OpenAI

Engineering Manager, Online Data Systems

OpenAI3 days ago
Location

San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 325,000 – 405,000

Level

Manager

Role

Engineering Manager

Posted

Mar 13, 2026

Full TimeManager

The role

Summary

OpenAI is seeking an Engineering Manager to lead their Online Data Systems team, responsible for building and operating hyperscale database and indexing services that power ChatGPT and other AI applications. This role involves managing world-class engineers working on distributed query execution, multi-region federation, and self-healing systems at exabyte scale.

What you'll do

Team Leadership: Build, lead, and grow high-performing infrastructure engineering teams specializing in data systems
Technology Strategy: Drive the evolution of OpenAI's in-house online data technologies, including hyperscale database systems and indexing technologies
Vector Search Development: Oversee development of advanced vector search capabilities for AI applications
Reliability Engineering: Anchor delivery around measurable reliability goals including SLOs to ensure system performance and resiliency
Operational Excellence: Reduce operational toil and incident frequency through better abstractions, guardrails, and self-healing systems
Agent Technology Integration: Champion pragmatic use of agent technology to amplify execution velocity across the team
Distributed Systems Architecture: Oversee delivery of distributed query execution and multi-region federation capabilities
Performance Optimization: Lead initiatives for low-level performance optimization at exabyte scale
Cross-functional Collaboration: Work with product and research teams to enable rapid development without infrastructure bottlenecks

What we look for

Technical

Database Systems ExpertiseDeep hands-on understanding of database, indexing, storage, and distributed systems technologies
Infrastructure OperationsHands-on experience building and operating infrastructure with strict reliability, latency, and security requirements
Distributed SystemsExpertise in distributed query execution, multi-region federation, and self-healing systems
Performance EngineeringExperience with low-level performance optimization and hyperscale system design
Vector SearchUnderstanding of vector databases and similarity search technologies for AI applications

Education

Computer Science DegreeBachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical field preferred
Distributed Systems KnowledgeStrong academic or professional background in distributed systems and database technologies

Experience

Engineering ManagementProven experience managing data-intensive software engineering teams in demanding environments
Senior Engineer DevelopmentDemonstrable track record of hiring, developing, and retaining senior engineers
Operational ExcellenceSpirit for operational excellence with hands-on experience in high-reliability systems
Technical LeadershipAbility to modulate technical engagement to create space for highly technical teams to lead and grow

Skills

Required skills

Engineering Leadership5+ years managing software engineering teams, particularly in infrastructure or data systems
Database TechnologiesExpert-level knowledge of database internals, query optimization, and storage systems
Distributed SystemsDeep understanding of distributed computing, consensus algorithms, and system reliability
Performance EngineeringExperience with low-level optimization, profiling, and scaling systems to extreme loads
Operational ExcellenceTrack record of building highly reliable systems with strong SLOs and monitoring

Nice to have

Vector DatabasesExperience with vector search, embeddings, and AI-specific data storage patterns
Multi-cloud ArchitectureKnowledge of deploying across AWS, GCP, and Azure environments
AI/ML InfrastructureUnderstanding of infrastructure requirements for training and serving AI models
Open Source ContributionsActive contributions to database or distributed systems open source projects
Agent TechnologyExperience with AI agents and autonomous system orchestration

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 325,000 – 405,000 (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 coverage for employees and families

Unlimited PTO

Flexible time off policy to promote work-life balance

Learning Budget

Professional development funds for conferences, courses, and skill enhancement

Remote Work Support

Stipend for home office setup and equipment

Commuter Benefits

Transportation assistance for San Francisco office commute

Wellness Programs

Mental health support and wellness initiatives

Parental Leave

Generous maternity and paternity leave policies

401k Retirement Plan

Company matching retirement savings program

Interview process

  1. 1
    Initial Screen — 30-minute phone/video call with recruiting team covering background and role alignment
  2. 2
    Hiring Manager Interview — 45-minute discussion with the hiring manager about leadership philosophy and technical vision
  3. 3
    Technical Leadership Interview — 60-minute session covering system design, architecture decisions, and technical problem-solving
  4. 4
    Management Philosophy Interview — 45-minute conversation about team building, performance management, and engineering culture
  5. 5
    Cross-functional Interview — 30-minute interview with stakeholders from product or research teams about collaboration
  6. 6
    Executive Interview — 30-minute final interview with senior leadership about strategic alignment and vision
  7. 7
    Reference Checks — Verification of past performance and leadership effectiveness with previous colleagues
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OpenAI

OpenAI

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OpenAI is an American artificial intelligence research organization developing advanced AI models like GPT. Focused on ensuring AI benefits humanity, it creates tools for natural language processing and generative AI applications.

San Francisco, California, United StatesFounded 2015openai.com

Tech Stack

Languages
PythonGoRustJava/Scala
Frameworks
Apache SparkApache KafkaKubernetes
Databases
Custom In-house DatabasePostgreSQLRedisElasticsearchVector Databases
Tools
DockerTerraformPrometheus/GrafanaApache Airflow
Other
Multi-cloud ArchitectureService MeshCI/CD Pipelines

Interview Guides

5 guides available for OpenAI

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