Open Source Collective is Hiring Maintainers
Published on March 1, 2023 by Benjamin Nickolls
Open Source Collective is now able to hire maintainers, full or part-time, including benefits and healthcare, to work on projects with sufficient financial support.
Open Source Collective exists to promote a sustainable and healthy ecosystem and to sustain open source technology for the future. We take a practical and additive approach to address the challenges we see in the space, working alongside others to offer solutions that build on top of their work, or to provide the foundational services for others to build on top of themselves.
One such challenge we see, which has become inescapably relevant this year, is that there is still a major hurdle for maintainers to vault, even when they have adequate financial support.
They lack an employer.
While it's easy to shout 'pay the maintainers', many a maintainer will tell you that without appropriate healthcare, pension and employment provisions, they simply can't leave their job to become an independent software developer. This is where Open Source Collective is stepping in.
Open Source Collective can now employ maintainers on sufficiently funded projects, including healthcare, benefits, paid annual leave and sick leave as needed. We can do so across the US and internationally in 75 territories around the world. Projects will set salaries and appropriate policies for management for staff (we'll publish guidance for this as needed) while we manage payroll, withholding and paying appropriate taxes and state/territory contributions. Open Source Collective will charge a nominal fee for managing employment and pass on any additional fees from our employment providers.
How do I apply?
Open Source Collective can only offer employment to projects hosted by us, but our organisation's status enables us to work alongside other organisations and funding methods. If your project has a sufficient amount of funding, and enough of those funds are managed through us, we will be able to employ you.
Limits and restrictions
We are a US-based organisation; as such we are able to employ in territories that are not restricted by US sanctions. In addition, we are limited by our employment service provider's coverage. That said our coverage is extensive and growing.
If you're unsure whether you qualify, or you'd like to apply get in touch using this contact form.
📘 Read more about employment services
📣 Contact us
Open Source Collective exists to promote a sustainable and healthy ecosystem and to sustain open source technology for the future. We take a practical and additive approach to address the challenges we see in the space, working alongside others to offer solutions that build on top of their work, or to provide the foundational services for others to build on top of themselves.
One such challenge we see, which has become inescapably relevant this year, is that there is still a major hurdle for maintainers to vault, even when they have adequate financial support.
They lack an employer.
While it's easy to shout 'pay the maintainers', many a maintainer will tell you that without appropriate healthcare, pension and employment provisions, they simply can't leave their job to become an independent software developer. This is where Open Source Collective is stepping in.
Open Source Collective can now employ maintainers on sufficiently funded projects, including healthcare, benefits, paid annual leave and sick leave as needed. We can do so across the US and internationally in 75 territories around the world. Projects will set salaries and appropriate policies for management for staff (we'll publish guidance for this as needed) while we manage payroll, withholding and paying appropriate taxes and state/territory contributions. Open Source Collective will charge a nominal fee for managing employment and pass on any additional fees from our employment providers.
How do I apply?
Open Source Collective can only offer employment to projects hosted by us, but our organisation's status enables us to work alongside other organisations and funding methods. If your project has a sufficient amount of funding, and enough of those funds are managed through us, we will be able to employ you.
Limits and restrictions
We are a US-based organisation; as such we are able to employ in territories that are not restricted by US sanctions. In addition, we are limited by our employment service provider's coverage. That said our coverage is extensive and growing.
If you're unsure whether you qualify, or you'd like to apply get in touch using this contact form.
📘 Read more about employment services
📣 Contact us
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This sounds really great for projects that have enough funding. Very excited to see it scale up! I’m not certain that those “shouting ‘pay the maintainer’” are any less interested or effective at solving the underlying problem. I’ve spent time both a contractor and as an employee with benefits here in the US. They can both work. Ultimately we’re talking about money in whatever form can make sustainable open source a viable vocation for the legions of folks that spend their lives making it. I applaud any and all efforts that can make that a reality.
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Awesome news!!
Congratulations to all the hosted collectives and kudos to the OSC team. 🎉
Congratulations to all the hosted collectives and kudos to the OSC team. 🎉
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This is awesome!
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This is a really interesting model. Great to see models like this evolve.
Sounds like fun!
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Ok
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Is the contact us link supposed to take people somewhere else other than opencollective.com?
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Probably. Here's a better link: https://docs.oscollective.org/#contact-us.
This is such a good idea, thank you open collective folks for working on this!
This is an impressive initiative! Offering employment with benefits and healthcare for maintainers really addresses one of the biggest hurdles in open source contribution. It’s great to see a structured approach that allows developers to focus on their projects without worrying about financial or employment concerns. For those interested in exploring science-backed resources and research materials alongside their professional work, you can also check out http://semaxpolska.com/, which provides specialized knowledge and chemical reagents for research and experimentation. Initiatives like this show how proper support can sustain both technology and the people behind it, creating a healthier and more productive community.
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Wow, this is an amazing initiative by Open Source Collective! Ensuring maintainers have access to healthcare, benefits, and proper employment while working on open source projects is a huge step toward sustainability in the community. Kudos for making it practical and globally accessible!
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This is a really impressive initiative that solves a major problem in open-source development by offering proper employment benefits and healthcare. It’s great to see developers getting the support they deserve, and for those interested in useful digital resources alongside their work, you can also check out https://apkhillcr.net/ for reliable Android apps and tools.
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