About Handshake
Handshake was founded on a simple belief that everyone deserves a path to a great career, regardless of where they went to school or who they know. Today, we power 25 million job seekers, 1 million+ employers, and 1,600 educational institutions.
In 2025, we started Handshake AI and built the fastest-growing AI data business in history. We work directly with frontier AI lab researchers to create evaluations, publish benchmarks, and push the boundary of data. We’ve grown from $0 to ~$1B run rate and pay ~$60M to over 30K individuals every month.
Why join Handshake now:
Shape how every career evolves in the AI economy, at global scale, with impact your friends, family and peers can see and feel
Partner hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutions
Work together with engineers, scientists, operators, and more from Palantir, Meta, Scale AI, and former YC founders
Build a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenue
About Handshake AI
Human data is the core infrastructure to AI advancement. Frontier AI labs currently improve model capabilities with various data-intensive post-training techniques. We believe that data spend for AI training will increase by 3-5x in the next few years and continue for much longer as models take on new domains. Handshake AI supports all of the frontier AI labs, working on their most complex data at the largest scale.
About The Role
Handshake AI is building the infrastructure that powers how AI work gets delivered at scale. Every project our operators launch, every fellow who works on those projects, and every task that flows through our platform relies on systems built by the HAI Annotation team.
As a Software Engineer I on this team, you'll build the core platform that enables operators to configure customer projects, manage complex tasking workflows, and ensure work moves reliably through our delivery pipelines. You'll work on foundational systems that are used across the organization and serve as building blocks for other engineering teams.
This is a highly cross-functional role where you'll partner closely with operators, product managers, product designers, and engineers across Handshake AI to create scalable, extensible solutions that improve both fellow and operator experiences.
What You’ll Do
Build and maintain backend systems that power project configuration and delivery workflows
Develop tools that operators use to set up and manage customer projects
Create scalable tasking and pipeline systems that support complex data generation processes
Improve fellow tasking experiences through automation and workflow enhancements
Design extensible platform capabilities that can be leveraged by multiple teams across Handshake AI
Collaborate closely with operators to understand pain points and translate operational needs into durable, efficient software solutions
Partner with engineers across the organization to ensure platform systems are reliable, flexible, and easy to build upon
Contribute to system architecture, technical design reviews, and engineering best practices
You Have
1+ years of professional software engineering experience through internships, full-time roles, research, or significant project work
Strong programming fundamentals and experience building production software
Experience with backend development and distributed systems concepts
Familiarity with modern web technologies and APIs
Experience working with databases and data modeling
Ability to break down complex problems and develop scalable solutions
Strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset
Excitement about working closely with operational stakeholders and solving workflow challenges
Bonus Points
Experience with TypeScript
Experience building internal tools, workflow systems, or platform infrastructure
Exposure to workflow orchestration, pipeline systems, or task management platforms
Experience designing systems that support multiple teams or stakeholders
Familiarity with AI, annotation, or human-in-the-loop workflows
Experience working in fast-moving startup environments
We Offer
Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supported and thrive at work and in life.
The below benefits are for full-time US employees.
🎯 Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company
💰 Financial Wellness: 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching
🍼 Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching
💝 Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision, mental health support, $500 wellness stipend
📚 Growth: $2,000 learning stipend, ongoing development
💻 Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office
🏝 Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days
🤝 Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses
Explore our mission, values, and comprehensive US benefits at joinhandshake.com/careers.
Skills Required
- 1+ years of professional software engineering experience through internships, full-time roles, research, or significant project work
- Strong programming fundamentals and experience building production software
- Experience with backend development and distributed systems concepts
- Familiarity with modern web technologies and APIs
- Experience working with databases and data modeling
- Ability to break down complex problems and develop scalable solutions
- Strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset
- Excitement about working closely with operational stakeholders and solving workflow challenges
- Experience with TypeScript
- Experience building internal tools, workflow systems, or platform infrastructure
- Exposure to workflow orchestration, pipeline systems, or task management platforms
- Experience designing systems that support multiple teams or stakeholders
- Familiarity with AI, annotation, or human-in-the-loop workflows
- Experience working in fast-moving startup environments
Handshake Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Handshake and has not been reviewed or approved by Handshake.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off practices include flexible/unlimited PTO, companywide recharge weeks in summer and winter, plus additional volunteer and personal holiday time. Feedback suggests sabbaticals and coordinated breaks help people actually use rest time.
-
Parental & Family Support — Parental leave is described as extended for primary and secondary caregivers, and family-oriented policies are highlighted. Fertility and family-support resources are referenced in public materials.
-
Healthcare Strength — Core coverage spans medical, dental, and vision, with added mental-health resources and wellness programming. Feedback suggests these supports contribute meaningfully to overall wellbeing.
Handshake Insights
What We Do
Handshake is the #1 place to launch a career with no connections, experience, or luck required. The platform connects up-and-coming talent with 650,000+ employers - from Fortune 500 companies like Google, Nike, and Target to thousands of public school districts, healthcare systems, and nonprofits. Earlier this year, we announced our $200M Series F funding round. This Series F fundraise and new valuation of $3.5B will fuel Handshake’s next phase of growth and propel our mission to help more people start, restart, and jumpstart their careers.
Why Work With Us
How someone builds their career is foundational. We believe in working with the higher education community to help students build meaningful careers. We are at the nexus of universities, students and employers— and we’re able to connect the very best pieces of each side. We’re proud to create a community where students can be more successful.
Gallery
