ABOUT RETELL AI

Retell AI is using the first principles to reimagine the call center with cutting edge voice AI.

Since launching 18 months ago, thousands of companies now utilize Retell’s AI voice agents to handle sales, support, and logistics calls that once required large teams of human agents. Backed by Y Combinator, Alt Capital, and other leading investors, we have scaled to $36M ARR with a team of 20 people, up from $5M at the start of 2025.

Our vision for 2026 is to build a modern CX platform where entire contact centers are powered by AI. Instead of basic automation that needs constant human tuning, we’re creating intelligent AI “workers” that can act as frontline agents, QA analysts, and managers — continuously executing, monitoring, and improving customer interactions.

We’re growing quickly and looking for ambitious builders who want to tackle hard technical problems, move fast, and have real impact at one of the fastest-growing voice AI startups.

Let’s build the future together.

We’re a top 50 AI app in a16z list: https://tinyurl.com/5853dt2x
#4 on Brex's Fast-Growing Software Vendors of 2025: https://www.brex.com/journal/brex-benchmark-december-2025
We're also one of the top ranking startups on: https://leanaileaderboard.com/

THE ROLE

We’re looking for a Principal/Staff Engineer to help own the technical direction of our core platform. This is a staff-level IC role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, moves fast, and raises the bar for everyone around them.

You’ll work across systems, infrastructure, and product surfaces — partnering closely with engineering, product, and leadership to scale what’s already working and build what’s next.

This is not a “ticket taker” role. You’ll define problems, design solutions, and ship.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Own the design and evolution of core platform and systems architecture.
Lead complex technical initiatives end-to-end, from concept to production.
Make high-leverage technical decisions that balance speed, reliability, and scale.
Raise the technical bar through design reviews, mentoring, and hands-on leadership.
Partner closely with product to translate business needs into robust technical solutions.
Identify and resolve performance, scalability, and reliability bottlenecks.
Help define engineering best practices as we scale the team and platform.

YOU MIGHT THRIVE IF

You have 9+ years of experience building and operating production systems.
You’ve operated at Staff or Principal level (or equivalent scope), even if the title wasn’t official.
You’re strong in systems design and can reason clearly about tradeoffs.
You move fast but care deeply about correctness, reliability, and maintainability.
You’re comfortable owning ambiguous problems and defining the path forward.
You’ve built or scaled platforms used by real customers at meaningful volume.
You enjoy being hands-on — writing code, reviewing designs, and unblocking teams.

Bonus points if you’ve worked with: distributed systems, Voice AI, real-time systems, APIs at scale, infra/platform work, or developer-facing products.

WHY THIS ROLE

Real ownership over core systems.
Direct influence on product and company direction.
A small, high-caliber team with very little process drag.
Problems that matter — to customers, revenue, and scale.

If you want a role where your decisions visibly shape the company, this is it.

JOB DETAILS

Cash: $ 240-$300k
Equity : Offers Equity
Location : Redwood City, CA, US
US Visas : Retell AI is open to sponsoring work authorization for qualified candidates, including H-1B, TN, L-1, E-3, F-1 (OPT/CPT), and O-1 visas.

OTHER BENEFITS

100% coverage for medical, dental, and vision insurance
$70/day DoorDash credit for unlimited breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks
$200/month wellness reimbursement (gym, fitness classes, etc.)
$300/month commuter reimbursement (gas, Caltrain, etc.)
$75/month phone bill reimbursement
$50/month internet reimbursement

COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY

Best Offer Upfront: Choose from three cash-equity balance options; no negotiation needed.
Top 1% Talent: Above-market pay (top 5 percentile) to attract exceptional builders.
High Ownership: Small teams, >$1M revenue/employee, and significant equity.
Performance-Based: Offers tied to interview performance, not experience or past salaries.

INTERVIEW PROCESS

Recruiter Screen (15min): Speak with a member of the talent team to learn more about us and which team you would be a good fit for.
Technical Interview (45 min): Practical coding session focused on code fluency and system design (For frontend roles, we will focus on React-specific questions. For backend roles, we take a technology-agnostic approach.)
Technical Interview (45 min): This is a systems design-focused interview. There will be no coding; we want to assess your skills in systems design.
Onsite/Virtual Interviews (2–3 hrs): Hosted in our office if located in the Bay Area or virtual, with three rounds:

Retell is building the AI voice layer for every business.

We’re replacing outdated call centers with real-time AI voice agents that sell, support, and retain customers at scale.

Voice is still the most natural way humans communicate, yet it’s been stuck with legacy tech for decades. We’re changing that by bringing speed, empathy, and reliability to every phone conversation.

In under two years, thousands of companies now run on Retell. We’ve grown to $35M ARR, raised a $4.7M seed, and scaled a 24-person team, backed by Y Combinator, Altman Capital, and top-tier investors.

We’re now one of the top 50 AI apps in a16z’s rankings and a top-ranking startup on the Lean AI leaderboard.

We’re moving fast, tackling hard technical problems, and setting the standard for voice automation. If you want to help define the future of how businesses talk to customers, this is the place to do it.

Check us out on the Top Lean AI Native Companies Leaderboard at leanaileaderboard.com.