Staff Software Engineer, Safety Processing

Discord Inc.; Los Angeles, San Francisco (CA, CA); Hybrid; USD 248,000 - 310,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Benefits

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Discord Inc. is seeking a Staff Software Engineer for their Safety Processing team in Los Angeles. This role focuses on leading backend projects and ensuring trust and safety on the platform. You will guide architectural design and build scalable systems that directly impact user safety.

Ideal candidates have extensive Python experience and a strong background in system design. This role offers a competitive salary ranging from $248,000 to $310,000, equity, and benefits.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience developing and maintaining backend systems using Python.
• Strong system design and architecture skills.
• Ability to define workstreams, lead projects, and guide other engineers.

Responsibilities

• Lead, design, and build scalable backend systems for processing safety-related signals.
• Guide and mentor the team through architectural challenges.
• Collaborate with teams to build tools for content moderation.

Skills

Python Expertise

Architectural Leadership

Leadership in Execution

Adversarial Mindset

On-Call Experience

Tools

ML/AI models

Typescript

Javascript

React

Rust

Job description

Discord has a highly engaged community of millions of daily active users who use the platform for many different reasons, but there’s one thing that nearly everyone does: play video games. Discord plays a uniquely important role in the future of gaming, and we are focused on making it easier and more fun for people to hang out before, during, and after playing games.

We’re looking for a Staff Software Engineer to join our Safety Processing team. This team plays a crucial role in ensuring trust and safety across Discord, processing signals from user reports and automated systems to identify and remove harmful or illegal content from our platform. You’ll lead backend projects, provide architectural guidance, and help build scalable systems that protect our users. Your work will directly impact the safety of our platform and help make Discord a place where everyone can belong. To learn more about Discord Engineering, take a look at our engineering blog.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Lead, design, and build scalable backend systems for processing safety-related signals, primarily using Python
• Guide and mentor the team through architectural and system design challenges, ensuring long‑term scalability as Discord continues to grow
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to build tools for content moderation and related compliance efforts. This includes in‑house solutions and vendors
• Implement and enhance ML/AI models and automation to improve efficiency in content moderation and decision‑making processes
• Build solutions with an adversarial mindset, anticipating and addressing safety challenges such as malicious behavior and illegal content on the platform
• Drive workstreams and provide leadership to the team, mobilizing others to accomplish projects and deliver impactful outcomes

What We Look For:

• Python Expertise: Extensive experience developing and maintaining backend systems using Python
• Architectural Leadership: Strong system design and architecture skills with the ability to build scalable, reliable systems for content moderation with an emphasis on large‑scale projects, programs, or initiatives measured in quarters or years
• Leadership in Execution: Ability to define workstreams, lead projects, and guide other engineers through implementation
• Adversarial Mindset: Experience in a domain that required an adversarial mindset such as trust, safety, security, or privacy
• On‑Call Experience: Experience being in a 24/7 on‑call rotation for production systems

Bonus Points:

• Experience working with ML/AI models in content moderation
• Familiarity with Typescript/Javascript/React and frontend technologies
• Familiarity with Rust
• Previous experience at companies with a strong focus on safety, security, or trust & safety

This position is US‑based only. We are seeking candidates located in the Los Angeles area (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, or Ventura Counties) or the San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties). Relocation assistance may be available to the San Francisco Bay Area.

This role requires either one week per month in a Los Angeles co‑working space, or two days per week at our San Francisco Bay Area office.

The US base salary range for this full‑time position is $248,000 to $310,000 + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role and level. Within the range, individual pay is determined by additional factors, including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include equity, or benefits.

Discord is committed to inclusion and providing reasonable accommodations during the interview process. We want you to feel set up for success, so if you are in need of reasonable accommodations, please let your recruiter know.