Software Engineer, AI/ML Infrastructure (US-Based)

Thumbtack; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 145,400 - 188,100; Full time

Job summary

Thumbtack is seeking a Software Engineer for their Machine Learning Infrastructure team to build and evolve AI platform capabilities. You’ll design and improve systems for GenAI-powered applications supporting millions of users.

This role requires 1 to 3 years of software engineering experience and proficiency in programming languages such as Go and Python, alongside database experience. The position is based in San Francisco with expected salary ranges from $145,400 - $188,100.

Qualifications

• 1 to 3 years of professional software engineering experience.
• Strong fundamentals in data structures, algorithms, and software design.
• Proficiency in at least one major programming language.
• Experience working with relational or NoSQL databases.

Responsibilities

• Build and evolve core AI platform capabilities.
• Contribute to the design and development of scalable tools.
• Work across the stack from backend services to integrations.
• Partner with senior engineers to evaluate AI infrastructure.

Skills

Software engineering experience

Data structures and algorithms

Proficiency in Go and Python

Experience with Postgres or DynamoDB

Using AI coding tools

Job description

Thumbtack helps millions of people confidently care for their homes. Thumbtack is the one app you need to take care of and improve your home — from personalized guidance to AI tools and a best-in-class hiring experience. Every day in every county of the U.S., people turn to Thumbtack to complete urgent repairs, seasonal maintenance and bigger improvements. We help homeowners know which projects to do, when to do them and who to hire from our growing community of 300,000 local service businesses. If making an impact inspires you, join us. Imagine what we’ll build together.

About The Machine Learning Infrastructure Team

At Thumbtack, our challenges span a wide range of areas, including search, recommendations, matchmaking, pricing, safety, content generation, fraud detection, and more. The ML Infrastructure team is responsible for centralizing, standardizing and evolving AI/ML infrastructure that enables these experiences. We empower product engineering teams by providing scalable, high-performance systems that drive AI innovation at scale.

The challenge

As a Software Engineer on the ML Infrastructure team, you will work closely with product and platform engineering teams to build and evolve core AI platform capabilities. You will help design and improve systems that allow teams to develop, run, and scale GenAI-powered applications in production. Your work will directly support AI-driven experiences used by millions of customers and pros across the Thumbtack ecosystem.

What You’ll Do

• Build and evolve core AI platform capabilities that enable teams to develop, run, and scale GenAI-powered applications across Thumbtack.
• Contribute to the design, development, and deployment of scalable tools and infrastructure to support the efforts of our applied scientists, including traditional ML model training and serving systems, feature and data workflows, CI/CD, orchestration, deployment, and evaluation tooling.
• Work hands‑on across the stack, from backend services and execution infrastructure to integrations with AI models and tooling.
• Partner with senior engineers to evaluate next‑generation AI infrastructure frameworks and tools that help product teams harness advances in AI.
• Drive projects to completion with a strong focus on business impact and measurable outcomes.
• Solve complex technical problems and stay up to date with advances in this rapidly evolving space.

In order to be successful, you must bring

• 1 to 3 years of professional software engineering experience.
• Strong fundamentals in data structures, algorithms, and software design.
• Proficiency in at least one major programming language, and the ability to work across multiple languages. Our primary stack includes Go and Python.
• Experience working with relational or NoSQL databases such as Postgres or DynamoDB.
• Demonstrated ability to use AI coding tools in day‑to‑day workflows and validate, critique, and refine AI‑generated output.
• Comfort operating in a fast‑paced environment with a certain level of ambiguity, especially when learning and picking up new technologies when projects require it.
• You operate with a bias to action, quickly learning what is needed and taking decisive steps to move work forward in ambiguous, fast‑paced environments.

Expected salary ranges

• For candidates living in San Francisco / Bay Area, San Jose, New York City, or Seattle metros, the expected salary range for the role is currently $145,400 - $188,100.
• For candidates living in Austin, TX or Washington DC metros or in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Washington states, the expected salary range for the role is currently $130,900 - $169,400.
• For candidates living in all other US locations, the expected salary range for this role is currently $123,300 - $159,500.

Actual offered salaries will vary and will be based on various factors, such as calibrated job level, qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role.

Thumbtack embraces diversity. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and do not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, provincial, state, or local law. We also will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, consistent with applicable law.

Thumbtack is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation for a medical condition or disability during any part of the application process, please contact: [e-mail].

If you are a California resident, please review information regarding your rights under California privacy laws contained in Thumbtack’s Privacy policy available at https://www.thumbtack.com/privacy/.