Staff Software Engineer, Incub

About the Role

Staff Software Engineer on Google's Jigsaw incubation team leading end-to-end applied AI prototyping and 0-to-1 proofs-of-concept. The role translates ethnographic research into production-ready AI capabilities through rapid prototyping, cross-functional collaboration, and technical leadership.

Explicitly references integrating vibe coding tools into engineering practices and prototyping workflows.

Location: New York, NY

Salary: USD 207,000 - 300,000/year

Type: Full-time

Posted: 2 days ago

Category: Software Engineering

Company Rating: 4.3 (6268 reviews)

Company Size: 10k+

Vibe Markers: 💻 Open Source, 🔥 Hot

Experience Level: Staff/Principal

Job Description

Role

Staff Software Engineer on Jigsaw (an incubator within Google) responsible for leading technical work to translate ethnographic research into applied AI capabilities via rapid prototyping. You will own 0-to-1 proofs-of-concept, guide small teams, and prepare demos and technical documentation to communicate technical narratives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end development of applied AI concepts from exploration to handoff for replication.
• Translate ethnographic research into proven AI capabilities through rapid prototyping and iterative feedback.
• Set technical goals for proofs-of-concept and guide a small team toward technical excellence and experimentation.
• Collaborate iteratively with researchers, designers, product managers, and external partners to align human needs with technical solutions.
• Prepare demos and technical documentation to communicate technical narratives to leadership and external partners.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 8 years of software development experience.
• 5 years testing and launching software products; 3 years with software design and architecture.
• 5 years applying AI solutions and ML-related technologies in consumer or enterprise applications.
• Experience integrating generative AI tools or LLM interfaces into workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• 3 years in technical leadership roles setting technical direction and leading project teams.
• Experience navigating ambiguous problem spaces and delivering technical prototypes or proofs-of-concept.
• Experience integrating the latest AI capabilities and vibe coding tools into engineering practices.
• Experience at the intersection of technology and social systems (e.g., governance, health, economic insecurity).
• Strong communication skills for translating technical complexity to non-technical stakeholders.

Compensation

• US: $207000 - $300000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits

Tech Stack

Generative AI, LLM interfaces, AI, ML, Natural Language Processing, Distributed Computing, Information Retrieval, Networking, Data Storage, UI design, Mobile

Skills

Technical Leadership, Rapid Prototyping, Cross-functional Collaboration, Communication, System Design, Product Development, Experimentation, Translating Research to Engineering, Technical Documentation, Project Leadership

Benefits

• 20% bonus target
• Equity
• Employee benefits