Staff Software Engineer, SDK
Ditto
About Ditto:
Ditto is redefining how data moves at the edge. Our mission is to make it seamless for developers to build resilient, real-time applications, regardless of network conditions. Whether you're in a stadium, airplane, or remote military base, Ditto's peer-to-peer sync engine ensures devices stay connected and data stays consistent, even without internet. With more than $145 million in funding and trusted by organizations like Chick-fil-A, Delta Airlines, and the U.S. military, Ditto powers mission-critical experiences across aviation, retail, travel, hospitality, defense, and more. As a globally distributed, fast-growing startup, we’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the wide range of perspectives needed to solve the world’s hardest connectivity problems.
As a Staff Software Engineer (Swift SDK) on the SDK team, you will set the technical vision and drive the end‑to‑end delivery of Ditto's Swift SDK—empowering developers to synchronize data in real‑time across iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. You'll design idiomatic, type‑safe Swift APIs, architect cross‑platform SDK modules, and build reliable bridges between Swift and Ditto's native Rust core using Swift/C++ interop and FFI patterns.
From day one, you will own architecture decisions, performance profiling, and release automation while mentoring engineers and shaping best practices across the mobile organization. Working closely with product, design, and backend teams, you will translate developer‑experience goals into intuitive APIs and high‑performance code. You'll collaborate with customers and support engineers to diagnose integration issues, optimize for battery, memory, and start‑up time, and iterate rapidly on feedback.
Operating in our async‑first, globally distributed culture, you will conduct thorough code reviews, champion rigorous testing and observability, and foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
What You’ll Be Up To…
- Set technical direction and own the Swift SDK roadmap Define architecture decisions, API design patterns, and long‑term strategic initiatives. Drive consensus on technical trade‑offs and ensure alignment with Ditto's broader SDK vision.
- Design and implement Swift SDK features with excellence Deliver idiomatic, type‑safe Swift APIs that feel native to Apple developers. Lead complex feature development including async/await patterns, Combine integration, and SwiftUI support.
- Build robust native interop and FFI bridges Architect and maintain the Swift‑to‑Rust FFI layer, ensuring memory safety, thread safety, and optimal performance across all Apple platforms.
- Own quality from test to release Build comprehensive unit/integration/UI tests, profile performance with Instruments, automate releases via CI/CD, and establish robust observability and crash reporting.
- Drive engineering excellence through mentorship Conduct thorough code reviews, mentor engineers across experience levels, establish coding standards, and elevate the entire team's Swift and native development capabilities.
- Collaborate cross-functionally as a technical leader Partner with product, design, QA, and support teams to shape requirements, resolve ambiguity, and ensure customer success. Act as the Swift subject matter expert across the organization.
- Champion developer experience and SDK quality Work directly with customers to diagnose integration issues, gather feedback, and iterate on API design. Produce clear documentation, sample apps, and migration guides.
- Communicate vision and progress effectively Create design documents and RFCs for major initiatives. Share status updates, technical decisions, and blockers proactively in both sync and async channels.
- Optimize for Apple platform constraints Profile and optimize memory usage, battery consumption, binary size, and cold‑start performance. Navigate App Store requirements and platform‑specific considerations.
What Helps You Thrive…
- 8+ years building production software with a proven track record of shipping reliable, high‑performance code and leading technical initiatives
- Deep expertise in Swift with demonstrated ability to design idiomatic, type‑safe APIs that follow Apple's Human Interface Guidelines and API Design Guidelines
- Strong native interop experience building FFI bridges between Swift and C/C++/Rust, with deep understanding of memory management and thread safety across language boundaries
- Extensive testing and quality discipline including unit tests, integration tests, UI tests, and CI/CD pipeline design (XCTest, XCUITest, GitHub Actions, Fastlane)
- Track record of technical leadership including mentoring engineers, driving architecture decisions, and establishing engineering best practices
- Systems-level thinking with understanding of memory management, concurrency patterns (GCD, async/await, actors), and performance optimization
- Clear, persuasive communication—especially in async, written form including design docs, RFCs, and technical proposals
Great-to-Haves…
- Experience building or maintaining SDKs, frameworks, or developer tools in Swift or other languages, with shipped products used by external developers
- Fluency in Rust and experience with Rust FFI, unsafe code, and cross‑platform build systems (Cargo, CMake, SPM)
- Familiarity with Ditto's other SDK languages (Kotlin, JavaScript/TypeScript, Java, C++) and cross‑platform SDK architecture patterns
- Background in peer-to-peer, offline‑first, or real‑time synchronization systems such as CRDTs, vector clocks, or distributed databases
- Proficiency with Apple development tools including Instruments, LLDB, static analyzers, and binary size optimization techniques
- Open source contributions to Swift packages, Apple frameworks, or native mobile libraries
- Experience with memory‑constrained or resource‑limited environments such as watchOS or iOS app extensions
Come join our remote team and help shape the future of real-time data sync across every edge device!
Pay Transparency at Ditto
Ditto uses a location-based compensation model. This means pay ranges for the same role may vary depending on where you live, based on cost of living and market data.The ranges you see on our job postings represent the full span of target compensation across all markets where we hire. Within that range, actual offers are determined by a candidate’s skills and experience. This ensures we remain competitive with local markets while also maintaining internal consistency and fairness in real spending power across locations.
The Benefits of Building with Us
We offer competitive salaries and meaningful equity. We believe everyone on the team should have a stake in what we’re building. Benefits vary by region to make sure you're covered in the ways that matter most. In the US, that includes health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, plus a 401(k) and flexible spending accounts. In the UK, we offer private healthcare through Vitality, a pension plan, and region-specific coverage. For our team members elsewhere in the world, we work with our global employer platform to offer equitable benefits and coverage.
Regardless of where you live, everyone at Ditto can utilize flexible time off. And while we work remotely, our Atlanta and San Francisco offices are open if you ever want a place to work or meet up with teammates.
Apply Anyway
At Ditto, we know game-changers don’t always come wrapped in a “perfect” resume. Years of experience? Every single bullet point checked? Meh. That’s not what drives us.
What does matter?
- Grit.
- Curiosity.
- Adaptability.
- And a genuine spark for what we’re building.
So if you’re fired up about our mission but not sure you tick every box - hit that apply button anyway. Use your application to show us how you’ll make an impact here.
We’re always on the lookout for exceptional humans who want to grow, stretch, and build something meaningful with us.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Ditto is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. Ditto is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please let us know.