OpenAI· Software· San Francisco
System Software Engineer, Consumer Devices
Comp$293K – $325K
Classified Tasks (14)
Automate 0%Augment 71%Human-Only 29%
Augment (10)
AI assists, human decides
Design system-level components and services spanning kernel and user space
technical
Implement system-level components and services spanning kernel and user space
technical
Debug system-level components and services across kernel and user space
technical
Work across operating system layers to focus on performance, security, and deep system debugging to ship production-grade systems
technical
Configure and maintain OS platform services (init, services, networking, security policies) and associated tooling
operational
Build and operate image and update pipelines, ensuring reliability, reproducibility, and rollback safety
operational
Instrument and analyze performance using profiling and tracing tools
analytical
Optimize CPU, memory, I/O, and power usage of platform software
technical
Manage platform observability and reliability systems, including logging, crash capture, watchdogs, and diagnostics
operational
Implement and maintain continuous integration (CI) systems and reproducible builds
operational
Human-Only (4)
Requires human judgment
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define interfaces and deliver end-to-end features
communication
Establish and enforce code review processes and engineering best practices
leadership
Manage release processes and release management for platform software
operational
Partner with external suppliers to support builds and deployments
communication
Job description
System Software Engineer, Consumer Devices | OpenAI Careers ## System Software Engineer, Consumer Devices Software - San Francisco Apply now(opens in a new window) Location: San Francisco, CA (Hybrid: 4 days onsite/week). Relocation assistance available. **About the Team:** We build foundational platform software that enables reliable, secure, and performant products. The team works across system layers and partners closely with adjacent engineering groups to deliver robust capabilities from concept through launch. **About the Role:** We’re seeking a Systems Software Engineer to design, implement, and debug core platform components and the pipelines that build and update system images. You’ll work across operating system layers, focusing on performance, security, and deep system debugging to ship production‑grade systems. **In this role, you will:** * Design, implement, and debug system‑level components and services across kernel and user space. * Configure and maintain OS platform services (init, services, networking, security policies) and related tooling. * Build and operate image and update pipelines, ensuring reliability, reproducibility, and rollback safety. * Instrument and analyze performance using profiling and tracing; optimize CPU, memory, I/O, and power usage. * Own platform observability and reliability: logging, crash capture, watchdogs, and diagnostics. * Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to define interfaces and deliver end‑to‑end features. * Establish strong engineering practices: code review, CI, reproducible builds, and release management. * Partner with external suppliers to support builds and deployments. **You might thrive in this role if you:** * Have shipped production systems software on modern operating systems. * Are proficient in C/C++ and a scripting language, and comfortable with OS internals (concurrency, memory management, filesystems, networking, power management). * Bring strong systems debugging skills using debuggers, tracers, profilers, and logs across kernel/user‑space boundaries. * Understand configuration of platform services and interfaces, and can translate requirements into stable, well‑documented APIs. * Are fluent in user‑space foundations (service management, IPC, networking, packaging, automation). * Have experience building platform images and designing update mechanisms for reliability and security. **Preferred Qualifications:** * Exposure to platform security (secure boot, sandboxing, mandatory access controls, attestation). * Experience with graphics/media, hardware acceleration, or high‑throughput data paths. * Familiarity with connectivity stacks and network configuration. * Observability and diagnostics in distributed or resource‑constrained environments. * Work on open‑source platforms or contributions to systems projects. **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 we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement. Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consis