Our Story and Purpose

Linden Lab develops platforms that empower people to create, connect, and thrive through transformative virtual experiences. Since our founding in 1999, we have been at the forefront of the creator economy, building durable platforms that support limitless imagination, self-expression, and human connection..

In 2003, we launched Second Life , a vibrant, user-driven virtual world that has grown into a living general community. Hundreds of thousands of people actively spend time there, building relationships, expressing themselves, and creating meaning together. With over two billion user creations and a flourishing $650 million economy, Second Life enables people not only to connect, but for those who choose, to build real livelihoods through their creativity.

Unlike traditional social media, Second Life fosters sustained, positive connection between strangers. It offers mobility, agency, and community to people whose real-world circumstances may limit their options, and it creates space for belonging, collaboration, and shared purpose. For many, it is not just a platform, but a place where they can participate fully and authentically.

The same principles that shape our communities also guide how we work together. We believe our strength lies in diversity of perspectives, experiences, and ideas. Our values are rooted in organizational health, strengths-based leadership, and the belief that collaborative teams are stronger than individuals.

At Linden Lab, your work directly shapes how real people connect, create, and build meaningful lives online. You will be part of a thoughtful, mission-driven team working on technology with real social impact and uncommon longevity.



Whether you are building innovative tools or fostering a welcoming community, you will find a place to belong, grow, and do work that matters. We invite you to come as you are.

Work Location

This role requires working onsite in our San Francisco office for full workdays Monday through Thursday. Employees have the flexibility to work remotely or from the office on Fridays as part of their regular five day workweek. Before applying, please consider whether this ongoing schedule and your expected commute are a good long-term fit.

Your Mission

We’re looking for a Staff Software Engineer to help shape the technical future of Second Life’s server and simulation systems. You’ll tackle complex, ambiguous challenges, lead cross-cutting technical initiatives, and help ensure the systems behind Second Life remain scalable, reliable, and maintainable.

We believe the best Staff Engineers create leverage beyond the code they write. You’ll connect teams and systems, identify architectural risks, bring clarity to ambiguity, and help the organization make better technical decisions.

You won’t be joining a team that expects you to simply execute a predetermined plan. We want you to question assumptions, identify opportunities, and help solve problems we haven’t fully defined yet, while mentoring others and raising the engineering bar across Second Life.

How You’ll Grow With Us

At the Lab,



you'll experience the best of both worlds: the stability of an established company with over 20 years of expertise and the dynamic momentum of a startup driven by continuous progress. You'll have the unparalleled opportunity to forge meaningful relationships, design impactful systems, and craft strategies that shape the future of virtual experiences.

Our vibrant in-office environment in San Francisco is designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and ingenuity. With spaces purpose-built for brainstorming, team building, and spontaneous conversations, you'll find endless opportunities to engage and grow. We believe in the power of in-person connections to cultivate a strong sense of community and inclusion, ensuring that your ideas are valued, your contributions celebrated, and your impact deeply felt every day.

As you grow in the role, you’ll have opportunities to broaden your organizational impact, contribute to strategic technical conversations, and build relationships across engineering, product, and the wider business.

The Impact You’ll Drive

- Lead technical discovery, design, implementation, and difficult debugging for ambiguous, high-impact changes across large C++ codebases and adjacent systems.
- Take ownership of complex technical problems from initial definition through production, turning loosely defined challenges into practical, durable solutions.
- Develop a deep understanding of Second Life’s existing systems, engineering practices, and operational context before introducing material changes.
- Lead the technical design of initiatives that span multiple systems, codebases, and teams, ensuring solutions work cohesively across the broader ecosys

📌 Staff Software Engineer, Simulation (Santa Fe)
🏢 Linden Lab
📍 Santa Fe