Software Engineer, AI Platform

Handshake; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Flexible PTO

Medical, dental, & vision benefits

Learning stipend

Job summary

Handshake is seeking a Software Engineer to join their Agentic Infrastructure team in San Francisco. In this role, you will develop foundational systems for AI agents, ensuring they can operate autonomously at scale. Candidates should have expertise in backend engineering with proficiency in NodeJS or Python and experience in designing distributed systems.

The position offers equity in a fast-growing company, a range of financial wellness benefits, and flexible PTO. You'll be part of a dynamic team focused on shaping the future of AI at Handshake.

Qualifications

• 2-4 years of backend engineering experience.
• Strong proficiency in NodeJS, Typescript, and/or Python.
• Experience with cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, or Azure).

Responsibilities

• Architect and build the core agent orchestration layer.
• Design evaluation, observability, and reliability frameworks.
• Establish engineering standards for agentic development.

Skills

Backend engineering experience

Proficiency in NodeJS

Proficiency in Typescript

Proficiency in Python

Designing distributed systems

Building with LLM orchestration frameworks

Understanding of agent architectures

Experience with cloud infrastructure

Experience with Docker

Job description

The Role

Handshake is building the infrastructure layer that powers the next generation of AI agents across our platform. As a Software Engineer on our Agentic Infrastructure team, you’ll be at the forefront of AI at Handshake, architecting and building the foundational systems that allow AI agents to plan, execute, and operate autonomously at scale. This is a rare greenfield opportunity to define how an AI‑first company builds for the agentic era — at the intersection of infrastructure, AI, and direct product impact.

• Architect & build the core agent orchestration layer — including tool use, memory, and multi‑step reasoning systems — that powers AI‑driven features for 20M+ users & 1M+ employers across Handshake’s platform
• Design evaluation, observability, and reliability frameworks that ensure agent behavior is safe, auditable, and production‑ready at scale
• Establish engineering standards for agentic development across Handshake’s platform teams, enabling every engineer to build with AI
• Partner with ML, product, and platform engineers to ship agent‑powered features from infrastructure to production at Olympic pace

You Have

Must‑Haves:

• 2-4 years of backend engineering experience, with strong proficiency in NodeJS, Typescript, and/or Python
• Experience designing and operating distributed systems at significant scale for developer experience
• Hands‑on experience building with LLM orchestration frameworks (LangChain, LlamaIndex, or similar)
• Deep understanding of agent architectures: tool use, multi‑step reasoning, memory management, and evaluation
• Experience with cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and infrastructure‑as‑code tools like Terraform
• Experience with Node, JavaScript, CI/CD, Docker
• A track record of shipping production systems with high reliability, low latency, and strong observability
• Strong communication skills and ability to drive alignment across engineering and cross‑functional partners

Bonus Points:

• Open‑source contributions to LLM or agent frameworks
• Prior experience at an AI‑native company or on a dedicated AI platform team

We Offer

Ownership: Equity in a fast‑growing company

Financial Wellness: 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching

Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching

Wellbeing: Medical, dental, & vision, mental health support, $500 wellness stipend

Growth: $2,000 learning stipend, ongoing development

Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office

Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days

Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses