System Software Engineer, Consumer Devices

About this role

OpenAI seeks a System Software Engineer to design and maintain foundational platform software for consumer devices, working across OS layers to ensure reliability, security, and performance. You'll own system components, build/update pipelines, optimize performance, and establish engineering practices in a hybrid San Francisco role.

What you'll do

• Design, implement, and debug system-level components across kernel and user space
• Configure and maintain OS platform services including init, networking, and security policies
• Build and operate image and update pipelines with reproducibility and rollback safety
• Profile and optimize system performance for CPU, memory, I/O, and power usage
• Establish platform observability through logging, crash capture, and diagnostics
• Collaborate cross-functionally to define interfaces and deliver end-to-end features

What they're looking for

• C/C++ and scripting language proficiency
• OS internals (concurrency, memory management, filesystems, networking)
• Systems debugging with debuggers, tracers, and profilers
• Platform service configuration and API design
• User-space foundations (service management, IPC, packaging, automation)
• Platform image building and update mechanism design
• Performance analysis and optimization
• Security concepts (secure boot, sandboxing, access controls)

Benefits

• Hybrid work (4 days onsite per week) in San Francisco
• Relocation assistance available
• Equal opportunity employer with inclusive hiring practices