Lead the AI Platform team at Pinterest to architect infrastructure for Generative AI and Recommender Systems.
Posted by employer 19 hours ago
First seen on Joblaze 9 hours ago
Last verified on the company career page 9 hours ago
What you'll build
- Set the technical vision and roadmap for the Pinterest AI Platform
- Drive cross-functional strategic initiatives
- Cultivate a collaborative and inclusive culture
Must have
- Deep expertise in AI/ML infrastructure and distributed systems
- Hands-on experience designing, building, and operating highly available systems
- Proficiency in at least one of C++, Java, or Rust
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field
Nice to have
- Experience leading cross-organizational initiatives
- Strong technical judgment
- Experience navigating ambiguity
- Experience influencing architecture decisions
Practical constraints
- This position is not eligible for relocation assistance
- Role will need to be in the office for in-person collaboration 1-2 times per quarter
AI in the day-to-day
AI isn't just a feature, it's a powerful partner that augments our creativity and amplifies our impact.
Requirements
- Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Visa
- No sponsorship (stated in posting)
Not disclosed in this posting: years of experience.
Benefits
Joblaze summary
In the role of Principal Engineer for the AI Platform at Pinterest, the individual will focus on architecting and enhancing the infrastructure that supports Generative AI and Recommender Systems across the platform. Key skills include deep expertise in AI/ML infrastructure and proficiency in programming languages such as C++, Java, or Rust, along with a strong track record of leading cross-functional initiatives. This position is suited for a senior engineer with a proven ability to influence technical strategy and uphold high engineering standards. The team emphasizes collaboration and inclusivity, fostering an environment where innovative ideas can thrive.
Joblaze insights
- Listed today — first seen on Joblaze September 23, 2026. Last confirmed on Pinterest's careers page September 23, 2026.
- Salary band is above the typical range for AI/ML roles (median ~$189,861).
- Starts above 68% of 19 comparable principal ai/ml roles in United States that list AI/ML we track (median $220,000 across 12 companies). See AI/ML salary trends
- AI/ML appears in 47.3% of 55 comparable principal ai/ml roles in United States; Rust appears in 1.8% of 55 comparable principal ai/ml roles in United States.
Quick facts
- Is the Principal Engineer, AI Platform role remote?
- It's hybrid — Pinterest expects some on-site time in San Francisco, CA, United States.
- What's the salary range?
- Pinterest lists $242,634–$499,541 for this role.
- Where is the role based?
- Pinterest is hiring for this position in San Francisco, CA, United States.
- What's the tech stack?
- Joblaze extracted these technologies from the posting: AI/ML, C++, Java, Rust.
- What seniority level is this role?
- Pinterest targets principal-level candidates for this position.
- Is this full-time or contract?
- Full-time for this Principal Engineer, AI Platform role at Pinterest.
From the original posting
About Pinterest:
Millions of people across the world come to Pinterest to find new ideas every day. It’s where they get inspiration, dream about new possibilities and plan for what matters most. Our mission is to help those people find their inspiration and create a life they love. As a Pinterest employee, you’ll be challenged to take on work that upholds this mission and pushes Pinterest forward.
As a Principal Engineer on the AI Platform team, you'll help architect the infrastructure that powers both Generative AI and Recommender Systems across Pinterest's entire product suite. Our team builds the end-to-end engines for petabyte-scale data orchestration, model training and fine-tuning, and high-performance inference, ensuring our models scale seamlessly to hundreds of millions of inferences per second in service of over 600 million monthly active users.
What you’ll do:
- Set the technical vision and roadmap for the Pinterest AI Platform, aligning with business priorities and long-term company strategy.
- Drive cross-functional strategic initiatives that advance our platform capabilities across:
- Generative AI: multimodal data management, post-training, evaluation, and batch/online inference.
- Recommender Systems: feature stores, training infra, and large-scale high performance inference.
- AI-powered tools that automate the user experience across our platforms, connecting every stage of the AI/ML lifecycle to enhance productivity and accelerate development.
- Cultivate a collaborative and inclusive culture where every team member feels welcome and empowered, and provide candid, constructive feedback that accelerates individual and team growth.
What we’re looking for:
- Deep expertise in AI/ML infrastructure and distributed systems: Hands-on experience designing, building, and operating highly available, production-grade systems at large scale; strong technical judgment; and proficiency in at least one of C++, Java, or Rust.
- Proven track record of company-wide impact: Experience leading cross-organizational initiatives, navigating ambiguity, defining technical strategy, influencing architecture decisions, and aligning cross-functional partners and executives around a shared direction.
- Strong ownership and a high engineering bar: Sets and upholds high standards for engineering quality, integrity, and accountability, and takes end-to-end ownership of outcomes.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field.
In-Office Requirement Statement:
- We recognize that the ideal environment for work is situational and may differ across departments. What this looks like day-to-day can vary based on the needs of each organization or role.
- This role will need to be in the office for in-person collaboration 1-2 times per quarter and therefore needs to be in a commutable distance from one of the following offices: Palo Alto, CA or San Francisco, CA.
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At Pinterest we believe the workplace should be equitable, inclusive, and inspiring for every employee. In an effort to provide greater transparency, we are sharing the base salary range for this position. The position is also eligible for equity. Final salary is based on a number of factors including location, travel, relevant prior experience, or particular skills and expertise.
Our Commitment to Inclusion:
Standard company text repeated across Pinterest's postings is omitted here.