Backend Engineer, xAI
Core
$180-440k
Building artificial intelligence
Open for applications
Building artificial intelligence
1001+ employees
Open for applications
$180-440k
1001+ employees
Company mission
To build AI systems that can help humanity understand the world better.
Role
Who you are
- A skilled engineer with a strong foundation in computer science principles
- Proficient in Python, Rust, Kubernetes, and Scala for building robust systems
- Experienced in maintaining production services with a focus on performance and reliability
- Knowledgeable about networking concepts and their application in distributed systems
- A collaborative team player passionate about enabling AI innovation
- (Strong plus) Prior experience with microservices architecture or distributed systems
- Passionate about building exceptional AI products
What the job involves
- As a Backend Engineer at xAI, you’ll be responsible for maintaining the performance, reliability, and scalability of our production services
- Your work will empower product and research teams to launch innovative AI products and models, ensuring seamless operation and exceptional user experiences for a global audience
- Design, write, and maintain high-performance Rust microservices to support production systems
- Collaborate with product and research teams to deploy their products and models effectively
- Troubleshoot and resolve complex backend issues related to networking and system architecture
- Contribute to the evolution of xAI’s infrastructure to support cutting-edge AI advancements
Application process
- After submitting your application, the team reviews your CV and statement of exceptional work
- If your application passes this stage, you will be invited to a 15 minute interview (“phone interview”) during which a member of our team will ask some basic questions
- If you clear the initial phone interview, you will enter the main process, which consists of four technical interviews:
- Coding assessment in a language of your choice
- Systems hands-on: Demonstrate practical skills in a live problem-solving session
- Project deep-dive: Present your past exceptional work to a small audience
- Meet and greet with the wider team
- Our goal is to finish the main process within one week. All interviews will be conducted via Google Meet
Our take
xAI is Elon Musk's venture into the world of artificial intelligence, and like all things Musk, it's going big. Its setting out to build AI that helps humanity understand the universe and its starting with Grok, its conversational AI chatbot already integrated into X (formerly Twitter). With access to real-time data and a powerful ecosystem of Musk-led companies, xAI is certainly pushing towards artificial general intelligence at serious scale.
Like all bold ventures, xAI has faced its share of controversy, from questions about regulation to the overlap across Musk's businesses. But fans are still seeing the bigger picture: an interconnected tech ecosystem where AI, social media, and space exploration feed into one another.
Recently, the company made headlines with its massive "Colossus" supercomputer project, powered by tens of thousands of Nvidia GPUs. While the data center's temporary power setup has faced environmental scrutiny, the scale of ambition is certainly undeniable. From launching tap-to-pay features on X to building one of the most powerful AI training systems on Earth, xAI is moving fast.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Company
Funding (last 2 of 3 rounds)
Dec 2024
$6bn
SERIES C
May 2024
$6bn
SERIES B
Total funding: $12.1bn
Company benefits
- Health and wellness: Comprehensive health insurance including medical, dental, vision, and disability coverage
- Life and family: Life and AD&D insurance and fertility benefits to ensure our team’s well-being and peace of mind
- Flexible vacation: We work hard but avoid burn out. Take time off when you need it
- Visa sponsorship: We support international talent with visa sponsorship to join our team
- 401(k) plan: Retirement savings plan to secure your financial future
Company HQ
Downtown, Burlingame, CA
Leadership
Elon Musk
(Founder)Founder, Chairman, CEO, and CTO of SpaceX. CEO and Product Architect of Tesla. Chairman and CTO of X Corp, founder of the Boring Company, co-founder of Neuralink and OpenAI, and president of the Musk Foundation.
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