Production AI Engineer & Systems Architect

Blank Metal; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Collaborative culture

Outcome-driven projects

Focus on quality

Job summary

A dynamic AI engineering company in the United States is looking for an experienced engineer who can confidently ship production AI features. This role requires expertise in integrating LLM APIs and developing scalable AI-powered systems. You will design and implement AI integrations, work on complex projects independently, and mentor junior engineers. The ideal candidate should possess strong full-stack skills, with a focus on maintaining code quality and driving projects to completion. This is an excellent opportunity for those passionate about real-world AI applications.

Qualifications

• 2-5 years of professional software engineering experience.
• Demonstrated production AI experience including LLM integrations.
• Advanced full-stack development skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement end-to-end AI integrations.
• Architect AI-powered features with reliability at scale.
• Collaborate with team members across roles.

Skills

Production AI features

LLM APIs

Full-stack development

System design

Quality focus

Initiative

Tools

React

Python

Node.js

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.

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.