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Software Engineer, Privacy Engineering

OpenAI· Security
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Hybrid (San Francisco)$230k - $325k + bonusFull-timePosted 11mo ago

About the role

Experienced Software Engineer to drive the architecture and execution of user data governance across OpenAI. Define technical direction, build shared platforms and controls, and lead cross-functional programs to make data flows discoverable, policies enforceable, and ownership explicit.

Responsibilities

  • Set the technical strategy and architecture for user data governance across data mapping, classification, lineage, retention, deletion, access, and permitted usage.
  • Design and build shared services, APIs, metadata systems, and policy-enforcement mechanisms that make governance controls consistent, scalable, and auditable.
  • Establish reliable inventories of user data, system ownership, data flows, and policy applicability across products, infrastructure, analytics, and research systems.
  • Partner with Product, Data, Infrastructure, Security, and Legal leaders to define decision rights, translate requirements into controls, and drive adoption across teams.
  • Own governance systems in production through measurable controls, observability, migrations, exception handling, incident response, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

  • Have substantial experience designing and operating large-scale data platforms, privacy infrastructure, or governance systems in complex production environments.
  • Have led architecture and multi-team execution for one or more data-governance domains, such as metadata and lineage, retention and deletion, access governance, or data-use controls.
  • Can translate ambiguous policy, legal, security, and product requirements into clear system boundaries, technical standards, phased roadmaps, and measurable outcomes.
  • Influence senior stakeholders and engineering teams without relying on formal authority, communicate tradeoffs clearly, and build durable cross-functional alignment.
  • Take end-to-end ownership of high-trust systems, including correctness, scalability, auditability, operational resilience, and the developer and operator experience.

Skills

Required:Large-scale data platforms / privacy infrastructureArchitecture leadership for data-governance domainsPolicy to system translationStakeholder influence and cross-functional alignmentEnd-to-end ownership of high-trust systems

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
  • Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses (parking and transit)
  • 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
  • Paid parental leave (up to 24 weeks for birth parents and 20 weeks for non-birthing parents), plus paid medical and caregiver leave (up to 8 weeks)
  • Paid time off: flexible PTO for exempt employees and up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
  • 13+ paid company holidays, and multiple paid coordinated company office closures throughout the year for focus and recharge, plus paid sick or safe time
  • Mental health and wellness support
  • Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
  • Annual learning and development stipend
  • Daily meals in offices, and meal delivery credits as eligible
  • Relocation support for eligible employees
  • Additional taxable fringe benefits, such as charitable donation matching and wellness stipends
Last updated Jul 16, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About OpenAI

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Company profileWebsite

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