Fast Facts

Join Handshake as a Software Engineer and play a vital role in enhancing career opportunities in the AI economy through the development of innovative search and discovery systems.

Responsibilities: Design and develop scalable systems for search and discovery, build AI-driven features for students including conversational agents, collaborate with diverse teams, and maintain high code quality through code reviews.

Skills: Proficiency in programming languages like Python, Java, or JavaScript; experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud); strong product sense and communication skills.

Qualifications: 2+ years of software engineering experience with consumer platforms, ideally with knowledge of AI, chatbots, or conversational interfaces is a plus.

Location: San Francisco, California, United States

Compensation: $145000 - $170000 / Annually

About Handshake

Handshake is the career network for the AI economy. 20 million knowledge workers, 1,600 educational institutions, 1 million employers (including 100% of the Fortune 50), and every foundational AI lab trust Handshake to power career discovery, hiring, and upskilling, from freelance AI training gigs to first internships to full-time careers and beyond. This unique value is leading to unparalleled growth; in 2025, we tripled our ARR at scale.

Why join Handshake now:

Shape how every career evolves in the AI economy, at global scale, with impact your friends, family and peers can see and feel
Work hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutions
Join a team with leadership from Scale AI, Meta, xAI, Notion, Coinbase, and Palantir, among others
Build a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenue

About the Role

As a Software Engineer, you will play a critical role in building the core experiences that help students find opportunities, spanning search, discovery, jobs, and job search.

In this role, you will:

Design and implement scalable systems powering search and discovery experiences across our platform.
Build agentic AI experiences for students, including our conversational AI agent for resume help, job search, and interview prep.
Work with OpenAI real-time APIs and agentic frameworks to deliver intelligent, conversational features.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate new features that drive member value and engagement.
Contribute to code reviews to maintain high code quality standards and mentor teammates to foster continuous learning.

Desired Capabilities

2+ years of experience in software engineering, ideally with consumer platforms or social apps.
Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, or JavaScript to deliver robust solutions.
Strong product sense with a focus on building features that create real value for members.
Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud) to optimize system performance.
Excellent communication skills to collaborate within a diverse team environment.

Extra Credit

Experience with AI, chatbots, or conversational interfaces.

Perks

Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supported—and thrive at work and in life.

The below benefits are for full-time US employees.

🎯 Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company

💰 Financial Wellness: 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching

🍼 Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching

💝 Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision, mental health support, wellness stipend

📚 Growth: Learning stipend, ongoing development

💻 Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office

🏝 Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days

🤝 Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses

Explore our mission, values, and comprehensive US benefits at joinhandshake.com/careers.

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Software Engineer