Member of Technical Staff – Software Engineer, Infrastructure

Perplexity

Infrastructure engineer building and operating distributed systems for Perplexity’s real-time search, AI, and enterprise products. Improving reliability, scalability, performance, and cost efficiency across infrastructure domains.

Posted 9/5/2026full-timeSan Francisco • California, New York, Texas, Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $220,000 - $405,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates expertise in building and operating complex distributed infrastructure systems, with a focus on performance, scalability, and reliability. Proven ability to lead technical direction and collaborate across teams to drive impactful solutions.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Python ProgrammingDistributed SystemsCloud PlatformsKubernetesTechnical Direction

ATS Keywords

Tailor your resume

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills

Software EngineeringBackend DevelopmentSystems ArchitectureProduction ReliabilityDebugging Complex IssuesAutomationToolingPerformance OptimizationScalabilityCost-Efficiency

Soft Skills

LeadershipCollaborationMentorshipInfluenceCommunication

Tools & Technologies

GoRustC++JavaData SystemsNetworkingStorageDeveloper Infrastructure

Industry Keywords

InfrastructureComputeStorageNetworkingDataDeploymentReliabilityAI WorkloadsConsumer WorkloadsEnterprise Workloads

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

C++CloudDistributed SystemsGoJavaKubernetesPythonRust

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Own cross-cutting infrastructure problems spanning compute, storage, networking, data, deployment, and reliability
Eliminate bottlenecks across retrieval and serving paths
Build shared abstractions across deployment environments
Resolve failure modes that cross platform boundaries
Design, build, and operate distributed infrastructure supporting consumer, AI, and enterprise workloads
Own systems from architecture through production operation
Identify platform gaps and build shared abstractions, automation, and tooling
Improve system performance, availability, scalability, and cost-efficiency across online traffic and background workloads
Debug complex production issues across service and infrastructure boundaries and turn findings into architectural improvements
Set technical direction for complex infrastructure systems
Lead high-impact programs across teams and establish durable technical standards
Collaborate with infrastructure, product, AI, and security partners

Requirements

What you’ll need

4+ years of professional software engineering experience building and operating production backend, platform, or distributed systems
Track record of owning complex production systems end to end and delivering sustained technical impact across teams
Ability to set technical direction, lead through influence, and raise the engineering bar through architecture, design reviews, and mentorship
Strong software engineering skills in Python or other systems or backend languages such as Go, Rust, C++, or Java
Meaningful experience across at least two infrastructure domains, such as cloud platforms, distributed systems, Kubernetes, storage, databases, networking, data systems, developer infrastructure, or production reliability
Ability to develop depth quickly in unfamiliar systems, reason across software and infrastructure layers, and drive production incidents from diagnosis through durable resolution

Benefits

Comp & perks

Equity
Health insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Retirement benefits
Fitness benefits
Commuter accounts
Dependent care accounts
Regionally tailored benefits for full-time employees outside the U.S.