Senior Software Engineer - AI Tooling (San Francisco)

We believe that the way people interact with their finances will drastically improve in the next few years. We’re dedicated to empowering this transformation by building the tools and experiences that thousands of developers use to create their own products. Plaid powers the tools millions of people rely on to live a healthier financial life. We work with thousands of companies like Venmo, SoFi, several of the Fortune 500, and many of the largest banks to make it easy for people to connect their financial accounts to the apps and services they want to use. Plaid’s network covers 12,000 financial institutions across the US, Canada, UK and Europe. Founded in 2013, the company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, Washington D.C., London and Amsterdam.Team:Plaid is becoming an AI-first company, and Intelligent Tooling builds internal platforms and tools to lead the transformation. Our biggest opportunity isn't just better tools for engineers, it's extending AI-native internal tooling to the rest of Plaid. Tools built for engineers assume things non-engineers don't have: local toolchains, monorepos, engineer credentials, PR-based workflows. That mismatch means Ops, Support, and other teams can't easily inherit what we build for engineering. They need their own path and we're building that path.Role: As a Senior Software Engineer on Intelligent Tooling, you will build and operate internal systems that empower non engineering teams to automate their workflows with AI. You will own the product and platform layer for internal tools, including the constraints and infrastructure that keep those tools safe and maintainable. There's no existing playbook for this at Plaid. You will define what the right non-eng AI surface looks like, ship its first durable versions, and partner closely with internal users to make sure it solves real problems. You will act as the engineering point of contact embedded with non-engineering teams, running discovery and translating their operational needs into shipped software. What you build here becomes how non-engineering teams at Plaid work with AI.Responsibilities: Design, build, and operate internal tools and platform capabilities for high-leverage non-engineering workflowsTranslate ambiguous internal pain points into simple, durable software productsDefine platform constraints for auth, runtime, storage, deployment, and maintenance so internal tools are safe for broader useBuild with strong product judgment, balancing flexibility with clear boundaries between what belongs in Retool, Scaffold, and a new AI-native internal tool surfacePartner with Security, Infrastructure, and internal stakeholder teams to ship systems that are reliable in productionOwn systems end-to-end, including implementation, rollout, support, and iterative improvementQualifications:Must have:5+ years of professional software engineering experienceStrong experience building and operating production systemsExperience building internal tools, platforms, or workflow softwareStrong product judgment and communication in ambiguous spacesHands-on experience using AI-powered development tools, agents, or automationStrong builder mindset; comfortable creating the first version of a product surface that does not yet have a clear industry templateNice to have:Experience with developer tooling, internal platforms, or infra-adjacent systemsExperience with auth, service accounts, constrained runtimes, or internal security boundariesExperience building products for non-engineering usersExposure to agentic workflows, automation, or AI-enabled internal applicationsOur mission at Plaid is to unlock financial freedom for everyone. To support that mission, we seek to build a diverse team of driven individuals who care deeply about making the financial ecosystem more equitable. We recognize that strong qualifications can come from both prior work experiences and lived experiences. We encourage you to apply to a role even if your experience doesn't fully match the job description. We are always looking for team members that will bring something unique to Plaid!Plaid is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion or religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, military or veteran status, disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Plaid is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance with your application or interviews due to a disability, please let us know at View email address on apply.placed-app.com review our Candidate Privacy Notice here.Additional compensation in the form(s) of equity and/or commission are dependent on the position offered. Plaid provides a comprehensive benefit plan, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k). Pay is based on factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience and skillset, and location. Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.Compensation Range: $190.8K - $262.8KLocationSan Francisco HQ; New York City OfficeAddress1098 Harrison Street, San Francisco, California, 94103Employment TypeFull timeLocation TypeHybridDepartmentAll DepartmentsEngineeringCompensationBase Salary $190.8K – $262.8K • Offers EquityAdditional compensation in the form(s) of equity and/or commission are dependent on the position offered. Plaid provides a comprehensive benefit plan, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k). Pay is based on factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience and skillset, and location. Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.