# Android Engineer, Plugin Developer Platform
**Company:** [OpenAI](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/openai)
Join OpenAI's Plugin Developer Platform team as an Android Engineer to build the mobile experiences that power ChatGPT's extensible ecosystem. You'll design and implement native Android interfaces, developer-facing APIs, and platform foundations that enable developers and users to discover, create, and leverage AI-powered plugins and interactive apps on mobile devices. This role requires deep expertise in Kotlin and modern Android development, a proven track record shipping consumer-facing mobile products at scale, and a platform engineering mindset to create reusable abstractions that scale across a growing developer ecosystem.
**Role:** Android Engineer
**Seniority:** Senior
**Locations:** San Francisco
**Salary:** 185000–385000 USD
[Apply](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/openai/e6e5e4b6-a1d9-4a4e-beef-8d3befef08c0)
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/jobs/openai/android-engineer-plugin-developer-platform
---
## Responsibilities

- Build Android Experiences for ChatGPT Plugins and Interactive Apps: Design and implement native Android interfaces that bring plugins, connectors, and interactive applications to life within the ChatGPT platform. Focus on creating intuitive, performant user experiences that allow end-users to seamlessly discover, install, and interact with developer-built extensions on mobile devices. This includes building UI components, handling user interactions, managing plugin lifecycle, and ensuring smooth integration with backend services.
- Develop Reusable Android Components and Platform Abstractions: Create and maintain a library of high-quality, reusable Android components and interfaces that support the growing ecosystem of developer-built experiences. Design robust abstractions that allow third-party developers to build plugins with consistency and ease. Establish architectural patterns, design systems, and component libraries that scale as the platform evolves and the number of integrations grows.
- Partner with Platform Engineers on API and Backend Integration: Collaborate closely with platform engineers to connect native mobile experiences with APIs, SDKs, backend systems, and the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Ensure smooth communication between the Android client layer and backend services. Participate in API design decisions that impact mobile implementation, advocate for mobile-friendly API contracts, and implement robust error handling and retry logic for reliable connectivity.
- Engage with Developers and Partners to Improve Mobile Integration: Work directly with external developers and partners to understand their workflows, identify integration challenges, and gather feedback on the developer experience. Conduct user research and interviews to inform the design of mobile interfaces and abstractions. Use insights from developers to prioritize features, address pain points in the plugin development process, and improve documentation and tooling that make building for mobile easier and more enjoyable.
- Optimize App Performance, Reliability, and Architecture: Drive continuous improvements to app performance, stability, and maintainability. Implement best practices for memory management, battery efficiency, network optimization, and smooth animations. Establish performance budgets and monitoring systems. Refactor legacy code, modernize architecture, and eliminate technical debt. Conduct performance profiling, identify bottlenecks, and implement optimizations that ensure the app remains fast and responsive as features scale.
- Improve Developer Tooling and Testing Infrastructure: Enhance the Android development experience by building better tooling, testing frameworks, and debugging utilities. Implement comprehensive test suites including unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end tests. Establish CI/CD pipelines that catch regressions early. Create developer-friendly logging, analytics, and monitoring systems that help both internal teams and external developers understand app behavior and troubleshoot issues quickly.
- Own Features from Requirements Through Release and Iteration: Take full ownership of assigned features and projects from initial requirements gathering and design through implementation, launch, measurement, and post-launch iteration. Work collaboratively with product managers and designers to define requirements and success metrics. Plan development sprints, manage trade-offs, gather post-launch feedback, and drive continuous improvements based on user behavior and performance data.

## Requirements

### education

- {"name":"Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or Related Field","description":"A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related discipline is preferred. Equivalent practical experience in software engineering with demonstrated expertise is also valued highly."}

### technical

- {"name":"Kotlin and Modern Android Development","description":"Deep expertise building Android applications with Kotlin as the primary language. Strong understanding of modern Android development frameworks including Jetpack (Compose, Navigation, ViewModel, LiveData), Coroutines for asynchronous programming, dependency injection patterns, and contemporary Android architecture patterns. Proficiency with Android Studio and the broader Android development toolchain."}
- {"name":"Mobile App Architecture and Design Patterns","description":"Demonstrated experience designing scalable, maintainable mobile architectures using patterns such as MVVM, MVI, or similar. Understanding of reactive programming, data flow management, and state management solutions. Ability to design reusable components and abstractions that abstract complexity for downstream developers."}
- {"name":"API Integration and Networking","description":"Proficiency implementing robust API integrations using libraries like Retrofit or OkHttp. Strong understanding of REST and gRPC protocols, authentication mechanisms, error handling, and retry strategies. Experience working with complex API contracts and translating backend specifications into efficient mobile implementations."}
- {"name":"Performance Optimization and Profiling","description":"Hands-on experience profiling Android applications using Android Profiler, identifying memory leaks, and optimizing CPU and battery usage. Understanding of Android lifecycle management, efficient rendering, caching strategies, and lazy loading. Ability to establish performance baselines and continuously monitor metrics in production environments."}
- {"name":"Testing and Quality Assurance","description":"Strong commitment to test-driven development. Proficiency writing unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end tests using frameworks like JUnit, Espresso, or Robolectric. Experience setting up CI/CD pipelines and automated testing infrastructure. Understanding of test coverage metrics and ability to balance testing depth with development velocity."}

### experience

- {"name":"Shipped Consumer-Facing Mobile Products at Scale","description":"Proven track record shipping multiple production Android applications with millions of users. Experience managing apps through the full product lifecycle including development, app store optimization, launch coordination, and post-launch maintenance. Demonstrated ability to make trade-off decisions that balance speed, quality, and user satisfaction in fast-paced environments."}
- {"name":"Platform and Developer Experience Focus","description":"Experience building developer-facing platforms, SDKs, or APIs that other engineers rely on. Demonstrated ability to think about the developer experience holistically: designing intuitive interfaces, providing clear documentation, and building tooling that makes it easy for others to build on top of your work. Experience gathering and incorporating developer feedback into product decisions."}
- {"name":"Cross-Functional Collaboration","description":"Proven ability to work effectively across engineering, product, and design teams. Experience influencing technical direction through data-driven discussions and clear communication. Comfort with ambiguity, comfort proposing solutions to loosely-defined problems, and ability to adapt as requirements evolve. Experience working directly with external customers or partners to inform product decisions."}
- {"name":"AI or Extensibility Platform Experience","description":"Previous experience building features or platforms related to AI-powered applications, conversational interfaces, or extensible systems is beneficial. Experience with plugin systems, app extensions, or integration platforms demonstrates understanding of ecosystem dynamics and developer needs in connected platforms."}

## Skills

### required

- {"name":"Kotlin","description":"Production-level expertise writing Kotlin code for Android applications with deep understanding of language features, null safety, coroutines, and functional programming paradigms."}
- {"name":"Android Framework","description":"Comprehensive knowledge of Android SDK, lifecycle management, Fragment architecture, navigation, and the Activity model. Hands-on experience with Android system APIs and platform capabilities."}
- {"name":"Jetpack Libraries","description":"Practical experience with modern Jetpack components including Compose for UI declarative programming, Navigation for app navigation, ViewModel and LiveData for state management, and Room for local data persistence."}
- {"name":"Coroutines and Asynchronous Programming","description":"Strong understanding of Kotlin Coroutines for managing asynchronous operations, concurrent tasks, and background work. Experience with RxJava or reactive programming paradigms is valuable."}
- {"name":"RESTful API Design and Integration","description":"Proficiency implementing and consuming REST APIs using modern Android networking libraries like Retrofit and OkHttp. Understanding of HTTP protocols, request/response handling, and API versioning strategies."}
- {"name":"UI/UX Implementation","description":"Strong ability to translate design specifications into polished user interfaces. Experience with both XML-based layouts and Jetpack Compose. Attention to detail regarding animations, transitions, accessibility, and responsive design across various device sizes."}
- {"name":"Debugging and Performance Profiling","description":"Proficiency using Android Studio debugger, logcat, and Android Profiler. Ability to identify performance bottlenecks, memory leaks, and app crashes. Experience analyzing ANR (Application Not Responsive) issues and optimizing rendering performance."}

### preferred

- {"name":"Jetpack Compose","description":"Hands-on experience with modern declarative UI development using Jetpack Compose. Understanding of composition, recomposition, and performance optimization in Compose applications."}
- {"name":"GraphQL","description":"Experience working with GraphQL APIs and Apollo Client for Android. Understanding of query optimization and handling complex data fetching scenarios."}
- {"name":"Dependency Injection Frameworks","description":"Proficiency with Hilt, Dagger, or other modern dependency injection frameworks for Android. Understanding of dependency graphs and scope management."}
- {"name":"WebView Integration","description":"Experience integrating WebView components into native Android applications. Understanding of JavaScript bridge communication, security considerations, and performance optimization for hybrid approaches."}
- {"name":"SDK Development","description":"Experience designing and developing Android SDKs or libraries that other developers consume. Understanding of API surface design, versioning strategies, and maintaining backward compatibility."}
- {"name":"Plugin Architecture Systems","description":"Experience with plugin systems, dynamic feature delivery, app bundles, or modular architecture approaches. Understanding of how systems are extended at runtime and API surface design for extensibility."}
- {"name":"Mobile Analytics and Monitoring","description":"Experience implementing analytics tracking, crash reporting, and performance monitoring in production Android applications. Proficiency with tools like Firebase, Crashlytics, or Datadog."}
- {"name":"App Store Publishing and Distribution","description":"Familiarity with Google Play Store requirements, app signing, release management, and managing app store listings. Experience with feature rollouts, A/B testing, and staged releases."}

## Tech stack

### tools

- {"name":"Android Studio","description":"Official integrated development environment for Android development. Primary tool for coding, debugging, testing, and profiling Android applications."}
- {"name":"Android Profiler","description":"Built-in performance analysis tool in Android Studio for monitoring CPU, memory, network, and battery usage. Essential for identifying and resolving performance bottlenecks."}
- {"name":"Git/Version Control","description":"Distributed version control system for managing source code, collaborating with team members, and maintaining development history. Strong Git workflows and branch management practices are expected."}
- {"name":"Gradle","description":"Build automation tool for Android projects. Expertise in configuring build variants, managing dependencies, and optimizing build times is important."}
- {"name":"Firebase","description":"Google's platform for analytics, crash reporting, performance monitoring, and real-time database functionality. Used for understanding user behavior and app stability in production."}

### others

- {"name":"Model Context Protocol (MCP)","description":"OpenAI's open standard for connecting applications and services. Understanding of how MCP enables interoperability between ChatGPT and external tools, particularly important for building plugin infrastructure on Android."}
- {"name":"REST and gRPC APIs","description":"Architectural knowledge of both REST and gRPC protocols for communication between client and server. Understanding of when to use each paradigm and how to optimize data transfer on mobile networks."}
- {"name":"OAuth 2.0 and Authentication","description":"Understanding of modern authentication and authorization protocols, particularly for integrating with third-party services and managing secure credentials in mobile applications."}
- {"name":"Accessibility (a11y)","description":"Knowledge of Android accessibility features and WCAG guidelines. Commitment to building inclusive apps that work for users with different abilities using TalkBack and other assistive technologies."}

### databases

- {"name":"Room","description":"SQLite abstraction layer in Jetpack that provides a robust, type-safe database interface for Android. Used for local data persistence and offline capability in the Android app."}
- {"name":"SQLite","description":"Embedded relational database engine used on Android devices for local data storage. Understanding of SQL queries, indexing, and database optimization is valuable for performance."}

### languages

- {"name":"Kotlin","description":"Primary language for Android development at OpenAI. Used for all new feature development, with emphasis on leveraging Kotlin's modern features including coroutines, extension functions, and type safety."}
- {"name":"Java","description":"Secondary language for Android development. Understanding of Java remains valuable for legacy codebases and interoperability with Java libraries in the Android ecosystem."}

### frameworks

- {"name":"Jetpack Compose","description":"Modern declarative UI toolkit for building Android user interfaces. Used for creating responsive, customizable plugin experiences within ChatGPT's Android app. Enables efficient state management and reusable composable components."}
- {"name":"Android Jetpack","description":"Suite of libraries for building robust Android applications including Navigation, ViewModel, LiveData, Room, WorkManager, and Paging. Provides architectural guidance and simplifies common Android development tasks."}
- {"name":"Coroutines","description":"Kotlin's approach to asynchronous programming for managing network requests, database operations, and other long-running tasks without blocking the main thread. Essential for maintaining app responsiveness."}
- {"name":"Retrofit","description":"Type-safe HTTP client for Android used to communicate with backend APIs. Simplifies REST API integration and handles serialization/deserialization of JSON responses."}

## Benefits

### benefits

## Compensation

- **max:** 0
- **min:** 0
- **currency:** 
- **stockOptions:** false

## Interview process

### steps

## Full description
**About the Team**

The Plugin Developer Platform team builds the APIs, SDKs, and tools that let people extend ChatGPT and Codex. We work on plugins, connectors, the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and interactive apps.

We want anyone to be able to turn a useful workflow into a plugin, share it, and have other people use it. A plugin can package instructions and skills with connections to the tools and data it needs. Our work covers plugin creation and publishing, the systems that run plugins across our products, and open standards that developers can build on.  

**About the Role**

We’re looking for an experienced Android engineer to bring plugins, connectors, and interactive apps to life on mobile. You’ll build the Android experiences and platform foundations that help developers extend ChatGPT and help users discover and use those capabilities from their devices.

You’ll work across native Android interfaces, developer-facing APIs, and the systems that support extensibility on mobile. You’ll collaborate closely with product, design, and platform engineers, owning features from early exploration through implementation, launch, and iteration.

You’ll also engage directly with developers and partners to understand how their workflows translate to Android. Their experience will inform the interfaces and abstractions you build, the problems you prioritize, and the tradeoffs you make.

This role is based in San Francisco. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees.  

**In this role, you will:**

* Build Android experiences for plugins, connectors, and interactive apps within ChatGPT.
* Develop reusable Android components and interfaces that support a growing ecosystem of developer-built experiences.
* Partner with platform engineers to connect native mobile experiences with APIs, SDKs, and backend systems.
* Work with developers and partners to identify integration challenges and improve the experience of building for mobile.
* Improve app performance, reliability, architecture, testing, and developer tooling.
* Own projects from initial requirements through release, measurement, and iteration.

**You might thrive in this role if you:**

* Have deep experience building Android applications using Kotlin and modern Android development frameworks.
* Have shipped consumer-facing mobile products at scale and care deeply about performance, quality, and user experience.
* Bring a platform mindset and enjoy designing reusable interfaces and abstractions that other developers build on.
* Enjoy collaborating across engineering, product, and design, and working directly with developers and partners.
* Are excited about bringing AI-powered tools and extensible experiences to mobile.
* Thrive in fast-moving environments where you help define both product and technical direction.

**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](https://cdn.openai.com/policies/eeo-policy-statement.pdf).

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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.