Staff Software Engineer, Incubation and Prototyping

About the job

Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google’s needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward.

Jigsaw is an incubator within Google that builds technologies to give people greater agency in the world around them. Across the globe, we're more connected than ever before, to information and to each other, yet many of us feel disconnected from the decisions and systems that affect our lives. We believe that AI can bridge this divide between the desire to shape our world and the ability to do so.

Jigsaw offers mission-driven work within a nimble interdisciplinary team, connections to academia and civil society, and a quick path to taking technology public.

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

Learn more about benefits at Google.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical work to translate ethnographic research into proven AI capabilities through rapid prototyping, cross-functional collaboration, and iterative feedback.
• Execute the end-to-end development of applied AI concepts, navigating the development lifecycle from exploration to guiding handoffs for replication.
• Set the technical goals for new proofs-of-concept from 0-to-1, guiding a small team and fostering a culture of rapid experimentation and technical excellence.
• Collaborate iteratively with researchers, designers, product managers, and external partners to bridge the gap between human needs and technological capabilities.
• Own the technical narrative for proofs-of-concept by preparing demos and technical documentation that inspire leadership and external partners.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 8 years of experience in software development.
• 5 years of experience testing and launching software products, and 3 years of experience with software design and architecture.
• 5 years of experience in 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 a related technical field.
• 3 years of experience in a technical leadership role leading project teams and setting technical direction.
• Experience navigating ambiguous problem spaces and delivering technical prototypes or proofs-of-concept.
• Experience integrating the latest artificial intelligence capabilities and vibe coding tools into engineering practices.
• Experience working at the intersection of technology and social systems, such as governance, health, or economic insecurity.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate technical complexity into compelling narratives for non-technical stakeholders.