The Sr. Staff Software Engineer will lead the Registry team at Apollo, shaping architecture, mentoring engineers, and driving large-scale initiatives while focusing on system reliability and scalability.
At Apollo GraphQL, we’re transforming the way developers build software with the power of the graph. Our Graph Tooling Team sits at the heart of this mission - owning and advancing the developer-facing tools that help teams onboard quickly, work intuitively, and build with joy.
We’re looking for a Staff Software Engineer with deep front-end expertise to help lead the next chapter of our developer experience journey. This is an opportunity to shape widely used tools like Apollo Studio, Sandbox, and IDE extensions while exploring the future of AI-assisted development workflows.
About the Team
The Graph Tooling Team owns Apollo’s core developer tooling platform—including the Studio web app, IDE plugins (VS Code, IntelliJ), and Sandbox tools. Our mission is simple: delight developers. We build tools that reduce friction, visualize complex GraphQL workflows, and make it easy for teams to get started and grow with Apollo.
What You'll Do
- Enhance our React component infrastructure for greater performance and scalability
- Improve UI/UX design for observability and schema workflows
- Develop new interfaces and features used by thousands of developers
- Create intuitive UIs for local testing and GraphQL exploration
- Design and build browser plugins and debuggers for GraphQL troubleshooting
- Architect a front-end platform-as-a-service used across Apollo’s tools
- Build a robust testing infrastructure and reusable component libraries
- Implement design system standards to ensure visual and functional consistency
- Explore and implement AI-enabled developer workflows through tooling
Who You Are
- Deep expertise in React and modern front-end development
- Strong background in web application architecture, component design, and performance optimization
- Solid understanding of UI/UX principles, especially in technical products
- Experience building and maintaining a robust testing infrastructure
- Experience in SaaS or developer tooling environments
- Track record of shipping large-scale front-end products
- Passionate about clean code, great design, and thoughtful user experiences
- A strong portfolio of front-end projects or tools
Bonus Points
- Experience with IDE extensions, debugging tools, or platform front-ends
- Familiarity with GraphQL and developer-centric workflows
- Exposure to AI/ML-enhanced developer tools
At Apollo, we strive to provide competitive, market-informed compensation whilst ensuring consistency within the team in each country. We make hiring decisions based on your skills, experience, and our overall assessment of what we learned during the hiring process. In addition to the U.S. base salary range, we also provide equity and benefits.
Apollo offers all U.S. employees a choice of 3 Anthem Blue Cross medical plans and California residents can also choose from an additional 2 Kaiser medical plans. Dental and Vision benefits are provided by Sun Life Financial.
Location: This is a remote position that can be done from anywhere in the United States or Canada.
Equal Opportunity: Apollo is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace dedicated to pursuing and hiring a talented and diverse workforce.
Privacy: California residents applying for positions at Apollo can see our privacy policy here.
E-Verify: Apollo is an E-Verify employer and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. For more information please visit E-Verify.
Top Skills
GraphQL
Similar Jobs
AdTech • Big Data • Machine Learning • Marketing Tech • Mobile • Software
As a Software Engineer in the Bidding Intelligence group, you will design and implement scalable systems, support ML model building, and optimize bidding strategies for mobile app growth.
Top Skills:
AWSBig DataGoMachine LearningPysparkPythonPyTorchWeights & Biases
Fintech • HR Tech
The Staff Software Engineer will enhance the GraphQL platform, mentor engineers, participate in discussions, and improve tooling for effective development.
Top Skills:
GraphQL
Fintech • HR Tech
Lead the Entity Management team to develop compliance solutions, drive innovation, mentor engineers, and ensure effective collaboration across teams.
Top Skills:
ReactRuby On RailsTypescript
What you need to know about the Los Angeles Tech Scene
Los Angeles is a global leader in entertainment, so it’s no surprise that many of the biggest players in streaming, digital media and game development call the city home. But the city boasts plenty of non-entertainment innovation as well, with tech companies spanning verticals like AI, fintech, e-commerce and biotech. With major universities like Caltech, UCLA, USC and the nearby UC Irvine, the city has a steady supply of top-flight tech and engineering talent — not counting the graduates flocking to Los Angeles from across the world to enjoy its beaches, culture and year-round temperate climate.
Key Facts About Los Angeles Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 375,800; 5.5% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Snap, Netflix, SpaceX, Disney, Google
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, adtech, media, software, game development
- Funding Landscape: $11.6 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Strong Ventures, Fifth Wall, Upfront Ventures, Mucker Capital, Kittyhawk Ventures
- Research Centers and Universities: California Institute of Technology, UCLA, University of Southern California, UC Irvine, Pepperdine, California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Quantum Science and Engineering
