Software Engineer, API Agents

Details

API Agents builds the shared agent harness, tools, and infrastructure that turn OpenAI’s frontier models into systems that can reliably complete real work. The team develops reusable agent capabilities across software engineering, research, finance, healthcare, enterprise operations, and other workflows, including search and connected context, computer use, memory, delegation, multi-agent coordination, and safe execution.

The role focuses on building core systems for the next generation of agents. It combines backend and infrastructure engineering with product judgment across agent runtimes, orchestration, search, execution environments, identity and permissions, observability, and evaluations. This is software and systems engineering rather than model training, with an emphasis on turning fast-moving research capabilities into dependable production primitives.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and operate the shared agent harness and backend infrastructure powering long-running, high-value workflows across OpenAI and third-party products.
• Build reusable capabilities for search and connected context, computer use, memory, tool execution, delegation, subagents, and multi-agent orchestration.
• Establish foundations for safe production operation, including secure execution environments, identity and permissions, observability, evaluations, reliability, and cost and latency efficiency.
• Partner with Research, Codex, infrastructure, applied product teams, and external developers to translate model progress, traces, evaluations, and workflow needs into shared capabilities.
• Drive measurable gains in task completion, cost, and latency.

Requirements

• 7+ years of professional engineering experience, excluding internships, in backend, infrastructure, platform, or product-driven engineering roles.
• Exceptional backend engineering fundamentals and experience leading complex systems from ambiguous problem statements to reliable production services.
• Proficiency in one or more backend languages such as Python, Go, Rust, TypeScript, or similar, with the ability to work across service, platform, and product boundaries.
• Strong systems design and operational judgment across distributed systems, APIs, workflow orchestration, search or storage, compute and execution, identity and permissions, observability, or reliability.
• Infrastructure depth paired with product judgment, including the ability to abstract complex systems into simple, durable primitives.
• Strong developer empathy and communication skills, including experience partnering with users, research teams, and product engineers.
• High agency and comfort operating in a fast-moving environment, with strong ownership of security, reliability, and operational excellence.

Benefits

• Base salary range of $293,000–$385,000 per year, plus equity.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts.
• Pre-tax accounts for health, dependent care, and commuter expenses.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.
• Paid parental, medical, and caregiver leave.
• Paid time off, paid company holidays, office closures, and paid sick or safe time as required by law.
• Mental health and wellness support.
• Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage.
• Annual learning and development stipend.
• Daily office meals and eligible meal delivery credits.
• Relocation support for eligible employees.
• Additional benefits may include charitable donation matching and wellness stipends.

OpenAI is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Background checks will be administered in accordance with applicable law.