OpenAI

Engineering Manager, Answer Experience

OpenAI2 months ago
Location

San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 293,000 – 385,000

Level

Manager

Role

Engineering Manager

Posted

Jan 15, 2026

Full TimeManager

The role

Summary

OpenAI is seeking an experienced Engineering Manager to lead the Answer Experience team, responsible for reimagining how users access information and get answers through ChatGPT. This leadership role involves managing a high-performing engineering team while collaborating across research, product, design, and engineering to deliver step-change improvements to ChatGPT's user experience. The ideal candidate has 10+ years of engineering experience with 5+ years in management, a passion for product experiences, and expertise in coaching engineers and attracting top talent.

What you'll do

Team Leadership: Hire, manage, and develop a diverse, high-performing engineering team focused on answer experience optimization
Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner with research, product, design, and engineering teams to deliver transformational improvements to ChatGPT's user experience
Engineering Coaching: Mentor and coach engineers to maximize their technical impact, career growth, and professional development
Culture Building: Foster an inclusive engineering culture that promotes psychological safety while encouraging constructive feedback and innovative thinking
Technical Strategy: Define and execute technical roadmaps for answer experience features, balancing innovation with system reliability
Product Innovation: Drive the development of seamless experiences that integrate AI intelligence, real-time information, and interactive visual content
Talent Acquisition: Lead recruiting efforts to attract and hire top-tier engineering talent for highly competitive technical positions
Performance Management: Establish engineering performance standards, conduct regular reviews, and implement improvement plans
Technical Decision Making: Make critical architectural and technology decisions that impact ChatGPT's answer experience at scale

What we look for

Technical

Engineering Leadership5+ years of hands-on engineering management experience leading technical teams
Software Engineering10+ years of professional software engineering experience with full-stack development
Product DevelopmentProven track record building and evolving user-facing product experiences
System ArchitectureExperience designing and scaling distributed systems and microservices architectures
AI/ML UnderstandingFamiliarity with machine learning concepts, AI model deployment, and large-scale ML systems

Education

Bachelor's DegreeComputer Science, Engineering, or related technical field preferred
Advanced DegreeMaster's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or MBA preferred but not required

Experience

Management Experience5+ years leading engineering teams with demonstrated success in people management
Total Engineering Experience10+ years in software engineering roles with increasing technical responsibility
High-Growth EnvironmentExperience working in fast-paced, rapidly scaling technology companies
Cross-functional LeadershipProven ability to collaborate effectively across product, design, and research organizations
Talent DevelopmentTrack record of coaching engineers and developing high-performing technical teams

Skills

Required skills

Engineering Management5+ years leading technical teams with strong people management skills
Software Engineering10+ years of hands-on software development experience
Product MindsetDeep understanding of user experience and product development lifecycle
Technical CoachingProven ability to mentor engineers and accelerate their professional growth
Cross-functional LeadershipExperience collaborating with product, design, and research teams
Talent AcquisitionTrack record of successfully recruiting and hiring top engineering talent

Nice to have

AI/ML ExperienceBackground in artificial intelligence, machine learning, or related technologies
Scalable SystemsExperience building and operating large-scale distributed systems
Startup ExperienceExperience in high-growth technology companies or startup environments
Open Source ContributionActive participation in open source projects or technical communities
Public SpeakingExperience presenting at technical conferences or industry events

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 293,000 – 385,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Equity Compensation

Significant equity package in one of the world's leading AI companies

Health Insurance

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage

Relocation Assistance

Full relocation support for candidates moving to San Francisco

Professional Development

Learning and development opportunities in cutting-edge AI technologies

Flexible Time Off

Generous paid time off policy to support work-life balance

Retirement Planning

401(k) retirement savings plan with company matching

Mental Health Support

Employee assistance programs and mental health resources

Parental Leave

Comprehensive parental leave policy for new parents


Interview process

  1. 1
    Initial Screen Phone or video conversation with talent acquisition team to discuss background and role alignment
  2. 2
    Hiring Manager Interview Technical discussion with hiring manager focusing on engineering leadership experience and management philosophy
  3. 3
    Technical Leadership Panel Multi-hour interview with senior engineering leaders covering system design, technical strategy, and leadership scenarios
  4. 4
    Cross-functional Interview Collaboration-focused interview with product and design team members to assess partnership capabilities
  5. 5
    Team Culture Interview Discussion with potential team members to evaluate cultural fit and leadership approach
  6. 6
    Executive Interview Final conversation with senior leadership to align on vision and strategic direction
  7. 7
    Reference Checks Professional references from previous management roles and team members

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