Staff Backend Software Engineer - API Platform

Perplexity AI, Inc.

Job Overview

Location

Remote

Job Type

Full-time

Full Job Description

📋 Description

• Join Perplexity at the forefront of information discovery and reasoning, where we are fundamentally changing how users interact with knowledge. As a Staff Backend Software Engineer on our API Platform team, you will play a pivotal role in architecting, building, and scaling the high-performance interfaces that deliver Perplexity's cutting-edge intelligence to a global audience. This is an opportunity to shape the very foundation of our external-facing platform, impacting developers, enterprise clients, and integrated products worldwide.
• Our API team is the engine room of Perplexity's external intelligence. We are responsible for the architecture, unwavering reliability, and robust security of the APIs that power everything from instantaneous Large Language Model (LLM) queries to complex, enterprise-scale integrations. You will be instrumental in designing and operating these mission-critical systems, ensuring they meet the demands of high-traffic, low-latency applications.
• In this role, you will architect sophisticated distributed systems, meticulously optimizing their performance under immense scale. You will be a key contributor to setting and upholding engineering standards that guarantee our APIs are not only fast and resilient but also a genuine pleasure for developers to build upon. This involves a deep dive into the intricacies of API design, focusing on aspects like versioning strategies, seamless schema evolution, robust idempotency mechanisms, secure authentication patterns, and advanced performance tuning.
• Your responsibilities will extend to leading significant technical initiatives. This could range from conceiving and implementing entirely new platform components that unlock novel capabilities, to undertaking multi-team system redesigns that enhance scalability and maintainability. You will be a driving force in improving system reliability and security through the implementation of sophisticated rate limiting, comprehensive authentication protocols, advanced observability practices (including metrics, distributed tracing, and detailed logging), and rigorous automated testing frameworks.
• Collaboration is key to our success. You will work closely with product managers, fellow engineers, and other stakeholders to understand evolving customer needs and translate them into scalable platform capabilities and generalized API features. A critical part of this is discerning when to extend and enhance our existing systems versus when to architect and build new, specialized services that offer distinct advantages.
• We foster a culture of engineering excellence. You will actively participate in design reviews, champion high code quality, and contribute to comprehensive internal documentation. Your work will directly influence the developer experience, ensuring our APIs are intuitive, well-documented, and straightforward to adopt, thereby accelerating innovation for our partners and users.
• The ideal candidate possesses a strong technical background, coupled with a deep understanding of the challenges inherent in building and operating large-scale, high-performance APIs. Experience with LLM-related technologies and natural language processing APIs is highly desirable, as it directly aligns with Perplexity's core mission. You should have a proven track record of delivering robust backend systems and a passion for creating developer-friendly products.
• You will be instrumental in shaping the future of how information is accessed and utilized, working with a talented team in a fast-paced, innovative environment. This role offers the chance to make a significant impact on a product that is at the cutting edge of AI and information retrieval.
• Our current tech stack includes Python, Go, PostgreSQL, DynamoDB, Redis, FastAPI, React, Bazel, GitHub, and AWS, providing a rich environment for leveraging modern technologies and best practices in backend development. You will have the opportunity to work with and contribute to this diverse and powerful set of tools.

🎯 Requirements

• 5+ years of professional backend engineering experience, with a strong command of at least one of the following languages: Python, Go, or Rust.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing high-traffic APIs, including a deep understanding of versioning, schema evolution, idempotency, authentication patterns, and performance tuning.
• Hands-on experience operating services within the AWS ecosystem, coupled with fluency in Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines, and modern DevOps methodologies.
• Experience with LLM or natural-language APIs, including latency tuning, streaming responses, and model orchestration, is a significant advantage.
• Strong customer empathy and product sense, with a proven ability to build APIs that are ergonomic, well-documented, and easy for developers to integrate and adopt.

🏖️ Benefits

• Competitive salary and equity package.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous paid time off and holidays.
• Remote-first work environment with flexibility.
• Opportunities for professional development and learning.

Skills & Technologies

Python

Rust

React

FastAPI

PostgreSQL

Backend

Senior

Remote

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Perplexity AI, Inc.

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About Perplexity AI, Inc.

Perplexity AI operates an AI-powered conversational search engine that answers queries by synthesizing live web information. The platform combines large language models with real-time retrieval, citing sources for transparency. Founded in 2022, the San Francisco-based company offers free and subscription tiers, mobile apps, and browser extensions, targeting consumers and enterprises seeking accurate, verifiable answers instead of traditional link lists.

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