OpenAI

Software Engineer, Developer Productivity

OpenAI11 months ago
Location

San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 210,000 – 490,000

Level

Senior

Role

Backend Engineer

Posted

Mar 27, 2025

Full TimeSenior

The role

Summary

OpenAI's Engineering Acceleration team is seeking a Software Engineer for Developer Productivity to design and build foundational systems that accelerate engineering velocity across ChatGPT and API development. This role involves leveraging cutting-edge AI tools to revolutionize developer productivity while working with large-scale GPU infrastructure and modern cloud technologies.

What you'll do

Developer Tooling Architecture: Drive the design, development, and implementation of tools, systems, and processes that accelerate engineering velocity and reduce manual effort
AI-Powered Productivity: Use OpenAI's latest AI tools to re-think and revolutionize team productivity methodologies
Cross-Team Collaboration: Work closely with various teams within OpenAI to understand workflows, challenges, and needs for tool development
Technical Foundation Building: Partner with product engineers to lay necessary technical foundations for new features and research capabilities
Best Practices Guidance: Guide and advise product engineering teams on best practices for ensuring observable, scalable systems
System Reliability: Maintain responsibility for system reliability including on-call rotation to respond to critical incidents
Infrastructure Optimization: Optimize large-scale GPU node deployments across dozens of Kubernetes clusters in multiple regions
CI/CD Pipeline Management: Design and maintain continuous integration and deployment pipelines using Buildkite and related tools

What we look for

Technical

Infrastructure Development3+ years of experience building tooling and infrastructure for developer teams
Programming ProficiencyStrong programming skills in Python and experience with FastAPI framework
Cloud InfrastructureHands-on experience with Kubernetes, Terraform, and large-scale distributed systems
Database ManagementProficiency with PostgreSQL, Cosmos DB, and Kafka for data processing and storage
DevOps PracticesExperience with CI/CD pipelines, containerization, and automated deployment strategies
System DesignUnderstanding of scalable system architecture and microservices patterns

Education

Technical DegreeBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience
Continuous LearningDemonstrated ability to rapidly learn new technologies and share knowledge effectively

Experience

Software Engineering5+ years of overall engineering experience with focus on infrastructure and tooling
Developer Productivity3+ years specifically in infrastructure building tooling for developer teams
Large-Scale SystemsExperience working with high-traffic, distributed systems and GPU infrastructure
On-Call OperationsExperience with production system maintenance and incident response

Skills

Required skills

Python ProgrammingExpert-level proficiency in Python for backend development and automation
KubernetesHands-on experience with container orchestration and cluster management
Infrastructure as CodeProficiency with Terraform for cloud resource management
Database TechnologiesWorking knowledge of PostgreSQL, Cosmos DB, and Kafka
CI/CD SystemsExperience with Buildkite or similar continuous integration platforms
System ArchitectureUnderstanding of distributed systems and scalable architecture patterns

Nice to have

AI/ML InfrastructureExperience with GPU computing and machine learning infrastructure
FastAPI FrameworkSpecific experience with FastAPI for high-performance API development
Multi-Cloud DeploymentExperience with multi-region and multi-cloud infrastructure management
Observability ToolsFamiliarity with monitoring, logging, and alerting systems
Performance OptimizationExperience optimizing large-scale systems for performance and efficiency

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 210,000 – 490,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Equity Compensation

Competitive equity package as part of total compensation

Relocation Assistance

Full relocation assistance provided for new employees moving to San Francisco

Cutting-Edge Technology

Access to OpenAI's latest AI tools and technologies for professional development

Professional Growth

Opportunity to shape the future of AI technology and developer productivity

Equal Opportunity

Inclusive workplace committed to diversity and equal employment opportunities

Reasonable Accommodations

Support for applicants and employees with disabilities

Interview process

  1. 1
    Application Review — Initial screening of resume and application materials focusing on relevant experience
  2. 2
    Phone/Video Screen — 30-45 minute conversation with recruiter covering background and role interest
  3. 3
    Technical Phone Interview — 60-minute technical discussion covering system design and infrastructure experience
  4. 4
    Technical Deep Dive — 90-minute interview focusing on specific technical challenges and problem-solving approach
  5. 5
    System Design Interview — 60-minute session designing large-scale developer productivity systems
  6. 6
    Team Fit Interview — 45-minute cultural fit assessment with potential teammates
  7. 7
    Final Interview — 60-minute interview with senior leadership covering vision and strategic thinking
  8. 8
    Reference Check — Verification of background and professional references
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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
PythonSQL
Frameworks
FastAPIKubernetes
Databases
PostgreSQLCosmos DBKafka
Tools
TerraformBuildkiteDockerGit
Other
GPU ComputingMulti-region DeploymentObservability Tools

Interview Guides

5 guides available for OpenAI

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