Senior Staff Engineer (AI/Backend)

Location: US remote eligible; must live in a state where Airbnb, Inc. has a registered entity. Occasional office or offsite attendance may be required.

Salary: $248,000–$310,000 USD base pay per year

Company

Airbnb is a global marketplace for stays, experiences, and services, connecting hosts and guests in communities worldwide.

What you will do

• Set the multi-year technical strategy and roadmap for Listings and Quality backend platforms.
• Define platform contracts and architecture with AI Platform, Trust, Infrastructure, and Product teams.
• Design APIs, data models, and data provenance for AI-assisted features and agents.
• Drive platformization, system simplification, service consolidation, and self-service capabilities.
• Improve reliability and reduce operational load on systems supporting critical business paths.
• Contribute hands-on through design and code reviews, while mentoring engineers and supporting career growth.

Requirements

• 12+ years of relevant technology industry experience.
• 4+ years in an Architect or Staff Engineer role with ownership of large-scale software systems.
• Deep expertise in distributed systems, data modeling, and API design.
• Experience with Java, Kotlin, or similar backend languages.
• Experience designing data systems and APIs for AI-assisted features and agents, including validation, data provenance, and guardrails.
• Strong communication, cross-organizational influence, operational judgment, and mentoring skills.

Culture & Benefits

• Commitment to diversity, belonging, and an inclusive workplace.
• Base pay may be supplemented with bonus, equity, benefits, and Employee Travel Credits.
• Reasonable accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process.
• Remote work is supported within eligible US states, with occasional office or offsite participation.