to address PyPI Organizations, user-reported security concerns and escalate issues appropriately
- Interface with PyPI stakeholders about user and community needs
- Occasional on-call responsibilities, shared with the Engineering team as it relates to PyPI
Product Work
- Help decide what PyPI offers to free users and organizations
- Research what commercial offerings provide and where PyPI fits
- Talk to enterprise users and translate their needs into features worth building
- Balance revenue goals with PyPI’s mission as free infrastructure
Standards & Ecosystem
- Work with the packaging ecosystem’s standards process when features need upstream changes
- Coordinate with Packaging Council and other packaging stakeholders
Qualifications
Solid Python experience, comfort with web frameworks, and enough frontend knowledge to ship user-facing features end-to-end. Familiarity with Python packaging and infrastructure concerns like object storage and CDN architecture. Product instincts help since you’ll talk to enterprise users and translate their problems into features worth building. Experience working with open source communities is a plus.
Required: Proficiency with Python web frameworks, base understanding of HTML/CSS/JavaScript, software testing.
Desired: Proficiency with PostgreSQL, proficiency in HTML/CSS/JavaScript, and the Pyramid web framework, Python 3.14+, Pytest, object storage
Details
- Location: Global remote, US-based candidates strongly preferred; regular collaboration with US timezones required. Exceptional international candidates may be considered under a contractor agreement.
- Compensation: $75-$180K for US employees (based on experience), or a comparable contractor rate for international candidates. US employees are eligible for healthcare and other benefits; contractor engagements do not include benefits.
- Type: Fixed-term (Full-time, 1 year), with possibility of renewal
The Python Software Foundation is a US 501©(3) non-profit corporation that holds the intellectual property rights behind the Python programming language. We also run the PyCon US conference annually, support other Python conferences/workshops around the world, and fund Python-related development with our grants program. To see more info about the PSF, check out our Annual Impact Report and public records.
We believe that the future of open source must include everyone. We welcome all job-seekers regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, physical appearance, body size, socio-economic, veteran or disability status. Python is a global community and the PSF aims to support a safe environment for all. More information can be found on our Code of Conduct page.
