Contract Staff Software Engineer-FireFox Layout

Role overview

This contract position focuses on hands-on engineering and ongoing maintenance for a major open-source web browser's Layout subsystem—the layer responsible for CSS, page layout, async pan/zoom, text, and image rendering. The engineer operates independently at a tech-lead level, safeguarding the health of a mature, multithreaded C++ codebase so senior full-time engineers can concentrate on higher-impact performance and security initiatives.

Responsibilities

- Drive day-to-day Layout maintenance: triage and resolve incoming bugs and regressions, keep the test suite green, and manage the backlog. - Diagnose and fix Layout issues across desktop and mobile platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android). - Perform code review and routine upkeep, reducing distractions for full-time staff working on strategic projects. - Participate in planning sessions and standards / web-compatibility meetings as needed.

Requirements

- Strong proficiency in C++; familiarity with JavaScript and/or Rust is a plus. - Solid understanding of CSS and browser page-layout internals. - Demonstrated debugging and optimization skills in a multithreaded codebase. - Ability to work independently and provide technical leadership inside a large, established project.

Nice to have

- Prior experience with web browser architecture and development. - Familiarity with W3C or other Web standards processes. - Mobile web development, profiling, and debugging experience. - Hands-on use of AI-assisted tools (such as Claude or ChatGPT) for code investigation, development, debugging, or testing.

Benefits and work setup

Contract role. Published hourly ranges indicate two Canadian pay tiers: a higher band for Tier 1 locations (approximately 185,045–217,700 CAD) and a lower band for Tier 2 locations (approximately 131,400–154,600 CAD), suggesting location-based rate adjustments within Canada.