OpenAI

Software Engineer, Core Services

OpenAI8 months ago
Location

San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 230,000 – 385,000

Level

Senior

Role

Backend Engineer

Posted

Jul 18, 2025

Full TimeSenior

The role

Summary

A Senior Software Engineer role at OpenAI's Core Services team building foundational infrastructure services including caching systems, workflow orchestration, and distributed metadata stores that serve as the backbone for OpenAI's AI products. The role focuses on designing highly reliable, scalable backend platforms using technologies like Redis, FoundationDB, and Temporal in San Francisco with a hybrid work model.

What you'll do

Infrastructure Design: Design and build shared infrastructure services including caching layers, workflow orchestration systems, metadata stores, and file storage services
System Architecture: Architect highly reliable, scalable, and performant distributed systems that serve as the backbone for OpenAI's AI products
Cross-team Collaboration: Collaborate with product engineering teams to provide scalable, reliable primitives that abstract distributed systems complexities
Performance Optimization: Improve performance, resilience, and scalability of core services powering customer-facing AI applications
API Development: Create well-designed APIs and abstractions that accelerate product development across teams
System Maintenance: Maintain and monitor critical backend platforms ensuring high availability and performance
Technical Leadership: Provide technical guidance on distributed systems best practices and infrastructure decisions

What we look for

Technical

Distributed SystemsExtensive experience designing and implementing distributed systems with focus on consistency models and replication strategies
Caching InfrastructureHands-on experience with caching systems like Redis, Memcached, or similar technologies
Workflow OrchestrationExperience with workflow orchestration platforms such as Temporal or Cadence
Metadata StorageExperience with distributed databases like FoundationDB or similar metadata storage solutions
Cloud PlatformsProven experience running containerized services in cloud environments (AWS, GCP, or Azure)
CI/CDExperience integrating services into automated build, test, and release workflows
Multi-region SystemsUnderstanding of trade-offs in consistency models and performance optimization in multi-region deployments

Education

Bachelor's DegreeBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field
Advanced DegreeMaster's degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience preferred

Experience

Backend Development5+ years of experience in backend software development with focus on distributed systems
Infrastructure Engineering3+ years of experience building and maintaining large-scale infrastructure services
Production SystemsExperience operating high-availability production systems serving millions of users
Cross-functional CollaborationProven track record of collaborating effectively with product teams and stakeholders

Skills

Required skills

Distributed Systems DesignDeep understanding of distributed systems architecture, consistency models, and fault tolerance
Backend ProgrammingStrong proficiency in backend programming languages like Python, Go, or Java
Database SystemsExperience with both SQL and NoSQL databases, particularly distributed database systems
ContainerizationHands-on experience with Docker and Kubernetes for service deployment
API DesignExpertise in designing RESTful APIs and RPC interfaces
System MonitoringExperience with observability tools and monitoring distributed systems

Nice to have

AI/ML InfrastructureExperience building infrastructure supporting AI/ML workloads
Temporal WorkflowsHands-on experience with Temporal or similar workflow orchestration platforms
FoundationDBExperience with FoundationDB or similar ACID-compliant distributed databases
Service MeshKnowledge of service mesh technologies like Istio or Linkerd
Infrastructure as CodeExperience with Terraform, Pulumi, or similar IaC tools
Performance EngineeringExpertise in performance optimization and capacity planning for large-scale systems

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 230,000 – 385,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Equity Compensation

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

Health Insurance

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

Relocation Assistance

Full relocation support for new employees moving to San Francisco

Hybrid Work Model

Flexible hybrid work arrangement with 3 days in-office per week

Professional Development

Access to cutting-edge AI research and learning opportunities

Retirement Plans

401(k) retirement savings plan with company matching

Parental Leave

Generous parental leave policy for new parents

Wellness Programs

Mental health support and wellness benefits

Interview process

  1. 1
    Application Review — Initial screening of resume and portfolio focusing on distributed systems experience
  2. 2
    Technical Phone Screen — 45-minute technical discussion covering distributed systems concepts and past experience
  3. 3
    System Design Interview — Design a distributed caching layer or workflow orchestration system similar to OpenAI's infrastructure
  4. 4
    Coding Interview — Live coding session focusing on backend algorithms and data structures
  5. 5
    Technical Deep Dive — In-depth discussion about a complex distributed system you've built or maintained
  6. 6
    Team Fit Interview — Behavioral interview with hiring manager and team members
  7. 7
    Final Interview — Leadership interview focusing on technical leadership and cross-functional collaboration
Apply for this position

You'll be redirected to the company's application page

OpenAI

OpenAI

View all jobs

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
Frameworks
TemporalgRPCFastAPISpring Boot
Databases
FoundationDBRedisMemcachedPostgreSQL
Tools
KubernetesDockerTerraformJenkinsPrometheusGrafana
Other
AWSApache KafkaIstioHelm

Interview Guides

5 guides available for OpenAI

Apply Now

On this page