# Staff+ Software Engineer, Identity Infrastructure Engineering

**Company:** [OpenAI](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/openai)
**Location:** San Francisco, CA
**Role:** Backend Engineering
**Salary:** $293k – $385k/yr
**Experience:** 10+ years
**Skills:** Go, Rust, Python, Cloud Infrastructure, Identity Systems, Distributed Systems, Infrastructure As Code, Authentication, Authorization, Access Governance
**Posted:** 2026-05-14

> Leads architecture, development, and operation of secure identity infrastructure across cloud platforms and internal systems for OpenAI's research and engineering teams. Requires 10+ years experience with large-scale backend systems, identity/security tech, and languages like Go, Rust, Python.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Lead the architecture, development, and operation of identity infrastructure that spans cloud platforms, internal systems, and critical engineering services.
- Design and evolve systems for authentication, authorization, access governance, auditability, and policy enforcement with a strong focus on reliability, scalability, and secure-by-default design.
- Build foundational infrastructure and platform capabilities that are broadly used across engineering, research, and security teams.
- Improve the reliability, observability, performance, and operational maturity of identity infrastructure that supports mission-critical systems and workflows.
- Lead ambiguous, high-impact technical initiatives across security, infrastructure, and engineering teams, driving alignment and execution across multiple stakeholders.
- Partner closely with engineers, researchers, and security teams to build scalable access patterns and infrastructure that enable rapid development while maintaining strong security boundaries and operational rigor.
- Raise the engineering bar through strong technical judgment, thoughtful system design, operational excellence, and long-term ownership of critical infrastructure.

## Requirements
- 10+ years building and operating large-scale infrastructure, platform, or backend systems.
- Deep experience with cloud infrastructure, identity systems, distributed systems, and infrastructure-as-code.
- Experience leading complex technical initiatives across teams and driving architecture in ambiguous environments.
- Experience building security-critical systems involving authentication, authorization, access governance, privileged access, or policy enforcement.
- Strong software engineering fundamentals with experience in **Go**, **Rust**, **Python**, or similar languages.
- Ability to debug across code, cloud infrastructure, identity systems, networking, and operations.
- High bar for reliability, security, auditability, and operational rigor in mission-critical systems.

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