Software Engineer, API Enterprise Controls

API Enterprise Controls is part of the API Infrastructure organization and owns the platform capabilities that help developers, startups, and enterprises adopt the OpenAI API securely and confidently. We are looking for an exceptional backend software engineer to help define and ship the enterprise capabilities our API Platform needs to scale. This is a product-engineering role grounded in deep backend systems. You will work across databases, streaming systems, request routing, authentication, and developer-facing APIs while bringing strong product judgment, developer empathy, and attention to the small details that make a platform easier to understand, trust, and operate. You will lead large cross-functional initiatives, work closely with Product and go-to-market teams, engage directly with sophisticated users, and carry ambiguous needs from discovery through design, launch, and iteration.

Responsibilities

Own backend product capabilities end to end across authentication and identity, service accounts and key controls, secure networking, compliance, observability, and operational workflows; Partner with Product, go-to-market, security, infrastructure teams, and sophisticated customers to identify needs, shape the roadmap, and lead large cross-functional projects from design through launch; Design developer-facing APIs, system behavior, configuration, error handling, safe defaults, auditing, and notifications with exceptional care for the details that define a great developer experience; Build, operate, and debug highly reliable backend systems spanning databases, streaming infrastructure, request routing, and distributed services, with strong operational ownership

Requirements

9+ years of professional engineering experience, excluding internships, in relevant backend, platform, or product-driven engineering roles; Exceptional backend engineering depth paired with strong product judgment and a track record of shipping API or platform capabilities that users depend on; Experience leading large cross-functional initiatives, influencing product direction, and aligning engineering, Product, go-to-market, security, and infrastructure partners; Proficiency in one or more backend languages such as Python, Go, Rust, TypeScript, or similar, with strong software design and systems fundamentals; Experience with distributed systems, databases, streaming systems, request routing, authentication and identity, networking, or enterprise platform controls; Strong communication and developer empathy, including experience working closely with product partners and users to turn ambiguous needs into clear technical decisions; Strong opinions about reliability, DevOps, and operational excellence, paired with meticulous attention to the details that make complex systems feel simple and dependable