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Full-Time

Staff Software Engineer

Ads Retrieval & Targeting Infrastructure

Updated on 9/30/2024

Pinterest

Pinterest

5,001-10,000 employees

Visual discovery and bookmarking platform

Entertainment
Consumer Software

Compensation Overview

$160.5k - $330.1kAnnually

+ Equity

Senior, Expert

Palo Alto, CA, USA + 2 more

More locations: Seattle, WA, USA | San Francisco, CA, USA

Requires in-office presence 1 time per week in San Francisco, Palo Alto, or Seattle.

Category
Backend Engineering
Software Engineering
Required Skills
Python
Java
Requirements
  • 8+ years of relevant industry experience with Ads or Search Infrastructure and distributed systems
  • Rich experience in working cross functionally to drive alignment, oversee execution and secure deliverables
  • Hands on experience in solving complex scaling, latency, or low-level system performance problems in high-volume online serving systems
  • Experience in mentoring, guiding and upleveling junior engineers
  • Experience solving end-user problems and envisioning solutions to improve their productivity
  • Knowledge of industry best practices and trends, and use it to form a long-term plan to the team
  • Proficiency in at least one of the system languages (C++, Java, Python), preferably with C++
Responsibilities
  • Define and execute the technical strategy for scaling and modernizing our retrieval infrastructure
  • Rearchitect and refine the infrastructure to achieve greater scalability, freshness and performance handling billions of ads repository and millions of QPS
  • Lead the collaboration with ML, product and other partner teams to evaluate the infra requests and make fund decisions
  • Be the tech lead of 5-10 engineers and directly influence their day to day work through mentorship and leadership

Pinterest is a social media platform designed for users to discover and save ideas across various interests, such as recipes, home decor, and fashion. Users can create collections of visual bookmarks, called "pins," which are organized into themed boards. The platform primarily generates revenue through advertising, offering promoted pins that appear in users' feeds and search results, targeted based on user interests and behaviors. Additionally, Pinterest earns income through affiliate marketing by driving traffic to retailers' websites. What sets Pinterest apart from its competitors is its unique visual discovery engine, which helps advertisers connect with consumers actively seeking inspiration. The goal of Pinterest is to connect users with ideas and products that inspire them.

Company Stage

IPO

Total Funding

$2.9B

Headquarters

San Francisco, California

Founded

2010

Growth & Insights
Headcount

6 month growth

13%

1 year growth

25%

2 year growth

36%
Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Pinterest's commitment to ESG initiatives, as highlighted in its 2024 Impact Report, enhances its brand reputation and appeal to socially conscious users and investors.
  • Collaborations with brands like Pacsun and the introduction of new features like video-sharing for boards indicate strong growth potential and increased user engagement.
  • The development of AI-powered advertising tools, such as personalized background generation, positions Pinterest as a leader in innovative ad solutions.

What critics are saying

  • The recent data leak incident could undermine user trust and lead to potential legal and financial repercussions.
  • The competitive landscape of social media is intense, with platforms like Instagram and TikTok potentially overshadowing Pinterest's unique offerings.

What makes Pinterest unique

  • Pinterest's visual discovery engine uniquely positions it as a platform where users actively seek inspiration, unlike other social media platforms that focus on passive content consumption.
  • The platform's targeted advertising model leverages user interests and behaviors, providing highly relevant ads that enhance user engagement and advertiser ROI.
  • Pinterest's integration of AI for background generation and video-sharing features demonstrates its commitment to innovation and staying ahead of social media trends.

Benefits

Flexible and generous vacation and holidays

Global year-end paid company holiday closure

Comprehensive mental and physical health benefits for you and your family

Retirement plans that allow for tax savings

Fitness offerings

Personal and professional development resources

Adoption support, paid parental leave, egg freezing (in the US) and other family building benefits

Discounts and perks

Meals and snacks in the office