Staff AI Engineer- Developer Tools

Job description

AI is fundamentally changing how developers write, understand, debug, and maintain software. At JetBrains, we're exploring what an AI-native development experience should look like for C++ developers. We are looking for a senior technical leader to help shape this future by building AI-powered workflows, integrating coding agents into developer tools, and defining how CLion can become a first-class environment for AI-assisted software development. This is a highly hands-on role focused on technical leadership rather than people management. You should expect to spend most of your time prototyping, implementing, and validating AI-powered workflows while helping shape technical direction through hands-on engineering. You'll work at the intersection of developer tools, AI agents, IDE architecture, and product strategy while helping define how software developers work with AI in the future. ### **Example problems you'll work on:** - How can coding agents become more effective when working with large C++ codebases? - How can CLion's debugging, code understanding, and navigation capabilities be integrated into AI-assisted development workflows? - How should AI-powered developer experiences be evaluated and benchmarked in real-world development scenarios? - What capabilities should AI agents have access to inside a modern IDE? - How can we make CLion a better environment for developers who increasingly collaborate with AI tools and agents? ### **In this role, you will:** - Shape and deliver AI-powered features for CLion and C++ development workflows. - Design the architecture for AI integrations, agent tools, and C++-specific AI capabilities. - Build practical benchmarks and evaluation frameworks for AI-assisted C++ development scenarios. - Prototype and validate new AI workflows, including debugging, code understanding, refactoring, and project navigation. - Collaborate with product managers, ML engineers, QA engineers, stakeholders, and senior developers to shape and deliver the roadmap. - Work closely with JetBrains AI, ML, and product teams to help define the AI strategy for the C++ ecosystem. - Evaluate and prioritize AI initiatives, bringing new ideas and proposals that align with the broader JetBrains AI strategy. - Contribute hands-on to technical design, software architecture, and implementation in a large, mature codebase. - Help define a technical roadmap for AI agent and tool integrations in C++ development workflows. - Build trust and alignment across the C++ Ecosystem, AI, Product, QA, and ML organizations ### **We'd love to talk if you have:** - Significant software engineering experience as a Staff Engineer, Principal Engineer, Technical Lead, or similar senior technical role. - Strong experience with Kotlin, Java, or other JVM technologies, or the ability to quickly become productive in a JVM-based codebase. - Experience building AI-powered products, developer tools, coding assistants, agents, or LLM-based workflows. - Strong understanding of how modern coding agents operate, including tool calling, context management, MCP, and evaluation techniques. - A track record of driving technical direction in ambiguous and rapidly evolving areas. - Strong product instincts and an ability to balance innovation with practical delivery. - Excellent communication skills and the ability to influence without formal authority. ### **Nice to have** - Experience with C++ development workflows, compilers, debuggers, language tooling, or developer productivity products. - Experience with IDE internals, language servers, code analysis, refactoring systems, or static analysis. - Experience leading small teams or acting as a technical lead. - Experience working on AI-native developer products. ### **Why this role is unique** Rather than building generic chat experiences, you'll be working on challenges such as AI-assisted debugging, agent-powered code understanding, developer workflow automation, and evaluation systems for AI-powered development tools. Your work will directly influence products used by millions of developers worldwide and help shape JetBrains' broader vision for AI-powered software development. ### **Why join JetBrains?** - Strong base salary. We offer competitive pay that reflects your skills and experience. - Flexible work location. Enjoy the freedom to work from home or from the office. - Remote work. Spend up to 30 days per year working remotely from abroad. - Extra time off. More days to relax, recharge, and do the things you love. - Medical insurance allowance. Enjoy peace of mind for you and your family - Learning and development opportunities. Access to conferences, courses, and language classes. - **Relocation support. We help make your move as smooth and stress-free as possible. (keep if relevant for the role)** - Language classes. Pick up the local language or sharpen your English skills. - Fuel your day. Enjoy a hot meal or receive a lunch allowance on workdays. - Mental health support. To help you feel your best, we provide easy access to professional mental health services. - Sports benefit. Enjoy an on-site gym or sports club stipend. - Internal events. Join company-wide celebrations and team gatherings. \*Some benefits may vary depending on location. #LI-DNI **We are an equal opportunity employer** We know great ideas can come from anyone, anywhere. That’s why we do our best to create an open and inclusive workplace – one that welcomes everyone regardless of their background, identity, religion, age, accessibility needs, or orientation. *We process the data provided in your job application in accordance with the [Recruitment Privacy Policy.](https://www.jetbrains.com/legal/docs/privacy/privacy-recruitment/)*