Android Engineer, Applied Foundations

Android Engineer · Senior · Full Time

San FranciscoUSD 230k – 385k6mo ago
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Role

What you'll do.

OpenAI's Applied Foundations team is seeking a Senior Android Engineer to build core mobile experiences for identity, payments, safety, and user account management across their AI products. The role involves creating reusable Android foundations while working with cutting-edge AI technologies at global scale.

Responsibilities

  • Core Mobile Experience Development: Build and maintain user sign-up, account management, family features, and payment systems for OpenAI mobile applications
  • Reusable Foundation Architecture: Create and maintain shared Android libraries and components that other product teams depend on for rapid development
  • Client-Side Systems Engineering: Own complex systems spanning UI, networking, local state management, payment integrations, and platform-specific features
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with backend engineers, product managers, and safety teams to architect solutions for OpenAI's mobile ecosystem
  • Security and Safety Implementation: Implement robust security measures and safety features to protect user data and ensure trusted interactions with AI products
  • Performance Optimization: Optimize mobile app performance, reduce latency, and ensure smooth user experiences at global scale
  • Code Quality and Best Practices: Maintain high code quality standards, conduct code reviews, and establish Android development best practices across teams

Qualifications

What we look for.

Technical

  • Android Development Expertise

    Proven track record of building high-quality Android applications in production environments

  • Kotlin Programming

    Fluency in Kotlin with solid understanding of modern Android development patterns

  • Android Architecture Components

    Experience with Android Architecture Components, MVVM, and modern app architecture patterns

  • Mobile Security

    Strong understanding of mobile security best practices, encryption, and secure data handling

  • Payment Systems

    Experience integrating payment processing systems and handling sensitive financial data

  • Performance Optimization

    Expertise in mobile app performance optimization, memory management, and battery efficiency

Education

  • Computer Science Background

    Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent practical experience

Experience

  • Professional Software Engineering

    Minimum 4+ years of professional software engineering experience

  • Production Android Applications

    Demonstrated experience shipping and maintaining Android applications used by large user bases

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration

    Experience working with product managers, designers, and backend engineers in fast-paced environments

Skills

Required

  • Kotlin/Java Programming

    Expert-level proficiency in Kotlin with strong Java background for Android development

  • Android SDK & Architecture

    Deep understanding of Android SDK, architecture components, and modern development patterns

  • Mobile UI/UX Development

    Experience building intuitive, performant mobile user interfaces with attention to user experience

  • API Integration

    Proficiency in integrating RESTful APIs, handling network requests, and managing data synchronization

  • Security Implementation

    Knowledge of mobile security best practices, encryption, authentication, and secure data storage

  • Performance Optimization

    Ability to optimize app performance, reduce memory usage, and improve battery efficiency

Preferred

  • AI/ML Integration

    Nice to have

    Experience integrating AI/ML models or working with AI-powered features in mobile applications

  • Jetpack Compose

    Nice to have

    Experience with modern Android UI toolkit for declarative UI development

  • Payment Processing

    Nice to have

    Knowledge of payment gateway integrations, PCI compliance, and financial transaction security

  • Multi-Platform Experience

    Nice to have

    Experience with cross-platform development or iOS development for better collaboration

  • Large-Scale Systems

    Nice to have

    Experience building applications that serve millions of users with high availability requirements

  • Open Source Contributions

    Nice to have

    Active participation in Android or mobile development open source communities

Tech stack

Languages

KotlinJava

Frameworks

Android SDKAndroid Architecture ComponentsJetpack Compose

Databases

RoomSQLite

Tools

Android StudioGradleGitFirebase

Other

RESTful APIsPayment SDKsSecurity Libraries

Compensation

Pay and benefits.

Base·USD 230,000 – 385,000

Equity·Stock options

Benefits

  • Equity Compensation

    Stock options and equity participation in OpenAI's growth and success

  • Comprehensive Health Coverage

    Medical, dental, and vision insurance with premium coverage options

  • AI Research Access

    Direct access to cutting-edge AI research, models, and tools for personal and professional development

  • Learning and Development

    Professional development budget, conference attendance, and continuous learning opportunities

  • Flexible Work Environment

    Modern office facilities in San Francisco with collaborative workspaces and state-of-the-art technology

  • Mission-Driven Work

    Opportunity to work on AI technology that benefits humanity while shaping the future of artificial intelligence

Process

Interview steps.

  1. 01

    Initial Screening

    Phone or video call with recruiting team to discuss background, motivation, and basic qualifications

  2. 02

    Technical Phone Screen

    45-60 minute technical interview focusing on Android development concepts, system design, and coding problems

  3. 03

    Take-Home Assignment

    Android development project to demonstrate coding skills, architecture decisions, and attention to detail

  4. 04

    Virtual Technical Round

    Live coding session with senior engineers covering algorithm problem-solving and Android-specific challenges

  5. 05

    System Design Interview

    Discussion of mobile architecture, scalability, and design decisions for large-scale Android applications

  6. 06

    Final Round Interviews

    Panel interviews with team members covering technical depth, cultural fit, and collaboration skills

  7. 07

    Reference and Background Check

    Verification of work history and professional references, including security clearance for AI safety work

Full posting

Original listing.

About the Team

OpenAI’s Applications Engineering organization builds and operates the products that bring our cutting-edge research to millions of users and developers worldwide. The Applied Foundations team owns the core product and platform layers that make those experiences possible — from identity & access, to safety to payments & commerce across all of our apps. Our teams span product engineering, infrastructure, and safety, working together to deliver technology that is reliable, secure, and trusted at global scale.

About the Role

You will be a Senior Android engineer on OpenAI’s Applied Foundations team, building the core mobile experiences that power how users sign up, manage their account, family features, pay for services, stay safe, and interact with OpenAI’s products with confidence. This role is about creating high-quality products as well as reusable Android foundations that product teams across different OpenAI apps depend on to ship quickly while meeting the highest standards for security, reliability, and user trust. You’ll own complex client-side systems spanning UI, networking, local state, payment integrations and Apple platform integrations, and work closely with backend, product, and safety partners to shape the architecture that supports OpenAI’s mobile ecosystem at global scale.

You might thrive in this role if you:

  • Have 4+ years of professional software engineering experience.

  • Have a proven track record of building high-quality Android applications in production.

  • Are fluent in Kotlin (and/or Java) and familiar with Android development tools and architecture components.

  • Prioritize performance, security, and user experience in mobile development.

  • Enjoy working cross-functionally to bring ambitious product ideas to life.

  • Care deeply about performance, security, and user experience.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity. 

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.

Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.

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At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.

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