Software Engineer, Safety Processing

Staff Software Engineer, Safety Processing

Discord is used by over 200 million people every month for many different reasons, but there’s one thing that nearly everyone does on our platform: play video games. Over 90% of our users play games, spending a combined 1.5 billion hours playing thousands of unique titles on Discord each month. Discord plays a uniquely important role in the future of gaming.

We are focused on making it easier and more fun for people to talk and 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.

• 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 enhanceML/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 work streams and provide leadership to the team, mobilizing others to accomplish projects and deliver impactful outcomes

• 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 work streams, 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

• 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 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.

Discord is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.