OpenAI

iOS Engineer, Social Products

OpenAI1 months ago
Location

San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 210,000 – 325,000

Level

Senior

Role

iOS Engineer

Posted

Feb 10, 2026

Full TimeSenior

The role

Summary

OpenAI's Incubation team is seeking a senior iOS Engineer to build innovative AI-powered mobile experiences from concept to launch. This role involves leading iOS development for experimental social products that integrate OpenAI's cutting-edge AI technology into intuitive mobile experiences. The ideal candidate brings 5+ years of iOS development experience, strong product instincts, and expertise in Swift/SwiftUI to help shape the future of AI-human interaction on mobile platforms.

What you'll do

Lead iOS Product Development: Build and ship new iOS experiences that integrate AI technology from early prototypes to public launches
End-to-End Feature Development: Drive complete development of core features and workflows using Swift and modern iOS frameworks with emphasis on craft and UX polish
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with product, design, research, and backend teams to translate early concepts into delightful user experiences
Performance and Quality Ownership: Ensure application performance, reliability, and quality across devices and geographies with fast, stable, and responsive experience
Technical Foundation Building: Establish strong technical architecture, testing, and observability practices for rapid iteration and confident scaling
Technical Leadership: Contribute technical leadership by raising iOS engineering standards and shaping OpenAI's mobile platform direction
AI Integration Development: Create intuitive integrations between OpenAI's AI models and iOS interfaces that feel natural and trustworthy
Rapid Prototyping: Move quickly from concept to prototype, helping shape product direction through iterative development and user feedback

What we look for

Technical

iOS Development Expertise5+ years professional software engineering experience focused on building and scaling iOS applications
Swift ProficiencyFluent in Swift with deep familiarity with Apple ecosystem including Xcode, UIKit, SwiftUI, and modern concurrency
Mobile Systems ExperienceProven experience owning complex mobile systems end-to-end from architecture to monitoring and improvement
High-Quality Product ShippingTrack record of shipping user-facing mobile products balancing design, reliability, performance, and resilience
Architectural Decision MakingAbility to make thoughtful architectural tradeoffs optimizing for iteration speed and maintainability

Education

Computer Science DegreeBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent practical experience
Mobile Development FocusSpecialized knowledge in mobile development principles, iOS ecosystem, and Apple design guidelines

Experience

Senior iOS DevelopmentMinimum 5 years of professional iOS development experience with focus on user-facing applications
Product-Focused EngineeringExperience working in environments where product direction is discovered through shipping and learning
Cross-Platform CollaborationExperience partnering with product, design, and backend teams in fast-paced development environments
Early-Stage Product DevelopmentExperience building products from zero-to-one in startup or incubation environments

Skills

Required skills

Swift ProgrammingExpert-level proficiency in Swift programming language for iOS development
iOS FrameworksDeep knowledge of SwiftUI, UIKit, and modern iOS development frameworks
Mobile ArchitectureStrong understanding of mobile application architecture patterns and best practices
Performance OptimizationExperience optimizing iOS applications for performance, memory usage, and battery efficiency
User Experience FocusStrong product instincts and focus on creating intuitive, human-centered experiences

Nice to have

AI Integration ExperiencePrevious experience integrating AI models or machine learning capabilities into mobile applications
Cross-Platform DevelopmentFamiliarity with cross-platform development tools and frameworks
Backend IntegrationExperience working with REST APIs, GraphQL, and real-time communication protocols
Startup ExperiencePrevious experience in fast-paced startup or incubation environments
Open Source ContributionsActive participation in iOS development community and open source projects

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 210,000 – 325,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Equity Compensation

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

Health Insurance

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage

Professional Development

Opportunities to work with cutting-edge AI technology and learn from industry leaders

Flexible Work Environment

Collaborative work environment with focus on innovation and rapid iteration

Impact Opportunity

Direct contribution to products that shape the future of AI and human interaction

Equal Opportunity Employment

Inclusive workplace committed to diversity and equal opportunity for all employees

Interview process

  1. 1
    Initial Application Review — Resume and portfolio review focusing on iOS development experience and shipped products
  2. 2
    Recruiter Phone Screen — 30-minute conversation about background, interest in OpenAI, and role expectations
  3. 3
    Technical Phone Interview — 60-minute technical discussion covering iOS development concepts, Swift, and mobile architecture
  4. 4
    Take-Home Coding Challenge — iOS development project demonstrating Swift skills, UI implementation, and code quality
  5. 5
    Technical Deep Dive — 90-minute session reviewing take-home project and discussing technical decisions and trade-offs
  6. 6
    Product and Design Collaboration — Interview focusing on product thinking, user experience considerations, and cross-functional collaboration
  7. 7
    Final Interview Loop — Series of interviews with team members covering technical skills, cultural fit, and leadership potential
  8. 8
    Reference Checks — Verification of previous work experience and performance with former colleagues or managers
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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
SwiftObjective-C
Frameworks
SwiftUIUIKitCombineCore DataCore Animation
Databases
SQLiteCore DataRealm
Tools
XcodeTestFlightInstrumentsGitFastlane
Other
REST APIsGraphQLWebSocketCI/CDApp Store Connect

Interview Guides

5 guides available for OpenAI

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