When does this job posting expire?

Applications close on November 28, 2026. Apply before then to be considered.

Staff Software Engineer, Ads & Core Serving Platform

Palo Alto, CA, US; San Francisco, CA, US 3 days ago

AI overview

This Staff Software Engineer role focuses on evolving serving platforms for Ads and Core experiences. The engineer will lead large-scale distributed systems initiatives to enhance performance and reliability. Key responsibilities include setting technical direction, building scalable systems, and improving the serving stack through modernization and AI integration.

Pinterest is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to help evolve the serving platforms that power Ads and Core experiences. You will lead large-scale, low-latency distributed-system initiatives that make our serving stack more performant, reliable, observable, and easier to extend.

You will work across Ads and Core engineering teams to define durable platform capabilities, modernize frameworks, and unlock faster product iteration with high confidence in production.

What you’ll do:

Set technical direction and lead architecture for major serving-platform initiatives across Ads and Core.
Build and operate scalable, highly available systems with clear performance, reliability, and efficiency goals.
Partner with product, ML, infrastructure, and Core/Ads engineering teams to translate complex requirements into reusable platform capabilities.
Improve the serving stack through framework modernization, API evolution, experimentation controls, observability, and debugging tools.
Lead complex projects end to end: technical strategy, design, implementation, rollout, adoption, and operational readiness.
Use AI to accelerate analysis, debugging, design exploration, and iteration while applying sound engineering judgment and validation.
Raise the quality bar through design reviews, code reviews, documentation, and operational excellence.
Mentor engineers and scale technical leadership across the organization.

What we’re looking for:

8+ years of software engineering experience building and operating production backend or distributed systems.
Experience leading complex technical initiatives across teams or organizations.
Strong expertise in distributed systems, online serving, low-latency services, or infrastructure platforms.
Demonstrated ability to make sound tradeoffs across latency, reliability, scalability, cost, and developer experience.
Strong communication and collaboration skills with technical and cross-functional partners.
Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Java, C++, Go, or Python.
Experience mentoring engineers and elevating technical standards.
Demonstrated ability to use AI to improve the speed and quality of day-to-day engineering workflows, with a rigorous approach to testing, validation, and responsible use.
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, a related technical field, or equivalent experience.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience with ads delivery, recommendation or search serving, retrieval, ranking, or experimentation systems.
- Experience with serving-framework migrations, platform consolidation, or developer tooling.
- Experience with observability, production debugging, traffic management, or incident response.

Relocation Statement:

This position is not eligible for relocation assistance. Visit our PinFlex page to learn more about our working model.

In-Office Requirement Statement:

We recognize that the ideal environment for work is situational and may differ across departments. What this looks like day-to-day can vary based on the needs of each organization or role.
This role will need to be in the office for in-person collaboration1-2 times per week and therefore needs to be in a commutable distance from one of the following offices Palo Alto OR San Francisco

US based applicants only

$208,454—$364,795 USD

Our Commitment to Inclusion:

Pinterest is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We want to have the best qualified people in every job. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, status as a protected veteran, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state or local laws. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you require a medical or religious accommodation during the job application process, please complete this form for support.

By submitting this application, I certify that all information submitted in my application and throughout the hiring process is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any false statement, omission, or misrepresentation may disqualify me from employment consideration or result in termination if discovered after hire.