Lead Software Engineer – Trust & Safety

Bumble•US TX Austin, TX

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Bumble, our mission is to create a world where all relationships are healthy and equitable. Trust & Safety is central to that mission - protecting our global community and ensuring people can connect with confidence, authenticity, and respect. As a Lead Software Engineer within Trust & Safety, you’ll play a critical role in shaping the technical direction of systems that proactively detect, prevent, and respond to harmful behavior at scale. This is an opportunity to operate at the intersection of engineering excellence and AI-powered innovation, influencing how we build intelligent, resilient safety systems for millions of users worldwide. You’ll partner across engineering, data science, and product to solve complex, high-impact challenges, while setting a high bar for quality, ownership, and thoughtful innovation. This role is ideal for someone who combines deep technical expertise with a strong sense of responsibility for user safety and a passion for building systems that truly make a difference.

Requirements

Typically requires 8+ years of experience, though we welcome candidates with alternative backgrounds that demonstrate equivalent skills
Deep expertise in software engineering, with strong proficiency in at least one modern programming language and system design at scale
Proven track record of leading complex technical initiatives and delivering impactful, high-quality systems
Ability to influence technical direction and drive alignment across teams and stakeholders
Strong collaboration and communication skills, with experience working across functions to deliver shared outcomes
Demonstrates ownership and accountability, consistently driving work from insight through to measurable impact
Highly proficient in using AI-powered tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, Copilot) to enhance engineering productivity, system design, and decision-making
Applies AI responsibly and strategically - evaluating outputs, mitigating risks, and ensuring ethical, unbiased, and high-quality outcomes

Nice To Haves

Experience designing and scaling distributed systems and high-availability architectures
Strong experience with cloud platforms (eg AWS, Azure, GCP), containerization (eg Docker, Kubernetes), and modern deployment pipelines
Experience in Trust & Safety, machine learning systems, or recommendation systems at scale
Familiarity with applying AI/ML techniques to real-world safety or detection problems

Responsibilities

Lead the design and development of scalable, reliable systems that power Bumble’s Trust & Safety capabilities
Own and drive complex, high-impact technical initiatives from concept through delivery, shaping solutions that address evolving threats and user needs
Set technical direction and best practices for your area, influencing architecture, performance, and system design decisions
Partner cross-functionally with product, data science, and other engineering teams to deliver cohesive, end-to-end safety solutions
Act as a technical leader and mentor, elevating engineering quality through guidance, code reviews, and knowledge sharing
Build and strengthen engineering practices that reflect excellence, curiosity, and continuous improvement
Leverage AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or similar) to accelerate development, improve system design, and unlock new approaches to problem-solving at scale
Champion responsible, ethical, and inclusive use of AI, ensuring systems and workflows are accurate, transparent, and aligned with Bumble’s commitment to user safety

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) match, Unlimited Paid Time Off Policy
Maven Fertility: $10,000 lifetime benefit for fertility, adoption, abortion care, and more.
26 Weeks Parental Leave: For both primary and secondary caregivers.
Family & Compassionate Leave: Inclusive of domestic violence recovery.
Unlimited Paid Time Off: Take the time you need.
Company-wide Week Off: Annual collective rest for the entire company.
Focus Fridays: No meetings, emails, or deadlines—just deep work.
Insurance: Medical/dental/vision, 30-day eligibility. Bumble has multiple competitive offerings that will be available to you on the first of the month following date of hire.
Unlimited PTO + 1 company-wide week off + Focus Fridays every week
Fully paid life and long-term disability insurance
401k with 4% company match if you contribute 6%, 90-day eligibility
Monthly wellness benefit and access to Noom, Unmind, and Your Money Line
Maternity and Fertility benefit + 26 week paid parental leave
Premium App Access