Software Engineer, Privacy

About the Team

The Privacy Team at OpenAI focuses on protecting user information and strengthening trust across products and systems that handle data. The team partners closely with cross-functional stakeholders to create the tools, processes, and technical safeguards needed to support strong privacy practices and legal compliance. This work is central to OpenAI’s mission of deploying artificial general intelligence responsibly and for the benefit of many.

About the Role

This position is for a software engineer who has experience with data pipelines and collaboration with legal professionals. It is suited to someone interested in the overlap between infrastructure, privacy, and compliance. You will design and build backend systems that manage highly sensitive information across OpenAI.

The role is located in Dublin, Ireland and follows a hybrid schedule of three in-office days each week. Relocation support is available for incoming employees.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, develop, and support backend services and systems that enable privacy and data-compliance workflows across API products and consumer-facing applications.
• Partner with legal counsel and engineering colleagues to handle court orders and related legal requests while meeting strict privacy and regulatory standards.
• Spot automation opportunities and create internal tools that help other teams work with customer data more efficiently.
• Build and refine data-handling policies and operational procedures that align with legal, ethical, and confidentiality requirements.

What You Bring

• Hands-on experience creating data pipelines, particularly for investigative or legal workflow use cases.
• Ability to convert legal obligations into technical implementations and explain those solutions clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong ownership mindset with the ability to carry work through from problem discovery to resolution, including learning what is needed along the way.
• Comfort creating internal tools when existing systems do not adequately support the team’s needs.
• Strong focus on user experience and a commitment to building privacy-preserving products that still meet customer expectations.
• Exposure to security investigations or collaboration with trust and safety, legal, and engineering teams.

Compensation and Benefits

Total compensation includes a salary, equity, and benefits. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family, mental health and wellness support, a PRSA plan with 6% employer match, unlimited time off, and an annual learning and development stipend of €1,400.

Additional Information

This role is offered through OpenAI Ireland Ltd., which handles hiring and employment administration for the position.

OpenAI is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants without discrimination based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other protected characteristics.

Background checks may be conducted in accordance with applicable law. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered where legally required. For U.S.-based candidates, this includes compliance with relevant fair chance laws. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers, certain job duties involve access to secure systems, protected information, and responsibilities related to safeguarding hardware and confidential data.

If you believe a job posting is not compliant, you may submit a report through the designated compliance form. Inquiries unrelated to posting compliance will not receive a response.

Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities upon request.

OpenAI’s Global Applicant Privacy Policy applies.

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company focused on ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity.