Search Backend Infra Intern - Build Fast, Scalable Systems

Perplexity; United States; On-site; Full time

Job description

Perplexity is looking for a Backend/Infrastructure Engineer Intern to support our small, high-impact team building the systems that power our search experience. You will work closely with experienced engineers to help design, build, and operate robust infrastructure and backend services that keep Perplexity fast, reliable, and scalable.

Internship program: 12 - 24 weeks, full-time, in-person in the Belgrade office.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain infrastructure that supports high-performance search systems, with mentorship from senior engineers.
• Design internal tools and automation to improve developer workflows and operational efficiency.
• Support the design, deployment, and monitoring of cloud-native systems on AWS.
• Contribute to improving CI/CD pipelines, testing infrastructure, and release processes.
• Debug and optimize Linux-based services, containers, and backend systems.
• Contribute to product codebases, primarily using Rust, Go or C++.

Qualifications

• Working towards a degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Familiarity with at least one programming language such as Go, Rust, or C/C++, through coursework or projects.
• Basic understanding or exposure to cloud infrastructure (e.g. AWS) and Linux systems is a plus, not a requirement.
• Interest in infrastructure, distributed systems, or backend engineering, with willingness to learn about CI/CD, monitoring, and performance.
• A proactive and curious learner who enjoys collaborating in a fast-paced, innovative environment