AI Engineer

Blank Metal Inc.; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Collaborative work environment

Fast-paced project delivery

Equal opportunity employer

Job summary

A leading AI-native engineering company in Minneapolis is seeking an experienced engineer to develop and ship AI features. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in production AI, with expertise in LLM APIs and full-stack development. Responsibilities include designing AI integrations and mentoring junior engineers. The role offers a collaborative environment that values quality and speed in delivering AI solutions, along with a focus on client success. Join a team that prioritizes impactful AI applications and innovative engineering practices.

Qualifications

• 2-5 years of professional software engineering experience.
• Demonstrated experience with LLM integrations and AI-powered features.
• Strong backend and infrastructure development skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement end-to-end AI integrations.
• Architect AI-powered features that work reliably.
• Ship production-grade code meeting quality standards.

Skills

Production AI Experience

LLM APIs Expertise

Full-Stack Development

System Design

AI Tooling

Quality Focus

Initiative

Tools

React

Python

Node.js

.NET

AWS

GCP

Azure

Job description

About Blank Metal

Blank Metal is an AI-native engineering company that partners with enterprises to deliver production AI fast. We blend strategic insight with hands‑on execution, shipping high‑impact systems that turn AI initiatives into measurable business results.

We're builders, not theorists. Our team of seasoned engineers, designers, and strategists work across industries to create AI applications that actually get used and make a difference.

The Role

You're an experienced engineer who ships production AI features with confidence. You understand how to integrate LLM APIs and AI services into robust applications, architect scalable AI‑powered systems, and deliver high‑impact features that clients depend on.

What You'll Do

• Design and implement end‑to‑end AI integrations: from LLM API selection to production deployment

• Architect AI‑powered features that work reliably at scale

• Work independently on complex projects with minimal oversight

• Leverage LLM frameworks, vector databases, and prompt engineering to solve real problems

• Integrate cloud AI services and build custom AI tooling when needed

• Ship production‑grade code that balances quality and velocity

• Collaborate with designers, product managers, and other engineers

• Contribute to technical decisions and architectural discussions

• Mentor junior engineers when needed

What We're Looking For

• Production Expertise: Proven ability to ship production AI features end‑to‑end

• LLM Mastery: Deep hands‑on experience with LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) and frameworks like LangChain

• Full‑Stack Skills: Strong development across frontend (React/modern frameworks), backend (Python, Node.js, .NET), and infrastructure

• System Design: Can architect AI integrations that scale, handle errors gracefully, and provide good user experiences

• AI Tooling: Comfortable with vector databases, prompt engineering, embedding models, and emerging AI tools

• Quality Focus: You care about code quality, testing, and building systems that users can rely on

• Initiative: You identify problems, propose solutions, and drive projects to completion

Required Experience

• 2‑5 years of professional software engineering experience

• Demonstrated production AI experience (LLM integrations, AI‑powered features)

• Advanced full‑stack development skills

• Experience with modern cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure)

• Strong backend and infrastructure development skills applied to real production systems

• Proven ability to ship complex features independently

Nice to Have

• Experience with RAG (Retrieval‑Augmented Generation) systems

• Familiarity with vector databases (Pinecone, Weaviate, Chroma, etc.)

• Experience contributing to frontend features using modern frameworks when needed

• Background with API design and system integration

• Understanding of prompt engineering best practices

• Experience with deployment and DevOps practices

• Exposure to agentic AI systems

Why You'll Love It Here

• Build AI that ships: every project ends in a live deployment, not a slide deck

• Craft meets velocity: we obsess over quality while delivering at startup speed

• Outcome‑driven model: our projects align with client success, not billable hours

• AI‑native culture: you'll work with peers who deeply understand modern AI's potential and limits

• Real collaboration: open conversations, shared ownership, and space to bring your voice and creativity

What Success Looks Like

In your role, you'll:

• Ship production AI features with minimal guidance

• Own the technical direction of AI integrations on your projects

• Become the go‑to expert on AI architecture and tooling

• Help raise the bar for how the team approaches AI engineering

• Build a track record of high‑impact, reliable AI systems

• Grow as a leader by mentoring other engineers

Equal Opportunity

Blank Metal is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all backgrounds and perspectives. Diversity makes our work better and our team stronger.