Software Engineer, Plugin Developer Platform

Details

About the Team

The Plugin Developer Platform team builds the APIs, SDKs, and tools that let people extend ChatGPT and Codex. The team works on plugins, connectors, the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and interactive apps.

The goal is to enable anyone to turn a useful workflow into a plugin, share it, and let others use it. A plugin can package instructions and skills with connections to the tools and data it needs. The team works across plugin creation and publishing, the systems that run plugins across products, and open standards that developers can build on.

About the Role

This role is for a platform-minded engineer who understands how to build platforms that developers want to use. You will work across developer-facing interfaces, APIs, and backend systems, owning features from the first developer conversation through implementation and release.

You will work directly with developers, partners, and the open-source community. Their experience will inform the APIs and abstractions you design, the problems you prioritize, and the tradeoffs you make.

The role is based in San Francisco and follows a hybrid work model with three days in the office per week.

Responsibilities

• Design and ship APIs, SDKs, and services that developers use to extend ChatGPT and Codex.
• Make plugins easier to create, test, publish, update, and share.
• Improve compatibility and consistency across ChatGPT and Codex, including interactive app experiences.
• Contribute to MCP and other open standards, bringing practical developer needs into their design.
• Work with developers and partners to understand recurring problems and improve the platform, tooling, and documentation.
• Work with Product, Research, Security, and Trust & Safety on permissions, compatibility, and safe, reliable execution.

Requirements

• Experience building software that other developers use, such as an open-source project, API or SDK, developer platform, internal tools with real users, or devtools product.
• Strong opinions about APIs and abstractions, with the ability to explain the tradeoffs behind design decisions.
• Enjoyment of working directly with developers to understand what they are trying to build.
• Ability to move between product questions and technical details, identify what matters, and take work from an unclear problem through production.
• Comfort working across web interfaces and backend systems and learning unfamiliar parts of the stack.
• Interest in helping define how developers build software for AI agents, including through open standards such as MCP.

Compensation

• Base salary: $185,000–$490,000 per year.
• Equity is offered.
• Base pay may vary based on market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families, 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, medical leave, and caregiver leave.
• Paid time off, paid company holidays, office closures, and paid sick or safe time as required by applicable law.
• 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 where eligible.
• Relocation support for eligible employees.
• Additional taxable fringe benefits may include charitable donation matching and wellness stipends.

OpenAI is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Background checks are administered in accordance with applicable law.