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Backend Software Engineer, Applied Foundations

OpenAI· Applied AI
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Hybrid (San Francisco), Hybrid (Mountain View)$266k - $445kFull-timePosted 5mo ago

About the role

Backend Software Engineer role focused on designing and implementing safe, scalable backend services and infrastructure powering core OpenAI products, with emphasis on reliability, safety, and protection against adversarial threats.

Responsibilities

  • Architect, build, and improve scalable backend systems and APIs.
  • Drive performance, reliability, and safety across distributed services.
  • Implement data storage, retrieval, compute, and integration solutions.
  • Participate in long-term architectural planning and technical design reviews.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design solutions that protect against and mitigate adversarial attacks without compromising user experience.

Qualifications

  • Strong experience with distributed systems, APIs, and backend languages (e.g., Go, Python, Rust, C++).
  • Experience setting up and maintaining production backend services and data pipelines.
  • Humble attitude, eager to help colleagues, and team-focused mindset.
  • Enjoy building resilient services that handle large scale and complexity.
  • Self-directed and able to figure out the best way to solve a problem.
  • Willing to own problems end-to-end and learn missing knowledge as needed.

Skills

Required:Distributed systemsAPIsBackend languages

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
  • Pre-tax Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses
  • 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 additional paid office closures, 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
  • Relocation support for eligible employees
  • Additional taxable fringe benefits (e.g., charitable donation matching, wellness stipends)
Last updated Sep 3, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About OpenAI

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Company profileWebsite

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