Software Developer

Redbrick and Shift are headquartered on the traditional Coast Salish territory, and we respectfully acknowledge the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ People of this region. With gratitude, we live, work, and care for this beautiful land.

Part of the Redbrick portfolio of companies, Shift is a power browser that consolidates multiple windows from web apps, accounts, and tabs into one window and one simplified digital life. As the world's first app-integrated browser, Shift delivers a flexible user experience like no other and a powerful interface that reduces the cognitive load of cluttered tabs, context-switching, and constant account shuffling. Leveraging decades of experience building browsers, the team at Shift is reimagining the modern browser. Shift is a Certified B Corporation as part of the Redbrick portfolio. Redbrick has been named one of Canada's Top Small and Medium Employers for five years running.

One thing that our team members say they value most is our fun and truly "people-first" culture. Ours is a place where you're given the autonomy to do your best work, from home or in the office, with the tools and support you need to do so. We cheerlead your goals and accomplishments and are invested in your future.

"At Shift, there is always an exciting new challenge that we are eager to solve together. We know that collaborating with people who genuinely care about the work they do allows us to come up with the best solutions. I feel very lucky that every day we get to think creatively and learn something new together."

–– Nicole P, Software Developer II

Job Description

Shift Browser is built on top of Chromium; the browser engine which powers Chrome and many of the most popular browsers today. As part of the Chromium team at Shift, you will be responsible for making changes to this part of the application. There's a good chance that it will be the largest codebase you have ever worked on, containing over 35M lines of code This presents some unique opportunities and challenges, such as contributing features that balance performance, maintainability, and long-term compatibility with Chromium. A readiness to work effectively within a large, complex C++ codebase is essential for this role.

What does a day look like in my role?

We get it: You need to know what you're signing up for before you apply, right? This is what you need to know as a Software Developer (C++) Co-op, you'll be responsible for:

• Designing and implementing new features.
• Collaborating in design discussions.
• Diagnosing and resolving bugs.
• Supporting cross-team collaboration, integration, and guidance.
• Reviewing code written by teammates.
• Testing changes to our software to ensure a high level of quality.

Halfway through your co-op:

• You are comfortable making code changes that are merged into the product.
• You know our product well and can answer common technical questions about it.
• You can test most changes and be confident you've identified any problems.
• You have autonomy to choose which tasks to work on next.

At the end of your co-op:

• You are a fully contributing member of the development team.
• You know our product inside and out and feel comfortable navigating the source code alongside your team.
• You contribute to design discussions and help shape new initiatives.
• You have taken ownership of a project/feature.

What we would like to see in you.

Every Shift team member has three things in common: We're curious, hungry and good-humoured. We try our best to balance hard work with good, old-fashioned fun. As a Software Developer (C++) Co-op with Shift, there are extra superpowers we're on the lookout for:

• C++ experience through projects, work experience, or school courses.
• Having taken several C++ technical electives at your school.
• A solid understanding of object-oriented programming principles and design patterns.
• Deeply independent and comfortable exploring large codebases.
• Ability to take ownership of and problem-solve your way through complex tasks.
• Passion for writing maintainable code.
• A positive attitude and excellent communication skills.
• Comfortable with version control systems and code review.
• Samples demonstrating clean, well-commented, fully working code.

Bonus:

• Demonstrated C++ skills through personal, open-source, or professional projects beyond coursework.
• Real-world development experience in a non-academic setting.
• Familiarity with web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript/TypeScript.
• Expertise using debugging tools (e.g. Visual Studio debugger, Chrome DevTools).
• Experience working with very large codebases.
• Experience working with Chromium or other open-source projects.
• Enthusiasm in web browsing and browser technology.

Please note: This is an 8-month co-op.