About xAI

xAI’s mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge.

Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity.

We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company’s mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important.

All engineers and researchers are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates.

About the Role

Join us in building AI-powered products that impact hundreds of millions worldwide. We’re looking for detail-oriented, action-driven self-starters with a passion for AI’s potential to change lives—no prior AI experience required, just a sharp mind and relentless drive.

As a Backend Engineer at xAI, you’ll ensure our production services run smoothly, scale effortlessly, and deliver exceptional user experiences, empowering our product and research teams to push AI innovation forward.

What You’ll Do

• Build and maintain high-performance microservices in Rust and Python for production systems.
• Partner with product and research teams to deploy groundbreaking AI-enabled solutions.
• Solve complex challenges in networking, system architecture, and scalability.
• Shape the next generation of xAI’s infrastructure to fuel cutting-edge AI breakthroughs.

Who You Are

• A skilled engineer with a rock-solid grasp of computer science fundamentals.
• Proficient in crafting reliable systems using Python, Rust, and Kubernetes.
• Experienced in optimizing production services for performance and uptime.
• Well-versed in networking concepts and their role in distributed systems.
• (Bonus) Familiar with microservices or distributed system design.
• A team player excited to enable AI-driven innovation.

Tech Stack

• Required: Rust, Python, Kubernetes
• Familiarity with: Networking protocols (e.g., TCP/IP, HTTP, load balancing), microservices architecture, cloud platforms or on-prem environments

Interview 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 2 technical interviews and 1 project deep-dive interview:

1. Practical coding assessment in a language of your choice.
2. Systems design hands-on: Demonstrate practical skills in a live problem-solving session.
3. Project deep-dive: Present and answer questions about exceptional work that you’ve done.
4. Meet and greet with the wider team.

Our goal is to finish the main process within one week. Final interviews will be conducted in person.

Annual Salary Range

$180,000 - $440,000 USD

xAI is an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate based on race, color, religion, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, medical conditions, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other applicable legally protected characteristics. 

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act. 

For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates:

xAI reasonably believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: 

• Access to information technology systems and confidential information, including proprietary and trade secret information, and/or user data;
• Interacting with internal and/or external clients and colleagues; and
• Exercising sound judgment.

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Notice