OpenAI

Software Engineer, ChatGPT Infrastructure

OpenAI1 weeks ago
Location

San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 255,000 – 405,000

Level

Senior

Role

Software Engineer

Posted

Apr 21, 2026

Full TimeSenior

The role

Summary

OpenAI is seeking Senior and Staff Software Engineers to build critical infrastructure systems for ChatGPT, focusing on creating high-performance, scalable, and reliable platforms that enable rapid product iteration. The role involves designing core abstractions, developing tooling, and creating infrastructure that supports the complex and dynamic ecosystem of ChatGPT's technology stack.

What you'll do

Infrastructure Platform Development: Build and evolve infrastructure platforms used by multiple engineers and services, creating standardized systems and shared components.
Systems Design: Translate complex real-world constraints into clean, simple abstractions with enforceable contracts and safe default behaviors.
Performance Optimization: Drive improvements in system reliability and performance through principled design, measurement, and iterative enhancement.
Cross-Team Collaboration: Partner with engineering and product teams to identify systemic challenges and develop reusable, scalable solutions.
End-to-End Ownership: Manage infrastructure initiatives comprehensively from design through implementation, rollout, and operational maturity.

What we look for

Technical

Distributed SystemsExtensive experience building and operating large-scale distributed systems with high throughput, concurrency, and robust failure handling capabilities.
Systems DesignStrong fundamentals in systems design, including advanced concepts like caching, consistency, queueing, backpressure, and resilient dependency management.
Performance AnalysisAbility to analyze and optimize performance metrics, including latency distributions, tail behavior, and system bottlenecks.

Education

Computer ScienceBachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical discipline, or equivalent professional experience.

Experience

Infrastructure DevelopmentProven track record of building platforms or shared infrastructure that demonstrably improves team velocity and system correctness.
Production EngineeringHands-on experience in creating production-grade systems with a focus on scalability, reliability, and performance.

Skills

Required skills

Distributed ComputingAdvanced knowledge of distributed system design and implementation techniques
Systems ProgrammingExpertise in developing robust, scalable infrastructure systems
Performance OptimizationProven ability to analyze and improve system performance and reliability

Nice to have

Golden Path DesignExperience creating framework libraries and self-serve tooling that shape engineering behavior at scale
Reliability EngineeringDeep understanding of advanced reliability techniques like circuit breakers, load shedding, and fault isolation

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 255,000 – 405,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Healthcare

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage

Equity Compensation

Competitive stock option package with significant upside potential

Professional Development

Ongoing learning opportunities, conference attendance, and skill development programs

Flexible Work Arrangement

Hybrid work model with options for remote and in-office collaboration

Advanced Technology Access

Cutting-edge tools, resources, and research opportunities in AI technology

Interview process

  1. 1
    Initial Screening — HR recruiter call to discuss background, experience, and role alignment
  2. 2
    Technical Phone Screen — Detailed discussion of systems design experience and technical capabilities with senior engineering team member
  3. 3
    Technical Interviews — Multiple rounds of in-depth technical interviews covering systems design, coding skills, and infrastructure architecture
  4. 4
    System Design Challenge — Comprehensive evaluation of candidate's ability to design complex, scalable infrastructure systems
  5. 5
    Final Leadership Interview — Discussion with senior leadership to assess cultural fit and long-term potential
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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
PythonGo
Frameworks
gRPCKubernetes
Databases
RedisCassandra
Tools
PrometheusGrafana
Other
CI/CD

Interview Guides

5 guides available for OpenAI

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