Founding Engineer

Ultralytics; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity packages

On-site collaboration

Flexible hours

Vacation days

Tech & tools

Brand-new gear

Learning budget

High impact

Job summary

Ultralytics in New York is seeking a Founding Engineer to establish our NY engineering team, shipping YOLO ML/CV features, connecting model capabilities with interfaces, APIs, and production infra.

This hands-on senior role includes end-to-end ownership, architecture decisions, coding, deployment, and production outcomes, with collaboration across UK, Spain, and China.

No degree required, industry experience valued; expect fast-paced, high-impact work in a hybrid office setting.

Qualifications

• Senior-to-principal level delivery with ownership of feature areas.
• Shipped ML/AI and CV work with Python and PyTorch beyond coursework.
• Full-stack experience across interfaces, APIs, databases, and cloud infra.

Responsibilities

• Own feature areas from requirements to deployment and iteration.
• Ship ML/CV capabilities alongside full-stack interfaces and services.
• Lead design reviews and establish testing and observability standards.

Skills

ML/AI delivery

Python

PyTorch

Async communication

Full-stack capability

Tools

PostgreSQL

Docker

CI/CD

FastAPI

Cloud APIs

Job description

About Ultralytics:

At Ultralytics, we commit to relentless innovation in the AI space and seek team members who resonate with our ambition to produce the world's best YOLO AI models. If you're obsessed with AI, eager to make an impact on the world, and thrive in dynamic, high-intensity environments, we invite you to apply for a position on our team.

Join the team powering the future of vision AI

Hello, hola, 你好, こんにちは, नमस्ते, hallo, bonjour! Thanks for stopping by — we know your time is valuable, so here's what makes Ultralytics special.

Who we are

At Ultralytics, we're on a mission to simplify AI for everyone. As the creators of the world's leading Ultralytics YOLO models, we empower millions of developers, researchers, and companies worldwide to build state-of-the-art computer vision applications.
Following our $30M Series A round, we're expanding rapidly across our global hubs in New York London, Madrid, and Shenzhen. This is an opportunity to join a fast-scaling, high-performance team that's redefining the future of vision AI — where ambition meets impact, and ideas become reality.
We move fast. We build boldly. We execute with purpose. And we do it together.

About the role

As Founding Engineer, you'll help establish our New York engineering team, shipping features across the YOLO ML/computer vision surface and the platform around it. You'll connect model capabilities with usable interfaces, reliable APIs, and production infrastructure.
“Founding” means end-to-end ownership, not a queue of assigned tickets. You'll define scope, make architectural decisions, write and review code, deploy changes, and own production outcomes.
This is a hands‑on senior engineer with tech‑lead responsibility, not a people‑management requirement. You'll use AI coding tools daily and coordinate with colleagues in the UK, Spain, and China through clear plans, async communication, and accountable delivery.

What you'll do

Strategy & execution

• Own a feature area from requirements and architecture through implementation, testing, deployment, and iteration.
• Ship ML/CV capabilities alongside full-stack interfaces, backend services, and infrastructure, using our documentation and guides.
• Use Copilot or Codex routinely, validating generated code for correctness, security, and maintainability.

Cross-functional collaboration

• Break ambiguous work into milestones, align dependencies across locations, and communicate decisions and blockers asynchronously.
• Balance customer needs, technical trade-offs, and commercial deadlines with Product and Engineering.

Representation & leadership

• Lead design and code reviews, unblock engineers, and set standards for testing, observability, and production reliability.
• Strengthen our open-source ecosystem through maintainable contributions, technical documentation, and engineering knowledge‑sharing.

Skills and experience

Core requirements

• Senior-to-principal/distinguished-level industry delivery, with sustained ownership of feature areas and tech‑lead-level accountability.
• Shipped ML/AI and computer vision work, with practical Python and PyTorch proficiency beyond coursework or research.
• Full-stack capability spanning user interfaces, APIs, databases, cloud infrastructure, deployment, and production operations.
• Current AI-assisted development experience, sound review judgment, and a preference for mainstream, well‑documented tools.
• Strong async communication, work breakdown, and deadline delivery within structured teams; no degree required, but industry experience is essential.

Nice to have

• Production experience with TypeScript, React, and Python API frameworks such as FastAPI.
• Experience with PostgreSQL, Docker, CI/CD, infrastructure as code, and cloud platforms.
• Hands‑on model serving, GPU optimization, inference monitoring, or edge deployment experience.
• Contributions to Ultralytics or other open‑source projects and engagement with our developer community.
• Early engineering experience building products and establishing technical practices across international teams.

Cultural fit

At Ultralytics, we set bold goals and execute with speed, precision, and teamwork. We're driven by hard work, ambition, and resilience — building fast, learning constantly, and delivering measurable impact.

You’ll thrive here if you:

• Take ownership and deliver results with focus and accountability.
• Combine strategic thinking with hands‑on execution.
• Value excellence, grit, and creativity in equal measure.
• See collaboration as the foundation for meaningful progress.

Our culture is built around our core values:

• Relentless progress: Constant evolution and improvement.
• Strive for excellence: Perseverance and attention to detail.
• Actions, not words: Focus on delivering meaningful results.
• Act with urgency: Seize fleeting opportunities.
• Open access to all: Transparent communication and collaboration.

Learn more in our Ultralytics Handbook.

Compensation and benefits

We reward excellence and impact — not just tenure or title.

• Competitive salary: Reflecting your experience and contribution.
• Equity packages: We want our success to be yours too.
• On-site collaboration: Work with passionate builders in one of our global hubs.
• Flexible working hours: We value results over routines.
• Generous time off: 24 vacation days, your birthday off, plus local holidays.
• Tech & tools: Work on cutting‑edge AI projects that power millions of devices.
• Gear: Brand‑new Apple MacBook Air/Pro, Apple Studio Display, and AirPods Pro 3.
• Learning & development: Dedicated budget for personal and professional growth.
• High impact: Your work will shape the future of vision AI.

Check out ultralytics.com/careers for more about our culture, values, and teams.

Where and how you can work

We believe great work happens where passion meets purpose.

• This role is hybrid in New York office, working with our new NYC engineering team.
• Applicants must have legal authorization to work in the country of application.

We're an in‑office team that values daily collaboration, energy, and connection. Being together helps us move faster, learn from one another, and celebrate wins as they happen.

Why join us

We're not just building models — we're building the ecosystem powering the future of vision AI. If you're ready to build, move fast, and make an impact — this is your moment.
Ready to build the ecosystem powering the future of vision AI?

What we offer:

Cutting-Edge, Next-Generation AI Computer Vision Technology: Contribute to building cutting‑edge computer vision AI models based on the YOLO framework.

Impactful Work: Shape the future of AI-powered solutions that transform industries.

Collaborative Culture: Join a talented and passionate team that values open communication and innovation.

Ultralytics Handbook

Comprehensive guide to our company's mission, vision, values, and operational practices. This handbook is designed to provide key insights and resources for our (future) team members, collaborators, and community to align with Ultralytics' core principles.

Link: https://handbook.ultralytics.com/

Ultralytics is an equal opportunity employer committed to building an inclusive workplace. We believe that everyone should be able to bring their whole selves to work, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.