diff --git a/environment.yml b/environment.yml
index 4290812..4334c50 100644
--- a/environment.yml
+++ b/environment.yml
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ dependencies:
   # Includes new subcommands (`switch` & `restore`) and vulnerability fixes
   # over the version available via ubuntu sources
   - git>=2.39
+  - pixi
 
   # Not all packages will be available from conda-forge, we install from pip when we need to.
   - pip~=25.0.0
diff --git a/pixi/config.toml b/pixi/config.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45535bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pixi/config.toml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+detached-environments = "/tmp/pixi"
diff --git a/postBuild b/postBuild
index eea666a..02c1121 100755
--- a/postBuild
+++ b/postBuild
@@ -7,3 +7,4 @@ set -euo pipefail
 # used in the JupyterHub.
 cp custom_jupyter_server_config.json ${NB_PYTHON_PREFIX}/etc/jupyter/jupyter_server_config.d/
 cp custom_jupyter_server_config.json ${NB_PYTHON_PREFIX}/etc/jupyter/jupyter_notebook_config.d/
+cp pixi/config.toml /etc/pixi/config.toml
diff --git a/start b/start
index 9cb5c59..d32a839 100644
--- a/start
+++ b/start
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ set -euo pipefail
 # pop open GUIs
 export DISPLAY=":1.0"
 
+# Set pixi package cache dir
+export PIXI_CACHE_DIR="/tmp/pixi-cache"
+
 # Tell gh-scoped-creds which GitHub app to use for push access
 # See https://github.com/jupyterhub/gh-scoped-creds#github-app-configuration
 export GH_SCOPED_CREDS_CLIENT_ID="Iv1.bd27058fd393e285"