Applied Software Engineers

Details

We are looking for highly capable, generalist software engineers to join our Applied AI teams at OpenAI. In this role, you will work at the intersection of research, product, and infrastructure — building real-world AI systems that are used by millions of people and developers worldwide.

You will collaborate closely with researchers, product managers, designers, and other engineers to turn cutting-edge AI capabilities into reliable, scalable, and impactful products. This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy owning complex problems end-to-end, moving fluidly across the stack, and learning whatever is necessary to deliver high-quality outcomes.

If you are motivated by building systems that push the boundaries of what software can do — and want your work to meaningfully shape how AI is deployed responsibly at global scale — this role offers a uniquely challenging and rewarding opportunity.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain production systems that power AI-driven products and experiences.
• Develop full-stack features, APIs, and internal tools to support applied research and customer-facing use cases.
• Partner closely with research teams to operationalize new model capabilities and rapidly iterate from prototype to production.
• Build scalable, reliable services that support high-throughput, low-latency AI workloads.
• Optimize systems for performance, cost, reliability, and security at scale.
• Own projects end-to-end — from initial design through deployment, monitoring, and ongoing iteration.
• Help shape technical direction, engineering best practices, and product roadmaps as the platform evolves.

Requirements

• Typically 7+ years of professional experience as a software engineer (OpenAI notes flexibility for exceptional candidates).
• Strong engineering fundamentals, including system design, data structures, and debugging complex systems.
• Experience building and maintaining production services or user-facing products at scale.
• Proficiency in one or more general-purpose programming languages such as Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Go, Java, or C++.
• Comfort working across the stack (backend, frontend, APIs, infrastructure) or willingness to learn new areas quickly.
• Experience collaborating in fast-moving, highly cross-functional environments.
• A strong sense of ownership and the ability to operate with ambiguity.

Benefits

• Base salary range listed for the role; total compensation may include equity and performance-related bonus(es).
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts.
• Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.
• Paid parental leave, paid medical and caregiver leave, flexible PTO and paid time off policies.
• 13+ paid company holidays and multiple coordinated office closures throughout the year.
• Mental health and wellness support; employer-paid basic life and disability coverage.
• Annual learning and development stipend; daily meals in offices and meal delivery credits as eligible.
• Relocation support for eligible employees and additional taxable fringe benefits (charitable donation matching, wellness stipends, etc.).

Company

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. The company emphasizes safety, diverse perspectives, and inclusive practices. Background checks and reasonable accommodations are part of the hiring process, and additional policies are linked on the company careers pages.