# Software Engineer, Imagine Product

**Company:** [xAI](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/xai)
**Location:** Palo Alto, CA
**Role:** Backend Engineering
**Salary:** $180k – $440k/yr
**Skills:** Python, Rust, Kubernetes, Distributed Systems, Data Pipelines, Real-Time Systems, Inference Serving, Multi-Modal Data Processing, Observability Tools, Ai Workloads
**Posted:** 2026-03-06

> Build and scale high-performance systems for AI-driven media experiences in Grok, handling multi-modal data processing, real-time interactions, and large-scale pipelines. Requires proficiency in Python or Rust, experience with consumer-facing systems, and passion for AI media technologies.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Design and implement scalable systems to support Grok's AI-driven media experiences, ensuring high performance, reliability, and low-latency at global scale.
- Architect robust infrastructure for real-time multi-modal interactions, including handling generation requests, media processing, and seamless integration with frontend and model serving layers.
- Build and optimize large-scale data pipelines to ingest, process, and analyze multi-modal data (images, video, audio), fueling continuous improvement and personalization of Grok's media capabilities.
- Collaborate closely with frontend engineers, AI researchers, and product teams to deliver captivating, media-rich features and end-to-end user experiences.
- Own full-cycle development of solutions: from system design and prototyping to deployment, monitoring, observability, and iterative refinement.
- Deliver production-ready, maintainable code that powers features reaching hundreds of millions of users.

## Required Qualifications
- Proficiency in **Python** or **Rust**, with a strong track record of writing clean, efficient, maintainable, and scalable code.
- Experience designing and building systems for consumer-facing products, with emphasis on performance, reliability, and handling high-throughput workloads.
- Hands-on expertise in large-scale data infrastructure and pipelines, particularly for multi-modal or media-heavy AI applications.
- Proven ability to deliver robust, production-grade solutions to millions of users while maintaining high standards of quality and uptime.
- Strong problem-solving skills and a passion for turning innovative ideas into high-impact, scalable realities.
- Deep enthusiasm for AI and media technologies, with a commitment to building user-focused products that inspire and engage.

## Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with real-time systems, inference serving, or multi-modal data processing at scale.
- Familiarity with distributed systems, containerization (e.g., **Kubernetes**), observability tools, or performance tuning for AI workloads.
- Background in AI-driven consumer products or media generation technologies.
- Track record collaborating across engineering, research, and product teams to ship delightful features quickly.

## Compensation and Benefits
**Annual Salary Range**: $180,000 - $440,000 USD

Base salary is just one part of total rewards, which also includes equity, comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and various other discounts and perks.

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