Research Engineer

SonarSource; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Three anchor days in-office

Job summary

SonarSource in Austin is seeking a Research Engineer to advance AI-driven software verification and governance. You will conduct applied AI/ML research, prototype novel methods, and collaborate with AI researchers, software engineers, and product managers to translate research into scalable tools.

The role emphasizes publishing findings, contributing to practical applications, and maintaining a clean, testable research codebase within a fast-paced, globally distributed team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• At least 2 years as a Research Engineer in software engineering.
• Strong research background in AI, ML, and SE.
• Experience with agentic technologies (Astra, Opus, Vertex).
• Experience prototyping in Python leveraging AI/ML.
• Understanding of software development processes and terminology.
• Familiarity with automated code generation, program synthesis, or AI/ML-based testing.
• Strong problem-solving and ability to work independently and with teams.
• Excellent communication of complex technical concepts.

Responsibilities

• Conduct applied research integrating AI/ML with software engineering to improve code quality and maintenance.
• Design and prototype experimental systems demonstrating new methods.
• Collaborate with AI researchers, engineers, and PMs to translate research into practical apps.
• Stay current with AI/ML and SE advancements to identify opportunities.
• Publish findings at conferences/journals and present to the community.
• Participate in code reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Apply DevOps practices to keep codebase readable and reproducible.

Skills

Python programming

AI/ML research

Software engineering

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Python

DevOps practices

Job description

Who is Sonar?

Sonar is driving the future of agent-centric software development. As the leader in AI code verification and governance, we solve a critical problem: ensuring that software generated by AI-assisted developers or autonomous agents is reliable, secure, and maintainable.

Integrating seamlessly with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini, and Devin, we help over 75% of the Fortune 100 build trusted, reliable, compliant software. Customers who use Sonar are 44% less likely to report an outage due to AI-generated code.

We believe code verification is the critical missing link in the Agent-Centric Development Cycle (AC/DC). Industry giants like Nvidia, ServiceNow,Booking.com, Goldman Sachs, AstraZeneca, and Ford Motor Company count on us to provide independent, explainable, consistent review and governance of their AI-generated code via products like:

• SonarQube: The world’s leading AI code review and verification platform.
• SonarQube Foundation Agent: Currently topping the leaderboards for agentic software repair.
• SonarSweep & Sonar Context Augmentation: Providing the enterprise-grade context and constraints agents need to be truly effective.

Our team operates across global hubs in Austin, Bochum, Dubai, Geneva, London, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington D.C. We move with a mindset we call CODE:

• Committed to our customers and community.
• Obsessed with quality.
• Deliberate in our decisions.
• Effective as one team.

With over $400M in revenue and profitable, fast-paced growth, we are building the backbone of the AI software revolution. If you’re hungry to have an impact, want to build at a fast pace, and ready to work at the forefront of AI, we want to hear from you.

Position description

You will work on pioneering projects that advance the application of AI within the realm of software engineering. This role offers the opportunity to conduct cutting‑edge research, develop novel algorithms and contribute to the development of software tools that enhance system performance, reliability, and flexibility. Your work will directly impact the efficiency and effectiveness of our AI products, enabling developers to spend less time fixing issues and more time innovating. You will contribute to the creation of accessible, user-friendly, and performant solutions that integrate seamlessly with our existing infrastructure.

What You Will Do:

• Conduct applied research in integrating AI/ML techniques with software engineering practices to improve code quality, testing, and software maintenance.

• Design and implement experimental prototypes to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of new methodologies.

• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams, including AI researchers, software engineers, and product managers, to translate research findings into practical applications.

• Stay informed about the latest advancements in AI/ML and software engineering to identify emerging trends and opportunities for innovation.

• Publish research findings in leading academic conferences and journals, and present innovative work to the broader research community.

• Participate in code reviews and provide constructive feedback to other developers/researchers.

• Implement best practices from DevOps to maintain a readable codebase, testable infrastructure and documented research artifacts.

Experience and qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.

• At least 2 years of experience as a Research Engineer, ideally in Software Engineering.

• Strong research background in AI, ML, and SE

• Experience working with Agentic technologies (e.g. Astra, Opus, Vertex)

• Experience in developing and prototyping in Python which utilize AI/ML

• Understanding of software development processes and terminology.

• Familiarity with techniques for automated code generation, program synthesis, or software testing using AI/ML

• Strong problem‑solving skills and ability to work independently and collaboratively

• Excellent communication skills for conveying complex technical concepts

In‑office culture

We’re intentional about this. We believe the best teams are built in the room together. Three anchor days — Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays — create the collaboration rhythm that makes a hub office worth having.

Candidates need to be genuinely based in the location the role is posted — if that’s not where you are today, we’re happy to support relocation for the right person.

We value diversity, equity, and inclusion

At Sonar, we believe that our diversity is our strength. We are a global company that values and respects different backgrounds, perspectives, and cultures. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their best. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome all qualified applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

If you need any accommodation, please reach out to us at [e-mail].

All offers of employment at Sonar are contingent upon the results of a comprehensive background check and reference verification conducted before the start date.

Applications that are submitted through agencies or third party recruiters will not be considered.