Staff Backend Engineer - API Platform | NYC, Seattle, SF at Perplexity AI

San Francisco, California, United States

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$180,000 – $300,000Compensation

Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

Technology, AIIndustries

Requirements

5+ years of backend engineering experience with Python, Go, or Rust
Strong understanding of high-traffic API design: versioning, schema evolution, idempotency, auth patterns, and performance tuning
Hands-on experience running AWS services, plus fluency with Kubernetes, CI/CD, and modern DevOps practices
Experience with LLM or natural-language APIs (latency tuning, streaming, model orchestration) is a strong plus
Strong customer empathy and product sense, ensuring the APIs you build are ergonomic, well-documented, and easy to adopt

Responsibilities

Design, build, and operate mission-critical APIs in Python, Go, or Rust optimized for low latency, high throughput, and strong consistency
Lead major technical initiatives, from new platform components to multi-team system redesigns
Improve system reliability and security by implementing rate limiting, authentication, observability (metrics, tracing, logging), and automated testing
Collaborate across teams to determine when to extend existing systems versus build new, specialized services
Translate customer needs into scalable platform capabilities and generalized API features
Uphold engineering excellence through design reviews, code quality, and internal documentation

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

PythonGoRustPostgreSQLDynamoDBRedisFastAPIAWSKubernetesCI/CDAPI designrate limitingauthenticationobservabilitydistributed systems

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What is the salary range for the Staff Backend Engineer position?

The salary range is $180K - $300K.

Is this role remote or does it require working from an office?

The role is based in NYC, Seattle, or SF, but specific remote work policies are not detailed.

What skills and experience are required for this position?

Candidates need 5+ years of backend engineering experience with Python, Go, or Rust, strong understanding of high-traffic API design including versioning, schema evolution, idempotency, auth patterns, and performance tuning, plus hands-on experience with AWS services, Kubernetes, CI/CD, and modern DevOps practices.

What is the tech stack used by the API team at Perplexity?

The tech stack includes Python, Go, PostgreSQL, DynamoDB, Redis, FastAPI, React, Bazel, GitHub, and AWS.

What makes a strong candidate for this Staff Backend Engineer role?

A strong candidate has 5+ years of backend experience in Python, Go, or Rust, expertise in high-traffic API design and AWS/Kubernetes/DevOps, plus experience with LLM or natural-language APIs and strong customer empathy for building ergonomic APIs.

Perplexity AI

Advanced answer engine providing reliable information

About Perplexity AI

Perplexity AI provides an advanced answer engine that delivers accurate and reliable responses to user queries. The platform uses current sources to ensure the information is both precise and relevant. It caters to a wide audience, including individuals looking for quick answers and businesses needing detailed information. Unlike many competitors, Perplexity AI emphasizes high-quality, source-backed answers, making it a valuable resource for users seeking trustworthy data. The company's goal is to meet the increasing demand for immediate access to reliable information, generating revenue through subscription fees, advertising, and partnerships.

San Francisco, CaliforniaHeadquarters

2022Year Founded

$890MTotal Funding

LATE_VCCompany Stage

Data & Analytics, Consumer SoftwareIndustries

201-500Employees

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Company Equity

Risks

Pending copyright infringement class action poses legal and financial challenges.

Competition from Google's AI Mode could impact user retention and market share.

Otterly.AI's brand visibility tool may pressure Perplexity to maintain high performance.

Differentiation

Perplexity AI integrates large language models with search engines for precise responses.

The platform offers an open-source environment, enhancing public access to AI tools.

Perplexity's strategic acquisition of Carbon boosts its data connectivity capabilities.

Upsides

Partnership with Tripadvisor enhances travel planning with personalized recommendations.

$500M funding round increases valuation to $9 billion, supporting growth and innovation.

Integration with FactSet attracts financial clients with enhanced data accessibility.

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