Staff Software Engineer (Safety Processing)

• 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
• 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

Benefits

• Discord HQ: At Discord, we believe great work can happen anywhere, whether in person or virtually. Our flexible work model empowers our people to choose where they work best: at home, in one of our offices like our San Francisco HQ, or a mix of both.
• Grow together: Look forward to developing both professionally and personally alongside your colleagues at Discord. All of our managers go through a leadership program, and we offer enriching trainings for everyone. No matter what your interests or skills are, there’s a place on our platform for you to find and build belonging.
• Money matters: Discord strives to offer fair and competitive compensation packages, including equity. You’ll have room to grow and be rewarded based on your contributions and impact at the company. Take advantage of our retirement offerings (including 401k matching in the US) to meet your financial goals.
• Health benefits; At Discord, we health-care about you! We offer medical, dental, vision, reproductive, gender-affirming, and mental healthcare to our employees.
• Family support: Spend some quality time with the next generation with 12+ weeks parental leave, as well as fertility, adoption, and surrogacy benefits.
• R&R: Stay refreshed with four weeks of PTO, 16 paid holidays each year including a week off for the winter holidays, and flexible sick time (which includes mental health days).
• Wellness on us: Take advantage of a $375 quarterly stipend for your gym membership or other activities to keep you feeling great.
• Giving back: Whatever social cause you’re passionate about, take a day (or two) off to make an impact. While you’re at it, take advantage of $1,000/year in donation matching to charitable organizations!

• Leadership in Execution: Ability to define workstreams, lead projects, and guide other engineers through implementation
• On-Call Experience: Experience being in a 24/7 on-call rotation for production systems
• Python Expertise: Extensive experience developing and maintaining backend systems using Python
• Adversarial Mindset: Experience in a domain that required an adversarial mindset such as trust, safety, security, or privacy
• 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
• Familiarity with Typescript/Javascript/React and frontend technologies
• Experience working with ML/AI models in content moderation
• Familiarity with Rust
• Previous experience at companies with a strong focus on safety, security, or trust & safety
• 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