Software Engineer - Agentic Commerce

Perplexity AI2 days ago

Location

San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 220,000 – 405,000

Level

Senior

Role

Software Engineer

Posted

Mar 27, 2026

Full TimeSenior

The role

Summary

Perplexity AI is seeking an experienced Software Engineer to develop and optimize their critical billing platform, focusing on creating robust monetization infrastructure for AI-powered products. The ideal candidate will design scalable billing systems, enable product innovation, and ensure reliable revenue operations across consumer and enterprise platforms.

What you'll do

Billing Platform Architecture: Design and maintain billing API abstractions that enable product teams to launch new monetization strategies with minimal technical overhead

System Reliability: Establish comprehensive reliability standards for billing systems, including tiered SLOs, proactive monitoring, and alerting mechanisms

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Finance, Data Science, Growth, and Security teams to ensure billing data accuracy, auditability, and compliance

Payment Infrastructure: Expand payment method coverage and optimize authorization rates to improve global conversion rates

Internal Tooling: Develop internal tools that empower Support and Finance teams to quickly diagnose and resolve billing issues

What we look for

Technical

Programming LanguagesStrong backend engineering skills in Python with distributed systems expertise

Database ManagementProficiency with relational databases, particularly PostgreSQL, and data-driven decision making

Payment SystemsDeep understanding of payment processors, including subscriptions, invoicing, disputes, and webhooks

Education

DegreeBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field preferred

Experience

Billing Systems4+ years of industry experience, with direct experience building or scaling billing, payments, and monetization systems

OwnershipDemonstrated ability to proactively ship features and implement improvements with strong entrepreneurial instincts

Skills

Required skills

PythonAdvanced backend development skills with complex system design capabilities

Payment ProcessingComprehensive understanding of billing system integrations and monetization strategies

Database ManagementProficient in PostgreSQL with ability to make data-informed engineering decisions

Nice to have

Stripe APIHands-on experience with Stripe APIs and SDKs

Usage-Based BillingExperience with metered and usage-based billing models

Full-Stack DevelopmentExperience with Next.js, React, and TypeScript

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 220,000 – 405,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Equity

Stock options available as part of compensation package

Hybrid Work

Flexible work arrangement with options for remote and in-office work

Interview process

1
Initial Screening — Review of resume and initial qualifications match
2
Technical Phone Screen — Preliminary technical assessment of coding skills and system design knowledge
3
Technical Interview — In-depth technical interview focusing on billing systems, distributed systems, and Python expertise
4
System Design Challenge — Evaluate candidate's ability to design scalable billing and monetization infrastructure
5
Final Interview — Discussion with team leadership about role fit and collaborative potential