Staff Software Engineer, Safety Processing — San Francisco

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 or San Francisco Bay Areas. Candidates in the Los Angeles area can work remotely. Candidates in the San Francisco area are required to be in the office 2 days per week. Relocation assistance may be available to the San Francisco Bay Area. Candidates must be located within one of the following counties: • Los Angeles area: (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, or Ventura Counties) • San Francisco Bay Area: (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties) The US base salary range for this full-time position is $279,000 to $341,000 + 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. Why Discord? Discord plays a uniquely important role in the future of gaming. We're a multiplatform, multigenerational and multiplayer platform that helps people deepen their friendships around games and shared interests, and helps developers build and grow their businesses. We believe games give us a way to have fun with our favorite people, whether listening to music together or grinding in competitive matches for diamond rank. Join us in our mission! Your future is just a click away! 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. Please see our Applicant and Candidate Privacy Policy for details regarding Discord’s collection and usage of personal information relating to the application and recruitment process by clicking HERE.