Staff Software Engineer, Programmatic Ads

pinterest· Monetization

📍 Seattle, WA, US, San Francisco,CA, US; Palo Alto, CA, US; New York, NY, US🗓 Posted Jan 27, 2026

About this role

About Pinterest:

Millions of people around the world come to our platform to find creative ideas, dream about new possibilities and plan for memories that will last a lifetime. At Pinterest, we’re on a mission to bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love, and that starts with the people behind the product.

Discover a career where you ignite innovation for millions, transform passion into growth opportunities, celebrate each other’s unique experiences and embrace the flexibility to do your best work. Creating a career you love? It’s Possible.

At Pinterest, AI isn't just a feature, it's a powerful partner that augments our creativity and amplifies our impact, and we’re looking for candidates who are excited to be a part of that. To get a complete picture of your experience and abilities, we’ll explore your foundational skills and how you collaborate with AI.

Through our interview process, what matters most is that you can always explain your approach, showing us not just what you know, but how you think. You can read more about our AI interview philosophy and how we use AI in our recruiting process here.

The Programmatic Ads team integrates with external demand partners (DSPs, SSPs, etc) through OpenRTB. We drive performance optimization (latency, conversion, engagement, fill rate, etc) for our programmatic ad products. We are also responsible for building internal tools to better enable cross-functional teams.

What you’ll do:

Lead one or two partner integrations, and work closely with product managers, data scientists, other cross-functional teams, and external partners to understand business requirements and translate them into technical solutions.
Use AI to accelerate team execution, system design, and decision-making, applying sound judgment to validate outputs and ensure correctness and quality.
Independently drive the full software development lifecycle, including ideation, technical design, prototyping, development, and release.
Independently drive problem-solving and product iterations by utilizing A/B testing.
Establish and maintain a high standard for technical excellence and production quality.
Mentor junior engineers on the team and provide design and coding feedback.

What we’re looking for:

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, a related field or equivalent experience
8+ years of hands-on backend software engineering experience in large-scale distributed systems.
Passion for working on ad products work.
Excellent communication and stakeholder alignment skills.
Strong problem-solving skills and analytical mindset, with the ability to use data to guide decisions
Experience with ad serving platform, ad exchange, supply-side platform, or demand-side platform.
Demonstrated ability to use AI to accelerate team execution, system design, and decision-making, paired with sound judgment in validating outputs, maintaining quality, and taking ownership of final outcomes.
Strong track record of critical evaluation and verification of AI-assisted work (e.g., testing, source-checking, data validation, peer review).
High integrity and ownership: you protect sensitive data, avoid over-reliance on AI, and remain accountable for final decisions and deliverables.
Demonstrated ability to transform a team’s engineering workflow using AI—from pilot to broad adoption—through tooling, enablement, and change leadership, with clear metrics (cycle time, defect rate, on-call load, incident rate).

In-Office Requirement Statement:

We let the type of work you do guide the collaboration style. That means we're not always working in an office, but we continue to gather for key moments of collaboration and connection.

This role will need to be in the office for in-person collaboration twice a month, therefore needs to be in a commutable distance from the Seattle, San Francisco, Palo Alto, OR NYC office.

Relocation Statement:

This position is not eligible for relocation assistance. Visit our PinFlex page to learn more about our working model.

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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.

Information regarding the culture at Pinterest and benefits available for this position can be found here.

US based applicants only

$208,454—$364,795 USD

Our Commitment to Inclusion:

Pinterest is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We want to have the best qualified people in every job. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, status as a protected veteran, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state or local laws. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you require a medical or religious accommodation during the job application process, please complete this form for support.

By submitting this application, I certify that all information submitted in my application and throughout the hiring process is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any false statement, omission, or misrepresentation may disqualify me from employment consideration or result in termination if discovered after hire.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the salary disclosed for the Staff Software Engineer, Programmatic Ads position at pinterest?

The salary for this Staff Software Engineer, Programmatic Ads role at pinterest is not publicly listed. Click "Apply Now" to learn more about the compensation package on their official careers page.

Where is the Staff Software Engineer, Programmatic Ads position at pinterest located?

This Staff Software Engineer, Programmatic Ads role at pinterest is based in Seattle, WA, US, San Francisco,CA, US; Palo Alto, CA, US; New York, NY, US. The position is listed as on-site or hybrid. Check the full job description or apply directly to confirm the work arrangement.

Which team or department does the Staff Software Engineer, Programmatic Ads at pinterest belong to?

This Staff Software Engineer, Programmatic Ads position is part of the Monetization department at pinterest. See the full job description for more information about the team structure and responsibilities.

How do I apply for the Staff Software Engineer, Programmatic Ads position at pinterest?

Click the "Apply Now" button on this page. You will be redirected to pinterest's official application portal hosted on greenhouse where you can submit your application directly.

When was the Staff Software Engineer, Programmatic Ads job at pinterest posted?

This Staff Software Engineer, Programmatic Ads position at pinterest was posted on Jan 27, 2026. Apply as soon as possible — early applications are often reviewed first.

Staff Software Engineer, Programmatic Ads

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