OpenAI

Software Engineer, Payments

OpenAI8 months ago
Location

San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 255,000 – 440,000

Level

Senior

Role

Backend Engineer

Posted

Jun 20, 2025

Full TimeSenior

The role

Summary

OpenAI's Payments Team is seeking a Software Engineer to build and scale critical payment infrastructure that powers ChatGPT, API, and future commercial products. This role involves architecting financial systems, integrating with payment processors like Stripe, and ensuring reliable money movement at global scale. The position requires 5+ years of experience with payments or financial systems and offers competitive compensation ($255K-$440K) plus equity in a hybrid San Francisco environment.

What you'll do

Payment Infrastructure Architecture: Design and implement scalable core payment systems that support OpenAI's growing product portfolio including ChatGPT, API, and future commercial offerings
Financial Primitives Development: Build robust and extensible financial building blocks that enable rapid product iteration and support hyper-growth scenarios
Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with Finance, Growth, Product, and Legal teams to translate complex business requirements into clean, scalable technical solutions
Payment Integration Management: Develop and maintain direct integrations with payment service providers like Stripe, Adyen, and other financial infrastructure partners
Global Checkout Experience: Create seamless, localized payment experiences for users worldwide, supporting multiple currencies and payment methods
System Reliability & Observability: Improve the reliability, monitoring, and auditability of money movement systems to ensure 99.9% uptime and regulatory compliance
Technical Leadership: Demonstrate high ownership levels to ship changes in the highly-regulated payments domain while maintaining security and compliance standards
Performance Optimization: Optimize payment processing speed and reliability to handle OpenAI's rapid scaling and ensure excellent user experience during high-traffic periods

What we look for

Technical

Backend Development Expertise5+ years of professional software engineering experience with focus on backend systems, APIs, and database design
Payment Systems KnowledgeHands-on experience with payment processors (Stripe, Adyen, Braintree) or building internal financial systems including cardholder data handling
Financial Systems ArchitectureUnderstanding of online commerce, pricing systems, transaction processing, and money movement infrastructure at scale
Database ManagementProficiency with relational databases, transaction management, and data consistency in financial contexts
API Design & IntegrationStrong experience designing RESTful APIs, webhook systems, and third-party service integrations
Security & ComplianceKnowledge of PCI DSS compliance, data encryption, secure coding practices, and financial industry regulations

Education

Computer Science DegreeBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical field, or equivalent practical experience
Financial Systems KnowledgeUnderstanding of financial concepts, payment processing, and regulatory requirements in the payments industry

Experience

Payments or Fintech Experience5+ years of professional experience in software engineering, ideally with focus on payments or financial systems at scale
High-Growth EnvironmentExperience thriving in fast-paced, ambiguous environments while balancing rapid execution with technical rigor
Cross-functional CollaborationProven track record of working with diverse stakeholders including Finance, Legal, Product, and external vendors
System ScalabilityExperience building and scaling systems that handle high transaction volumes and support rapid business growth

Skills

Required skills

Backend DevelopmentProficiency in Python, Java, or similar backend languages for building scalable payment systems
Payment ProcessingExperience with payment gateways, transaction processing, and financial data handling
Database DesignStrong skills in designing and optimizing databases for financial transaction storage
API DevelopmentExpertise in building robust RESTful APIs and webhook systems for payment integrations
System ArchitectureAbility to design scalable, reliable systems that can handle high transaction volumes
Security PracticesKnowledge of secure coding, data encryption, and compliance requirements for financial systems

Nice to have

Cloud PlatformsExperience with AWS, GCP, or Azure for deploying and scaling payment infrastructure
Microservices ArchitectureUnderstanding of microservices patterns and distributed systems design
DevOps PracticesFamiliarity with CI/CD, containerization, and infrastructure as code
Frontend IntegrationBasic understanding of frontend technologies for payment UI integration
Monitoring & ObservabilityExperience with application monitoring, logging, and performance optimization tools
Agile MethodologiesExperience working in agile development environments with cross-functional teams

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 255,000 – 440,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Equity Compensation

Significant equity stake in OpenAI with potential for substantial growth as the company continues to lead in AI innovation

Hybrid Work Model

Flexible 3-day in-office requirement per week in San Francisco, allowing for work-life balance while maintaining collaboration

Relocation Assistance

Comprehensive relocation support for new employees moving to San Francisco area

Health Insurance

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their families

Professional Development

Opportunities to work on cutting-edge AI technology and grow expertise in payments and financial systems

Parental Leave

Generous parental leave policies supporting new parents

Retirement Benefits

401(k) retirement savings plan with company matching

Wellness Programs

Mental health support, wellness stipends, and employee assistance programs

Learning Budget

Annual budget for conferences, courses, and professional development in AI and payments technology

Interview process

  1. 1
    Initial Screening — 30-minute phone/video call with recruiting team to discuss background, interest in OpenAI, and role alignment
  2. 2
    Technical Phone Screen — 45-60 minute technical interview focusing on system design, payment processing concepts, and coding problem-solving
  3. 3
    System Design Interview — 60-90 minute deep-dive into designing scalable payment systems, discussing architecture patterns and trade-offs
  4. 4
    Coding Interview — 60 minute hands-on coding session focusing on backend development, API design, and financial data processing
  5. 5
    Cross-functional Interview — 45 minute behavioral interview with Finance/Product team members to assess collaboration and communication skills
  6. 6
    Final Round — On-site or virtual panel including hiring manager and senior engineers, covering technical depth and cultural fit
  7. 7
    Reference Check — Background verification and reference calls with previous supervisors and colleagues
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
PythonJavaScript/TypeScriptSQL
Frameworks
Django/FlaskReactFastAPI
Databases
PostgreSQLRedisMongoDB
Tools
DockerKubernetesAWS/GCPTerraformDataDog/New Relic
Other
Stripe APIAdyenPCI DSSWebhooksOAuth 2.0

Interview Guides

5 guides available for OpenAI

Apply Now

On this page