> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/1444940-software-engineer-privacy-engineering-lawful-access](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/1444940-software-engineer-privacy-engineering-lawful-access). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Software Engineer, Privacy Engineering (Lawful Access) - **Company:** OpenAI - **Location:** London, UK - **Salary:** £293,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Microsoft Access, Data Security, Data Stores, Data Systems, Privacy Controls, Data Processing, Backend, Data Pipelines - **Published:** July 26, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.adzuna.co.uk/jobs/details/5815356017 ## About the Role * Have experience building or operating systems for lawful data access requests and understand the domain's legal-process lifecycle, privacy and security constraints, auditability requirements, and operational sensitivities. * Strong backend engineering fundamentals and experience building production services or data-intensive systems. * Ability to reason carefully about correctness, authorization, security, and privacy when working with sensitive data. * A track record of turning ambiguous requirements into pragmatic plans and communicating technical tradeoffs clearly. * End-to-end ownership, including operating what you build, and comfort learning unfamiliar products and domains. * Care for operator experience and a drive to make complex workflows safer, clearer, and more efficient. * Experience collaborating across Engineering, Legal, operations, Privacy, and Security stakeholders. ## Description We're looking for a full-stack Software Engineer to build the internal tools and data pipelines that power lawful data access request workflows and Legal Operations. You will work across product and data systems to make authorized retrieval and case handling accurate, efficient, and auditable. This role is well suited to someone who enjoys translating ambiguous operational requirements into durable systems, cares deeply about sensitive-data handling, and wants to improve both technical reliability and the day-to-day experience of the people operating these workflows. In this role, you will: * Design, build, and operate backend systems and workflow tooling for the full lifecycle of lawful data access requests, from intake and scoping through authorized retrieval, review, preparation, and audit. * Build reliable data pipelines and interfaces across products and data stores so authorized teams can locate and handle the right records accurately and reproducibly. * Implement least-privilege access, approval gates, provenance, audit trails, data minimization, and safe failure modes for sensitive workflows. * Partner with Legal and Legal Operations to translate legal and operational requirements into clear technical designs and intuitive operator experiences. * Identify responsible automation opportunities that reduce repetitive work while preserving human review, judgment, and accountability. * Own production systems through testing, observability, incident response, documentation, and continuous reliability improvements. * Help define the architecture and roadmap for reusable privacy and legal-infrastructure foundations as OpenAI's products and obligations evolve. ## Related Videos - [From Messy Queries to Scalable Systems - How Data Engineering actually works](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100203-from-messy-queries-to-scalable-systems-how-data-engineering-actually-works) - [Developing the Backend with Stefan Lingler, CTO at Shpock](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100360-developing-the-backend-with-stefan-lingler-cto-at-shpock) - [Fault Tolerance and Consistency at Scale: Harnessing the Power of Distributed SQL Databases](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1520-fault-tolerance-and-consistency-at-scale-harnessing-the-power-of-distributed-sql-databases) - [How to Stop Your Agents From Going Rogue - Arnav Gupta](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2152-how-to-stop-your-agents-from-going-rogue-arnav-gupta) - [Nest.js - TypeScript in the backend can also be clean](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1033-nest-js-typescript-in-the-backend-can-also-be-clean) - [Building Sovereign AI: Lessons from Deploying Secure RAG Systems using Confidential Computing](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100108-building-sovereign-ai-lessons-from-deploying-secure-rag-systems-using-confidential-computing) ## Related Articles - [Dev Digest 137 - AI'm not sure about this](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/485-dev-digest-137-ai-m-not-sure-about-this) - [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift) - [Coffee with Developers - Maria Apazoglou - Making AI understandable for all in production](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/475-coffee-with-developers-maria-apazoglou-making-ai-understandable-for-all-in-production) - [How to Become an AI Engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/331-how-to-become-an-ai-engineer) - [AI & A11Y, Meta's privacy and the future of SEO](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/599-ai-a11y-meta-s-privacy-and-the-future-of-seo) - [Dev Digest 196: AI Killed DevOps, LLM Political Bias & AI Security](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/659-dev-digest-196-ai-killed-devops-llm-political-bias-ai-security)