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Senior Software Engineer at Idler

Idler No longer available

Job Description

What we do

Idler builds reinforcement learning environments that teach AI models to code like 0.01% engineers. Our training environments are based on real-world coding scenarios that frontier models will actually encounter.

We've closed a multimillion-dollar contract with a leading foundation lab (the largest they've issued to date). Demand is outpacing our capacity to deliver, so we're scaling the team fast.

What you'll do

Build agentic systems that create and QA coding environments at scale. Most of your day will be spent designing these systems to be extremely sound. A big part of our work is thinking critically about what makes a coding environment and task "good" and "fair". This requires high agency and philosophical thinking alongside technical execution.

Concretely, you'll:

  • Design and build scaleable systems that generate RL environments

  • Create automated QA systems to validate environment quality and fairness

  • Work directly with AI researchers at leading labs to understand what makes training data effective

  • Support new product lines as we expand beyond coding environments

You'll work with

The founding team, a founding engineer, and a small group of engineers (we're hiring quickly). You'll have direct access to AI researchers at frontier labs.

Tech stack

Typescript, React, NodeJS, Postgres, Redis, Vercel, Cursor

Benefits
  • Healthcare coverage, 401(k), and 15 days PTO.

  • Meals, coffee, and snacks (that you will actually enjoy) covered during working days.

  • Latest MacBook Pro and equipment.

  • Relocation assistance available.

  • Team offsites and events (we love hanging out).

This is an in-person role in San Francisco. We're a tight-knit founding team and we play to win. Join us if you like to win too.

Typical senior pay: $169k for Software Developers nationally

National salary averages
Expected senior-level
$169k
Entry
Mid
Senior
Expected
$80k Market range (10th-90th percentile) $211k

Senior roles pay 64% more than entry—experience is well rewarded.

Strong candidate leverage

High demand and responsive wages. Negotiate confidently on all fronts.

Hiring leverage
Lean candidate
Wage leverage
Moderate
Mobility
Good mobility

Who this leverage applies to

Stronger for: All experience levels

Where to negotiate

Base salary
Sign-on bonus
Title / level
Remote flexibility
Scope & responsibility
Start date / PTO

Likely Possible Unlikely

Use competing offers and timing to your advantage.

Does this path compound?

Job Growth →
High churn
Growth, flat pay
🚀 Compound
Growth + pay upside
⚠️ Plateau
Limited growth
Specialize
Experts earn more
Pay Upside →
Growth + pay upside

Both the field and your earnings can grow significantly.

+16%
10yr growth
A bachelor's degree is typically expected.
115,200 openings projected annually—mostly replacing retirees and turnover.
Typical: Bachelor's degree

Good time to build expertise—demand will chase supply.

Labor data: BLS 2024