Get a Job at OpenAI: Interview Process and Top Questions

OpenAI is a pioneering company shaping the future of AI. As one of the most innovative tech firms, it is committed to ensuring that general-purpose AI benefits all of humanity.

OpenAI recognizes the importance of diverse experiences, so even if you don’t have an AI or machine learning (ML) background, you can still find opportunities here.

The OpenAI Residency offers a great transition path for those looking to move into AI research or engineering roles.

Known for its competitive salaries and generous benefits, OpenAI operates as a “capped-profit” company, meaning it blends for-profit and non-profit models. Investor returns are capped to ensure that more resources are reinvested into AI research to serve OpenAI’s mission.

Below, we outline the OpenAI interview process and the types of questions you should prepare for:

What is the OpenAI interview process?

OpenAI’s interview process is similar to other top tech companies, typically lasting about a month, although it can sometimes take longer.

The final round usually includes on-site interviews at OpenAI’s headquarters in San Francisco, but virtual interviews are sometimes available.

Candidates often note that OpenAI interviews are fast-paced, so be ready to respond quickly.

While thorough, the technical coding assessments are generally rated as average in difficulty.

The OpenAI interview process consists of three main rounds:

• Recruiter phone screen
• Technical screen or hiring manager call
• On-site interviews

Recruiter Phone Screen

The first stage is a 30-minute call with a recruiter, where you’ll discuss your resume, background, and motivations for applying to OpenAI.

Typical questions include “Tell me about yourself,” and “Why do you want to work at OpenAI?”

Before your interview, familiarize yourself with OpenAI’s current projects by visiting the OpenAI Research Blog and OpenAI News. This will help you discuss specific initiatives that resonate with you during the interview process.

In your recruiter screen, make sure your responses reflect OpenAI’s core values:

• AGI focus: OpenAI is committed to building safe, beneficial AGI with a transformative impact on humanity.
• Intense and scrappy: Building something exceptional requires hard work and urgency. Be unpretentious and find the best solutions, wherever they come from.
• Scale: When in doubt, scale up. OpenAI believes in the power of scale across models, processes, and ambitions.
• Make something people love: OpenAI’s technology should have a deeply positive effect on people’s lives.
• Team spirit: Effective collaboration across teams drives innovation at OpenAI. Every team must stay aligned with the broader mission and goals.

Technical Screen

The technical screen is the second step of OpenAI’s interview process and varies by role.

For engineering positions, candidates face an easy to medium-difficulty coding challenge, typically a one-hour online assessment.

Non-technical roles will likely involve a 30–60 minute video call with the hiring manager.

Some non-technical roles might include a take-home challenge related to the job or in place of the hiring manager call.

On-Site Interviews

The final stage involves 3–6 on-site interview loops in San Francisco, or virtually for some candidates.

Each interview lasts about 30 minutes and includes different members of the team.

The structure of these interviews depends on the position, but there’s typically a domain-specific round for each role.

Top OpenAI Interview Questions

Here are some sample interview questions asked at OpenAI, as reported by real candidates:

Behavioral 

The behavioral interview evaluates your belief in the mission of the company and your ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

OpenAI wants candidates who resonate with their goal of creating safe, beneficial AGI and who can handle working at a high-growth company.

• Why do you want to work at OpenAI?
• Tell me about yourself.
• How do you balance multiple conflicting priorities?
• What parts of OpenAI's mission statement resonate with you? 
• Tell me about a time you made a mistake.
• Tell me about a time when you solved a complex problem and how you went about it?

Coding

OpenAI’s on-site coding interviews are more practical than those at many other companies.

You may hear some algorithmic questions. However, most coding problems will be about the work you'll do on the job.

• Implementing data structures for time-based operations
• Designing versioned data stores
• Graph algorithms for analyzing neural networks

System Design

The system design interview involves building large-scale systems with real-world constraints. Specifically,

• Architecting scalable systems for model training,
• Designing APIs for model deployment,
• Creating efficient caching for frequently accessed data,

Brush up on these topics:

• APIs
• Consistent hashing
• Cloud architecture
• Load balancing
• Caching

Data

• How do you prevent overfitting or underfitting in a deep learning model?
• Explain deep reinforcement learning.
• Statistics
• Probability

Machine Learning

For AI/ML roles, the machine learning interview involves designing and evaluating models, as well as discussing ML concepts like training, tuning, and deploying models in production.

• Implementing basic ML algorithms from scratch (e.g. linear regression, k-means clustering)
• Optimizing large-scale models
• Designing data pipelines for processing and preparing training data

Brush up on these topics:

• Linear regression algorithms
• Logistic regression algorithms
• Decision trees
• Neural networks

Product Management

• What industry do you think could benefit the most from enterprise ChatGPT? 
• Tell me about a past project that impacted the wider organization.
• What's your favorite product and why?

OpenAI Interview Tips

Master ML fundamentals for technical roles.

For technical positions, especially in AI/ML, you’ll need a strong understanding of machine learning concepts.

Review OpenAI’s products and research, and brush up on the fundamentals before your interview.

Prepare for a fast-paced interview environment.

OpenAI interviews are quick and dynamic, reflecting their fast-moving workplace.

Practice answering questions rapidly and concisely to keep up with the pace.

Be ready for a thorough process.

OpenAI is selective, seeking top-tier talent to push the boundaries of AI research.

Expect your interview to be thorough, especially for technical and research roles.

FAQs

Can I get a job at OpenAI without an AI background?

Yes! OpenAI offers a six-month paid Residency Program to help researchers and software engineers transition into AI roles. The residency is hybrid and based in San Francisco, with relocation assistance and visa sponsorship provided as needed.

Does OpenAI hire students and new grads?

While OpenAI doesn’t offer traditional internships, students can apply for the Residency Program before graduation. The program begins after you finish your degree and offers full-time employment.

Does OpenAI offer remote work?

Most roles at OpenAI require a hybrid schedule, with three days a week in their San Francisco office. Some positions are available in New York City and other global locations. OpenAI provides relocation assistance for new hires.