Backend Engineer (AI, ML)

About The Company

Stripe is a leading financial infrastructure platform that empowers businesses of all sizes to accept payments, grow revenue, and explore new opportunities. Serving millions of companies worldwide, from large enterprises to innovative startups, Stripe is committed to increasing the GDP of the internet by providing seamless payment solutions and supporting global economic growth. With a focus on innovation, security, and scalability, Stripe continues to shape the future of online commerce and financial services, offering a dynamic environment for talented professionals to make a significant impact.

About The Role

We are seeking a highly skilled Software Engineer specializing in AI Security to join our team in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, or remotely within the US/Canada. In this foundational role, you will be the first engineer dedicated to building and enhancing Stripe's AI security infrastructure. Your primary responsibility will be to develop security primitives and tooling that safeguard our AI systems against emerging threats such as prompt injection, jailbreaks, and tool misuse. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure our AI infrastructure and products are secure, reliable, and at the forefront of AI security standards. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of AI security within a fast-moving, innovative environment, directly contributing to Stripe's mission of increasing the GDP of the internet.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of software development experience
• Proven experience designing and developing medium to large-scale projects independently
• Strong collaboration skills with multiple engineering teams
• Proficiency in writing high-quality code in major programming languages
• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous environments and drive clear next steps
• Creative thinking and strong reasoning skills in complex problem domains
• Experience developing, deploying, and maintaining reliable infrastructure systems (preferred)
• Experience in security engineering (preferred)
• Experience building AI agents or LLM-based systems (preferred)

Responsibilities

• Build and integrate security frameworks within Stripe's core AI infrastructure
• Design and implement defenses against AI-specific threats such as prompt injection and jailbreaks
• Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure AI infrastructure and products are secure by design
• Support other teams in integrating security primitives into their AI systems
• Maintain high engineering standards and continuously improve code quality and processes
• Design and develop systems that define the state of the art in AI security
• Partner with cross-functional teams to identify vulnerabilities and implement proactive security measures
• Stay informed on emerging AI security threats and industry best practices to adapt defenses accordingly

Benefits

• Competitive annual salary range of $156,800 – $285,600 (based on location and experience)
• Equity options and potential bonuses or sales commissions
• Comprehensive health benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching
• Wellness stipends and other employee wellness programs
• Flexible work arrangements including remote work options
• Opportunities for professional development and career growth within a pioneering technology company