Principal Applied AI Scientist

Kai; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 210,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

Kai is seeking a Principal Applied AI Scientist to lead the design and deployment of cutting-edge Generative AI and LLM-powered systems for real-world, high-impact cybersecurity applications.

This senior, hands-on role spans the full AI stack—from research and modeling to production systems and productization—while directing teams and setting technical direction for the company.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in Applied AI / ML / Generative AI with leadership experience.
• Proven ability to build and deploy production-grade AI systems at scale.
• Leads large cross-functional teams and communicates with executives.
• Deep expertise in LLMs, RAG, and agentic AI systems at scale.
• Strong system design across data, models, and infrastructure.
• Ability to move ideas to production and drive business impact.
• Owns projects in fast-moving startup environments.
• Experience with multi-agent orchestration frameworks and tool ecosystems.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design and development of large-scale AI/ML and Generative AI systems.
• Architect and deploy LLM-powered applications, including RAG pipelines and multi-agent systems.
• Drive the technical vision and roadmap for applied AI across the company.
• Build and lead a high-performing team of scientists and engineers.
• Design scalable retrieval and embedding systems powering intelligent applications.
• Develop agentic AI systems with tool use, memory, and reasoning capabilities.
• Partner with product, engineering, and executive leadership to translate business problems into AI solutions.

Skills

Applied AI leadership

Production AI systems

Cross-functional leadership

Executive stakeholder engagement

LLMs, RAG, agentic AI

System design across data/models

Idea to production

Startup ownership

Multi-agent orchestration

Job description

Kai is the AI company rebuilding cybersecurity for the machine‑speed era. Founded by second‑time founders and trusted by Fortune 500 enterprises, Kai is building a future where security has no categories, no silos, and no human speed bottlenecks. The Kai Agentic AI Platform replaces fragmented, human‑limited workflows with agentic AI systems that continuously contextualize, assess, reason, and execute security work at machine speed – making human defenders, superhuman.

Why Join Kai

• Well‑funded: With $125M raised, we have the capital, runway, and resolve to rebuild cybersecurity from first principles.
• Proven: We've earned the trust of Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies, and we're just getting started. Their confidence in Kai reflects what we've built: an AI‑powered cybersecurity platform that performs at the scale and speed the enterprise demands.
• Experienced founders: Our founding team consists of second‑time entrepreneurs, each with over 20 years of experience in the cybersecurity industry. Their proven expertise and vision drive our ambitious goals.
• World‑class leadership team: Our Heads of AI, Engineering, and Product bring extensive experience from some of the world’s most influential companies, ensuring top‑tier mentorship, direction, and vision.
• Frontier AI Applied Research Team: Our researchers operate at the leading edge of agentic AI systems, translating breakthrough capabilities into real‑world cybersecurity applications.
• Generous compensation: We offer highly competitive salaries, equity options, and a supportive work environment. Your contributions will be valued and rewarded as we grow together.

We are looking for a Principal Applied AI Scientist to lead the design and deployment of cutting‑edge Generative AI and LLM‑powered systems for real‑world, high‑impact applications.

This is a senior, hands‑on leadership role for someone who can operate across the full stack of modern AI — from research and modeling to production systems and productization — while leading teams and defining technical direction.

You will work at the intersection of LLMs, agentic systems, retrieval architectures, and large‑scale AI platforms, building systems that move beyond prototypes into robust, production‑grade intelligence systems.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the end‑to‑end design and development of large‑scale AI/ML and Generative AI systems
• Architect and deploy LLM‑powered applications, including RAG pipelines and multi‑agent systems
• Drive the technical vision and roadmap for applied AI across the company
• Build and lead a high‑performing team of scientists and engineers
• Design scalable retrieval and embedding systems powering intelligent applications
• Develop agentic AI systems with tool use, memory, and reasoning capabilities
• Partner with product, engineering, and executive leadership to translate business problems into AI solutions

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in Applied AI / Machine Learning / Generative AI
• Proven experience building and deploying production‑grade AI systems at scale
• Demonstrated leadership managing large cross‑functional teams
• Strong experience engaging with executives and product stakeholders
• Deep expertise in LLMs, RAG, and agentic AI systems at scale
• Strong system design skills across data, models, and infrastructure
• Ability to move from research ideas → production systems → business impact
• Strong ownership mindset with the ability to operate in fast‑moving startup environments
• Experience with multi‑agent orchestration frameworks and tool ecosystems

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience applying AI in cybersecurity, enterprise SaaS, or data‑intensive domains
• Background in search or large‑scale retrieval systems