Staff Software Engineer (Backend), Machine Learning

4 Months ago • 8 Years + • Research Development

Job Summary

Job Description

Rippling is seeking a Staff Software Engineer (Backend) with a focus on Machine Learning. In this role, you will design, develop, and test backend software systems, ensuring operational excellence and scaling data platform capabilities. You will collaborate with other teams to build AI and data-driven products that Rippling will sell. The ideal candidate is a seasoned software engineer with 8+ years of experience, comfortable with hands-on programming (preferably Python), and skilled at communicating complex technical ideas. Experience with user-facing applications utilizing large language models (LLMs), full-stack development, search relevance, and big data systems is highly desirable.
Must have:
  • 8+ years of industry experience building software
  • Hands-on programming experience (Python preferred)
  • Ability to communicate complex technical ideas clearly
Good to have:
  • Experience developing user-facing applications with LLMs
  • Full stack software engineering experience
  • Experience with search relevance and infrastructure
  • Experience with big data systems in production (Spark, Pinot, Presto)
Perks:
  • Medical, Dental, Vision, FSA, HSA, Commuter, Life and Disability Benefits
  • Uncapped PTO and flexible work hours
  • Free onsite lunch
  • Generous parental leave
  • Transgender health insurance coverage
  • Great compensation package (salary, equity)
  • Fun, casual atmosphere and meeting-light culture

Job Details

About Rippling

Rippling gives businesses one place to run HR, IT, and Finance. It brings together all of the workforce systems that are normally scattered across a company, like payroll, expenses, benefits, and computers. For the first time ever, you can manage and automate every part of the employee lifecycle in a single system.


Take onboarding, for example. With Rippling, you can hire a new employee anywhere in the world and set up their payroll, corporate card, computer, benefits, and even third-party apps like Slack and Microsoft 365—all within 90 seconds.


Based in San Francisco, CA, Rippling has raised $1.2B from the world’s top investors—including Kleiner Perkins, Founders Fund, Sequoia, Greenoaks, and Bedrock—and was named one of America's best startup employers by Forbes.


We prioritize candidate safety. Please be aware that official communication will only be sent from @Rippling.com addresses.


About The Role

We use machine learning and large language models to build software which helps our customers operate their business effectively. This manifests as either features inside of existing Rippling products or new products. In this role, you'll play the role of a backend engineer working across the stack (backend services, data pipelines, APIs) and will even have the opportunity to contribute to more ML specific tasks. Successful individuals on our team tend to operate with autonomy and alacrity, have strong customer empathy, and an ability to drive outcomes across the entire engineering stack from data ingestion through modeling and into production.

What You'll Do

  • Design, develop, code and test backend software systems. 
  • Ensure operational excellence and scale our data platform capabilities.
  • Work with other teams to build AI & data-driven products, which Rippling will sell.

Qualifications

  • You are a seasoned software engineer – having 8+ years of industry experience building software at some (or all) levels of the stack (foundational infra, backed, ux). You should be able to point to specific products that exist today that wouldn’t have been possible without your contribution.
  • You are comfortable with hands-on programming – Rippling mostly builds in Python, but prior experience in Python is not a hard requirement for this role.
  • You have a knack for communicating complex technical ideas with clarity and precision.

Additional Qualifications

  • Experience developing user-facing applications that use large language models (LLMs).
  • Experience with full stack software engineering (distributed systems, services, UX). The more of the stack you can span comfortably, the more effectively you’ll be able to help drive project outcomes.
  • Experience with search relevance and search engine infrastructure.
  • Experience with big data systems in production: eg, Spark, Pinot, Presto.

Additional Information:

Rippling is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or any other legally protected characteristics, Rippling is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities who need assistance during the hiring process. 


To request a reasonable accommodation, please email accomodations@rippling.com

Rippling highly values having employees working in-office to foster a collaborative work environment and company culture.  For office-based employees (employees who live within a 40 mile radius of a Rippling office), Rippling considers working in the office, at least three days a week under current policy, to be an essential function of the employee's role.


This role will receive a competitive salary + benefits + equity. The salary for US-based employees will be aligned with one of the ranges below based on location; see which tier applies to your location here.


A variety of factors are considered when determining someone’s compensation–including a candidate’s professional background, experience, and location. Final offer amounts may vary from the amounts listed below.

Benefits

  • Medical, Dental, Vision, FSA, HSA, Commuter, Life and Disability Benefits 
  • Uncapped PTO and flexible work hours
  • Free onsite lunch
  • Generous parental leave
  • Transgender health insurance coverage
  • Great compensation package (salary, equity)
  • Fun, casual atmosphere and meeting-light culture

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