Software Engineer, Desktop

Anthropic•San Francisco, CA

15h•$320,000 - $485,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Anthropic is seeking desktop app engineers to join their Claude product team. The role involves building native applications that leverage advanced language models to create elegant desktop experiences. The engineer will work with a team of specialists to design and implement components that connect AI technology with user interfaces. The goal is to transform user engagement with AI technology and unlock new human potential. The current app is web-based, but the team aims to build the best possible version for macOS and Windows using a mix of native and web technologies. The company is more interested in strong engineers willing to learn new languages and technologies than those with specific experience in Chromium, Electron, C++, or native macOS/Windows APIs. The role requires curiosity and a desire to explore the potential of AI on desktop computers.

Requirements

5+ years of experience as a software engineer, with strong emphasis on desktop application development
Practical experience with Electron and deep understanding of its architecture
Strong JavaScript/TypeScript skills and experience with modern frontend frameworks
Product-focused approach and care about building solutions that are robust, scalable, and easy to use
Experience with native module development in C++ to extend application capabilities
Understand macOS and/or Windows platform-specific technologies and development patterns
Experience with cross-platform application packaging, code signing, and distribution
Thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and enjoy working closely with cross-functional teams

Nice To Haves

Experience working on and building operating systems, browsers, or deeply OS-integrated software (screensharing, video-calling, game engines, etc)
Experience integrating and working with AI/ML models and understanding their capabilities
Demonstrated success implementing cross-platform development strategies
Vision for the future of AI-powered desktop applications and a drive to make that vision a reality
Have experience with IPC (Inter-Process Communication) and security in desktop applications

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain the core infrastructure and features within Claude.ai and in our Electron-based desktop app using a typical web stack (TypeScript, React)
Use native code (Rust, Swift, C++) to bring advanced features to the desktop app, connecting Claude to macOS and Windows
Optimize application performance, memory usage, and startup time across platforms
Design and build robust update mechanisms and deployment pipelines
Create monitoring tools to track application performance and user experience
Build a strong intuition for how advanced LLMs could be most useful on your computer, augmenting humans in their work