How to Apply to Perplexity

8 min read Last updated March 8, 2026 70 open positions
Blake Crosley
Blake Crosley Researched using publicly available information, hiring data, and ATS analysis.

Key Takeaways

  • Perplexity is building the next generation of search — an AI answer engine that delivers direct, cited responses instead of traditional blue links
  • The company uses Ashby as its ATS, so submit clean, well-formatted resumes in PDF format with standard section headers
  • Tailor your resume to emphasize AI, search, and infrastructure experience — generic technology resumes will not stand out
  • Quantify your impact with specific metrics and demonstrate that you operate at scale
  • Prepare for interviews that test practical problem-solving and system design, not rote algorithm memorization
  • Show intellectual curiosity about AI and search — Perplexity hires people who are genuinely passionate about the mission
  • The interview process moves quickly (2-3 weeks) and often includes a conversation with CEO Aravind Srinivas or another founder

About Perplexity

Perplexity is redefining how people find information online. Founded in 2022 by Aravind Srinivas (formerly of Google Brain, DeepMind, and OpenAI), Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats, and Johnny Ho, Perplexity has rapidly emerged as the leading AI-powered answer engine. Unlike traditional search engines that return a list of links, Perplexity synthesizes information from across the web and delivers direct, cited answers to user queries. Headquartered in San Francisco, Perplexity has grown to approximately 300 employees and has raised significant venture capital, reaching a valuation north of $9 billion by early 2026. The company's flagship product, Perplexity Search, processes millions of queries daily, while Perplexity Pro offers an enhanced subscription experience with access to more powerful AI models and deeper research capabilities. The company also launched the Comet browser, extending its AI-first philosophy to the browser itself, and offers an enterprise API for businesses seeking to integrate conversational search into their own products. Perplexity operates at the intersection of large language models, information retrieval, and user experience design. The engineering challenges are substantial: building real-time web search infrastructure that can retrieve, rank, and synthesize information at scale while maintaining accuracy and citation integrity. The company competes directly with Google, positioning itself as the next-generation search experience where answers — not links — are the primary output. The culture at Perplexity is intensely focused on product quality and speed of iteration. CEO Aravind Srinivas is known for his hands-on approach and high standards, frequently engaging with the product and pushing for rapid improvements. The company values intellectual curiosity, technical depth, and a willingness to challenge conventional approaches to information retrieval. Perplexity is not building incremental improvements to search — it is building a fundamentally different paradigm, and it hires people who share that ambition.

Application Process

  1. 1
    Find Open Positions on the Perplexity Careers Page

    Browse current openings at perplexity.ai/hub/careers. Perplexity uses Ashby as its applicant tracking system. Roles span engineering (search, infrastructure, ML, iOS, Android), product, design, business development, and operations. Filter by team or location to find relevant positions. Many roles are based in San Francisco, though some support remote work.

  2. 2
    Submit Your Application Through Ashby

    Click on a role to view the full job description, qualifications, and team context. Submit your resume, cover letter (if requested), and any supplementary materials through the Ashby application portal. Ensure your resume is in PDF or DOCX format and clearly highlights relevant technical skills and experience. Ashby supports standard resume parsing, so use clean formatting without complex tables or graphics.

  3. 3
    Initial Recruiter Screen

    If your application advances, a Perplexity recruiter will reach out to schedule a 30-minute introductory call. This conversation covers your background, interest in Perplexity, and alignment with the role. Be prepared to articulate why you want to work on AI-powered search and what specifically draws you to Perplexity's mission. The recruiter will also discuss logistics such as location, visa sponsorship, and compensation expectations.

  4. 4
    Technical or Functional Assessment

    Depending on the role, you will complete a technical assessment. For engineering roles, this typically involves a coding challenge or take-home assignment focused on real-world problems — expect questions related to search systems, data pipelines, distributed computing, or machine learning. For non-engineering roles, you may be asked to complete a case study, writing sample, or analytical exercise. Perplexity values practical problem-solving ability over textbook algorithms.

  5. 5
    On-Site or Virtual Interview Loop

    The interview loop typically consists of 4-5 sessions over a half-day. For engineers, expect system design discussions (designing search infrastructure, ranking systems, or real-time data pipelines), coding interviews, and conversations with potential teammates. For non-technical roles, expect cross-functional interviews that assess strategic thinking, communication skills, and domain expertise. At least one session will involve a conversation with a senior leader or founder.

  6. 6
    Founder or Leadership Interview

    Strong candidates often meet with CEO Aravind Srinivas or another founder during the final stage. This conversation assesses cultural fit, intellectual curiosity, and alignment with Perplexity's long-term vision. Be prepared to discuss your views on the future of search, AI, and information retrieval. This is a two-way conversation — Perplexity wants to ensure you are as excited about the mission as they are.

  7. 7
    Offer and Onboarding

    Offers typically include competitive base salary, equity, and benefits. Perplexity's compensation packages are designed to compete with top-tier tech companies. Once you accept, the onboarding process is streamlined and fast-paced — new hires are expected to contribute meaningfully within their first few weeks. The company maintains a high-velocity engineering culture where shipping real product improvements quickly is the norm.

Resume Tips for Perplexity

critical

Lead with AI and Search Relevance

Perplexity is building an AI-powered search engine. Your resume should prominently feature experience with large language models, information retrieval systems, natural language processing, or search infrastructure. If you have worked on ranking algorithms, embedding models, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), or web crawling systems, place these experiences at the top of your resume. Perplexity reviewers are looking for direct relevance to their core product challenges.

critical

Quantify Impact with Metrics

Perplexity is a metrics-driven company. Every bullet point on your resume should include measurable outcomes wherever possible. Instead of writing 'Improved search quality,' write 'Improved search relevance scores by 18% (MRR@10) across 50M daily queries by implementing a re-ranking model based on cross-encoder architecture.' Numbers demonstrate that you operate at scale and measure your impact rigorously.

critical

Highlight Speed and Iteration

Perplexity's culture prizes rapid iteration and shipping velocity. Include examples where you delivered significant features or improvements on tight timelines. Phrases like 'shipped in 2 weeks,' 'launched MVP in 10 days,' or 'reduced deployment cycle from weekly to daily' signal that you can operate at Perplexity's pace. Avoid listing projects that took years without clear milestones.

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Use Clean, ATS-Compatible Formatting

Since Perplexity uses Ashby for applicant tracking, your resume should use standard formatting that parses cleanly. Stick to a single-column layout, standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills), and avoid text boxes, tables, or multi-column designs. Use a standard font like Inter, Helvetica, or Times New Roman. Submit as PDF unless the posting specifically requests DOCX.

recommended

Showcase Systems Thinking

Search engines are complex distributed systems. Perplexity values engineers who think about end-to-end system architecture, not just individual components. Include experience with system design — distributed data processing, low-latency serving systems, caching strategies, or microservice architectures. If you have designed systems that handle millions of requests per day, highlight the architecture decisions you made and why.

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Demonstrate Intellectual Curiosity

Perplexity was founded by researchers who left top AI labs to build something new. Show evidence of intellectual curiosity on your resume — published papers, open-source contributions, personal research projects, or involvement with AI/ML communities. If you have contributed to projects on Hugging Face, participated in Kaggle competitions, or published on arXiv, include these as they signal the kind of intellectual drive Perplexity values.

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Tailor Your Skills Section to the Role

Perplexity hires across a range of functions. For backend/infrastructure roles, emphasize Go, Rust, Python, Kubernetes, and distributed systems. For ML/search roles, highlight PyTorch, transformer architectures, embedding models, and retrieval systems. For iOS roles, emphasize Swift, SwiftUI, and performance optimization. For business roles, highlight metrics-driven decision making and growth strategy. Generic skills lists waste valuable resume space.

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Keep It Concise — One to Two Pages Maximum

Perplexity reviewers process many applications. A focused, one-page resume is ideal for candidates with fewer than 10 years of experience. Two pages are acceptable for senior candidates with extensive relevant experience. Every line should earn its place — remove outdated technologies, irrelevant internships, and generic skills that do not differentiate you for this specific role.

ATS System: Ashby

Perplexity uses Ashby as its applicant tracking system. Ashby is a modern ATS popular among high-growth startups and technology companies. It offers robust resume parsing, structured interview workflows, and collaborative evaluation tools. Ashby handles standard resume formats well, including PDF and DOCX, and supports keyword-based filtering that recruiters use to identify qualified candidates quickly.

  • Submit your resume as a PDF for consistent formatting across Ashby's parsing engine
  • Use standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills, Projects) — Ashby parses these reliably
  • Avoid multi-column layouts, tables, or text boxes that can confuse Ashby's parser
  • Include relevant keywords from the job description naturally within your experience bullets
  • Ashby supports structured data extraction — ensure your job titles, company names, and dates are clearly formatted
  • Keep file names professional (e.g., 'FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf') as they are visible to reviewers

Complete Ashby Resume Guide →

Interview Culture

Perplexity's interview culture reflects the company's broader ethos: intellectually rigorous, fast-moving, and deeply product-oriented.

The company does not rely on rote algorithmic puzzles or whiteboard exercises disconnected from real work. Instead, interviews focus on practical problem-solving that mirrors the challenges you would face on the job. For engineering candidates, expect system design discussions centered on search infrastructure — how would you build a real-time query processing pipeline, how would you design a citation extraction system, how would you architect a low-latency answer generation service? Coding interviews test your ability to write clean, functional code under realistic constraints rather than memorized solutions to classic algorithm problems. Perplexity places significant weight on intellectual curiosity during interviews. Interviewers want to understand how you think about problems, not just whether you can arrive at the right answer. Be prepared to discuss tradeoffs, articulate your reasoning process, and engage in genuine technical dialogue rather than one-directional Q&A. The interview pace is fast. Perplexity typically moves from initial screen to offer within two to three weeks, and the company is transparent about timeline and next steps throughout the process. Candidates consistently report that interviewers are well-prepared, engaged, and genuinely interested in understanding what you would bring to the team. Cultural fit matters at Perplexity. The company is small enough that every hire affects the team dynamic. Interviewers assess whether you share the company's obsession with product quality, whether you can operate autonomously in a fast-paced environment, and whether you bring the kind of intellectual energy that characterizes the existing team. Humility and a learning mindset are valued — Perplexity is solving hard problems that require collaboration across disciplines. For non-engineering roles, interviews emphasize strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and communication skills. Expect case-study-style discussions where you analyze a business problem, propose a solution, and defend your reasoning. The company values people who can think from first principles rather than relying on playbooks from previous companies.

What Perplexity Looks For

  • Deep expertise in AI, machine learning, or information retrieval — Perplexity wants people who understand the technology stack at a fundamental level
  • Track record of shipping high-quality products quickly — speed of execution without sacrificing quality is a core value
  • Intellectual curiosity and a passion for how AI is transforming information access — this is not just a job, it is a mission
  • Strong systems thinking — ability to reason about complex distributed systems end-to-end, from data ingestion to user-facing latency
  • Comfort with ambiguity and rapidly changing priorities — Perplexity moves fast and pivots when the data warrants it
  • Excellent communication skills — the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
  • Founder mentality — taking ownership of problems and driving them to completion without waiting for direction
  • Evidence of continuous learning — staying current with the latest developments in AI, search, and related fields

Frequently Asked Questions

What ATS does Perplexity use for job applications?
Perplexity uses Ashby as its applicant tracking system. Ashby is a modern ATS widely adopted by high-growth technology startups. It handles PDF and DOCX resume uploads, supports keyword-based filtering, and provides structured interview management tools. To ensure your application is parsed correctly, use standard formatting with clear section headers and avoid complex layouts like multi-column designs or tables.
How long does Perplexity's interview process take?
Perplexity's interview process typically takes two to three weeks from initial recruiter screen to final offer. The process includes a recruiter call, technical or functional assessment, an interview loop of 4-5 sessions, and often a final conversation with a founder. The company moves quickly and is transparent about timelines throughout the process.
What programming languages and technologies does Perplexity use?
Perplexity's engineering stack includes Go (Golang) for backend services and search infrastructure, Python for machine learning and data processing pipelines, and Swift for iOS development. The company works extensively with large language models, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems, distributed computing frameworks, and real-time data processing pipelines. Familiarity with Kubernetes, cloud infrastructure (AWS/GCP), and modern ML frameworks like PyTorch is valuable for engineering roles.
Does Perplexity offer remote work?
Perplexity is headquartered in San Francisco, and most roles are based on-site or hybrid in SF. However, some positions support remote work depending on the function and team. Check individual job listings on the careers page for specific location requirements. The company values in-person collaboration for its engineering teams but recognizes that certain roles can be performed effectively from other locations.
What should I highlight on my resume when applying to Perplexity?
Prioritize experience with AI, machine learning, search systems, or information retrieval. Quantify your impact with specific metrics — latency improvements, query volumes handled, model performance gains. Demonstrate speed of execution by highlighting projects shipped on tight timelines. Show intellectual curiosity through research publications, open-source contributions, or personal projects in AI and search. Tailor your skills section to match the specific role you are applying for rather than listing generic technologies.
What is Perplexity's company culture like?
Perplexity's culture is defined by intellectual rigor, product obsession, and speed. The company operates with a startup mentality — small teams, high autonomy, and rapid iteration cycles. CEO Aravind Srinivas sets a high bar for product quality and is deeply involved in the product development process. The team values first-principles thinking, curiosity, and a willingness to challenge assumptions. It is an intense environment where employees are expected to move fast, ship frequently, and maintain exceptional quality standards.
How competitive is it to get hired at Perplexity?
Perplexity is highly selective. With approximately 300 employees and a rapidly growing profile as a leading AI company, the company receives a large volume of applications for each open role. The strongest candidates typically have direct experience in AI, search, or related fields at companies like Google, Meta, OpenAI, or top research labs. However, Perplexity also values unconventional backgrounds if candidates demonstrate exceptional technical ability and genuine passion for the company's mission. Standout applications focus on relevant impact rather than pedigree alone.
Does Perplexity sponsor work visas?
Perplexity has sponsored work visas for qualified candidates, particularly for engineering and research roles. The company's founding team includes international talent, and the company understands the importance of accessing the global talent pool. Specific visa sponsorship availability varies by role and should be discussed with the recruiter during the initial screening conversation. Include your work authorization status in your application to streamline the process.
What types of roles does Perplexity typically hire for?
Perplexity hires across engineering, product, design, business, and operations functions. On the engineering side, common roles include Search Golang Engineers, Senior Infrastructure Engineers, ML Engineers, iOS Growth Engineers, and Search Quality Analysts. The company also hires for business development, customer success, marketing, and operational roles as it scales its enterprise offerings and Pro subscription product. With approximately 70+ open positions, there are opportunities across multiple functions and experience levels.
What makes a strong cover letter for Perplexity?
A strong cover letter for Perplexity demonstrates genuine understanding of the company's product and mission. Reference specific features of Perplexity Search or Pro that you find compelling and explain how your experience directly maps to the challenges the company is solving. Avoid generic statements about wanting to work in AI — instead, articulate a specific perspective on how AI is transforming information retrieval and where you see opportunities. Keep it concise (250-400 words) and focus on what you would contribute rather than what you hope to gain.

Open Positions

Perplexity currently has 70 open positions.

Check Your Resume Before Applying → View 70 open positions at Perplexity

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Sources

  1. Perplexity Careers — Perplexity AI
  2. Perplexity AI Company Profile — Perplexity AI
  3. Ashby ATS Platform — Ashby