Skip to content

Software Engineer, Sandboxing

Build and operate secure, scalable sandboxing infrastructure for untrusted, model-generated code and tool calls. The role requires backend programming, virtualization or isolation experience, and strong knowledge of Linux security primitives.

About the job

Responsibilities

  • Design, build, and operate sandboxed execution environments for untrusted, model-generated code and tool calls at scale.
  • Improve isolation boundaries using containers, microVMs, or gVisor-style kernels while balancing security, startup latency, and throughput.
  • Build scheduling, resource-management, and lifecycle systems to provision, reuse, and tear down sandboxes efficiently under heavy concurrent load.
  • Partner with researchers and product teams to expose sandboxing primitives that are simple to use and difficult to misuse.
  • Instrument sandboxes for observability and abuse detection, and respond to escape or exploitation attempts.
  • Own platform reliability and performance end-to-end, from API design through the underlying virtualization layer.

Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in computer science, engineering, or a similar field.
  • Proficiency in at least one backend language, such as Python or Rust.
  • Experience building or operating isolation or virtualization technology, including containers, microVMs, or sandboxed runtimes.
  • Strong knowledge of Linux isolation internals, including namespaces, cgroups, seccomp, capabilities, and networking.
  • Ability to operate across the stack and own projects end-to-end.
  • Ability to collaborate with cross-functional partners and subject-matter experts.

Nice-to-haves

  • Experience securing systems that execute untrusted or adversarial code, including threat modeling and sandbox-escape hardening.
  • Familiarity with large-scale, multi-tenant infrastructure on Kubernetes or similar orchestration systems.
  • Experience with performance-sensitive systems programming and reducing cold-start latency for ephemeral compute.
  • Contributions to open-source infrastructure or security tooling.
  • Interest in AI-agent tool use and code execution and their implications for safe execution environments.

Compensation and Benefits

  • Annual salary: $300,000–$450,000 USD.
  • Health, dental, and vision benefits.
  • Unlimited paid time off.
  • Paid parental leave.
  • Relocation support.

Skills

Python, Rust, Containers, Microvms, Gvisor, Kata Containers, Linux, Namespaces, Cgroups, Seccomp, Kubernetes, Threat Modeling, Virtualization

OpenAI

OpenAI

San Francisco, CA

Backend Software Engineer - Codex for Finance
$293k+/yrHybrid5+ YOEBackend Engineering

Build backend systems, data infrastructure, agentic workflows, and enterprise integrations that make AI useful and trustworthy for financial institutions. The role requires 5+ years of software engineering experience, backend-language proficiency, and experience with production data-intensive or distributed systems.

OpenAI

OpenAI

San Francisco, CA
Software Engineer, Host Assurance
$266k+/yrHybridBackend Engineering

Build and operate Host Assurance services and host software that establish trust in bare-metal and virtual machine infrastructure through secure bootstrap, identity, attestation, and verification. The role requires production software engineering experience across reliable systems, platform or infrastructure security, and host-system boundaries.

OpenAI

OpenAI

San Francisco, CA
Product Engineer, Ona
$255k+/yrHybridBackend Engineering

Build backend infrastructure and customer-facing workflows that enable developers and AI agents to operate reliably in secure cloud environments. The role requires strong Go and production backend experience, distributed-systems expertise, and practical knowledge of cloud infrastructure, networking, and security.

Baseten

Baseten

San Francisco, CA
Software Engineer - Identity and Authorization
$240k+/yrHybrid5+ YOEBackend Engineering

Build and own Baseten’s identity and authorization platform, including fine-grained permissions, credential systems, and enterprise administration. The role requires backend systems experience, production authorization expertise, and the ability to operate secure multi-tenant systems at scale.

Stripe

Stripe

Seattle, WA

Software Engineer
$235k+/yrHybrid5+ YOEBackend Engineering

Build and operate scalable backend services, APIs, and real-time data systems while contributing to architecture, reliability, and product-driven solutions. Requires a relevant master’s degree with 3 years of experience or a bachelor’s degree with 5 years, plus broad distributed systems and programming expertise.