Software Engineer, Defensive Security Agent Engineering

About OpenAI OpenAI’s mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. Our teams are dedicated to advancing the state of AI while maintaining the highest standards of safety, security, and integrity in every aspect of our work. About the Team The Defensive Security Agent Engineering team plays a critical role in safeguarding OpenAI’s infrastructure, systems, and operations. Our work is deeply interconnected with OpenAI’s advancements in AI, leveraging state-of-the-art technologies to address security challenges in innovative ways. We are a highly technical and innovative group that works on engineering secure systems, processing large-scale data, and integrating cutting-edge technologies into practical applications. By building and maintaining robust backend systems, we aim to enhance OpenAI’s ability to anticipate, detect, and mitigate security risks in a rapidly evolving landscape. This role may be based in San Francisco, CA or New York, NY. We operate in a hybrid work model, with three days per week in the office. Relocation assistance is available for new employees.

About the Role

We are seeking a Software Engineer to help build scalable autonomous security solutions that protect OpenAI’s systems and data. This role offers a unique opportunity to work closely with AI-driven technologies, integrating them into our security infrastructure to enhance operational effectiveness. This role emphasizes backend and data engineering, with an ideal candidate bringing experience in security or a strong willingness to engage with security-focused challenges. Working closely with cross-functional teams, you will design, develop, and maintain critical systems that bolster our security capabilities and reinforce our operational resilience. In this role, you will:

• Develop, deploy, and maintain backend systems and infrastructure to support security and data initiatives.
• Build scalable data pipelines and frameworks for processing large volumes of information securely and efficiently.
• Design and implement systems that integrate cutting-edge technologies to enhance operational and security outcomes.
• Collaborate with internal teams to align engineering efforts with organizational security goals.
• Troubleshoot and optimize existing systems to improve performance, reliability, and security.
• Stay informed about emerging technologies and methodologies to help OpenAI maintain a proactive security posture.

You might thrive in this role if you have:

• Proven experience in backend and data engineering, including designing and deploying large-scale systems.
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Python, Go, or similar.
• Familiarity with distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, and scalable data frameworks.
• Experience or strong interest in security-related practices, such as secure coding, threat modeling, or detection systems.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative and fast-paced environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

About OpenAI OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. For US Based Candidates: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link . At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology. Compensation $255K – $325K

• Offers Equity

The base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition to the salary range listed above, total compensation also includes generous equity and benefits.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family
• Mental health and wellness support
• 401(k) plan with 50% matching
• Generous time off, many company holidays, and multiple coordinated company office closures throughout the year for focus and recharge.
• Paid parental leave (24 weeks paid birth-parent leave & 20-week paid parental leave) and family-planning support
• Annual learning & development stipend ($1,500 per year)

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