Senior AI Data Scientist — Build Core AI & Lead (Equity)

Skalar; Germany (OH); On-site; Full time

Job description

Build our core AI capabilities from v1 -> v10. Join the early core team of experienced entrepreneurs (scaled to millions of users, $100m+ exits). Build the future of tax & accounting with AI. Build our internal AI agents, influence the AI stack, and lay the foundations for scale. Grow into leadership as we expand across countries. Above-market pay + meaningful equity.

The opportunity

How taxation, accounting and payroll work today is a pain for everyone. Still every business must do it continuously. It is the backbone that our economy runs on.

Enabled through AI, we are turning this often-painful process into a radically simple experience for our customers, so they can focus on what matters to them: growing their business.

About us

We are a team of experienced entrepreneurs who have scaled businesses to 10s of millions of users, 10s of millions in revenue, multiple countries, and 9-digit exits - and we are just getting started. We are backed by leading venture investors and expanding rapidly.

The role

As our first Senior Data Scientist, you’ll be a core part of building the intelligence behind Skalar. We are past the initial founding phase, but we are still very, very early - meaning pretty much everything you touch will involve greenfield building. While we provide a world‑class professional service to our customers, automation and AI are at our core. Your work will be the driving force behind automating complex internal tax operations (TaxOps) and building intelligent agents that offer radical simplicity to our team and our customers.

What you’ll own

• 0 → 1 and Beyond: Take major AI features and intelligent agents end-to-end (spec → ship → measure), working closely with our Business Automation Managers and Tax experts.

• Core AI Architecture: Implement robust LLM integrations, RAG pipelines, data models, and prompt management systems; make pragmatic architecture choices with high autonomy.

• Iterate Fast: Ship AI features fast and iterate quickly based on real user feedback from our internal operations team.

• Leadership: Hire and mentor junior engineers (if interested); gain leadership experience as we grow.

Our tech stack (greenfield)

• Prefer boring tech where it matters; innovate where it differentiates (especially in AI).

• Current product tech stack (to evolve): TypeScript, Next.js (React), PostgreSQL. You will heavily influence our AI stack (e.g., LangChain/Vercel AI SDK, Vector DBs).

• You’ll have a strong influence on tech, cloud, and product choices, specifically regarding LLM integration.

• Tooling budget for whatever makes you fast. No legacy, no yak‑shaving.

What you’ll bring

• 5+ years of software engineering experience, with a standout, recent focus on applied generative AI.

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science or a related field.

• Deep hands‑on experience with LLM APIs (such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini), agentic frameworks, and building robust RAG pipelines.

• Strong programming skills in Python and curiosity to learn across the stack.

• Solid understanding of vector databases (e.g., pgvector, Pinecone) and comfort with cloud basics (AWS/GCP, Docker).

• Very good written and verbal communication skills in English and German (min. C1).

• You have a valid work permit to work in Germany.

What you’ll get

• Unique opportunity to join a company very early which you can shape.

• Rapid growth path: Grow your career with the growing, AI‑first company.

• Perfect environment to develop relevant skills in a world of AI.

• Above‑market compensation + Equity package, that has the potential to drastically gain in value.

The process (fast, meaningful, no homework)

1. Jump on an intro call with a recruiter.

2. Get to know a fellow engineer, virtually or in person (up to you).

3. Meet our whole founding team during a final interview (in‑person, ~3h, incl. live coding).