Sr Staff Engineer

Lattice Semiconductor; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Lattice Semiconductor in San Jose, CA is seeking a Sr. Staff Engineer to lead AI/ML initiatives across on‑prem and edge deployments.

You will design, train, and optimize models, build scalable pipelines, and collaborate with software, infra, and domain teams to deliver production quality solutions. The role requires deep expertise in LLMs, model optimization, and multi‑agent AI, plus strong Python and ML framework experience.

Qualifications

• Master’s/Ph.D. in CS/Engineering or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years in AI/ML with 3+ years on LLMs and large-scale models.
• Hands-on with LLMs and open-weight models.
• Proficiency in Python and ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow).
• Experience with vector databases and retrieval models.

Responsibilities

• Train, fine-tune, and evaluate ML models including LLMs.
• Optimize models for local inference via quantization and pruning.
• Deploy models on-prem or at edge using PyTorch, TensorRT, ONNX.
• Build scalable training/inference pipelines for reproducibility.
• Integrate models into production via APIs and services.
• Monitor performance, latency, and resource usage in production.
• Collaborate with engineers, infra, and domain experts.
• Ensure security, privacy, and compliance for restricted environments.
• Document architectures, training procedures, and workflows.

Skills

ML model fine-tuning

Model deployment

Python

PyTorch

LLMs

Quantization

Inference optimization

Vector databases

Multi-agent AI

Documentation

Education

Master's/Ph.D. in CS/Engineering

Tools

PyTorch

TensorRT

ONNX

vLLM

llama.cpp

Docker

Linux

FAISS

Weaviate

Chroma

Pinecone

Milvus

Job description

Lattice Overview
There is energy here…energy you can feel crackling at any of our international locations. It’s an energy generated by enthusiasm for our work, for our teams, for our results, and for our customers. Lattice is a worldwide community of engineers, designers, and manufacturing operations specialists in partnership with world-class sales, marketing, and support teams, who are developing programmable logic solutions that are changing the industry. Our focus is on R&D, product innovation, and customer service, and to that focus, we bring total commitment and a keenly sharp competitive personality.

Lattice Overview
There is energy here…energy you can feel crackling at any of our international locations. It’s an energy generated by enthusiasm for our work, for our teams, for our results, and for our customers. Lattice is a worldwide community of engineers, designers, and manufacturing operations specialists in partnership with world-class sales, marketing, and support teams, who are developing programmable logic solutions that are changing the industry. Our focus is on R&D, product innovation, and customer service, and to that focus, we bring total commitment and a keenly sharp competitive personality.
Energy feeds on energy. If you flourish in a fast paced, results-oriented environment, if you want to achieve individual success within a “team first” organization, and if you believe you can contribute and succeed in a demanding yet collegial atmosphere, then Lattice may well be just what you’re looking for.
Job Description
We are looking for a Sr. Staff Engineer to join our team.
Key Responsibilities

• Train, fine-tune, and evaluate machine learning models, including LLMs, using techniques such as supervised fine-tuning (SFT), LoRA/QLoRA, and RLHF.
• Optimize models for local inference through quantization, pruning, and distillation.
• Deploy models on-prem or at the edge using frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorRT, ONNX, vLLM, or llama.cpp.
• Build and maintain training and inference pipelines for reproducibility and scalability.
• Integrate locally deployed models into production systems via APIs and internal services.
• Monitor model performance, drift, latency, and resource utilization in production.
• Collaborate with software engineers, infrastructure teams, and domain experts to deliver end-to-end AI solutions.
• Ensure models meet security, privacy, and compliance requirements, especially in restricted or offline environments.
• Document model architectures, training procedures, and deployment workflows.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. in computer science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 8+ years of experience in AI and machine learning, with at least 3 years of experience working on LLMs, code generation, large-scale neural networks, RAG, or AI-powered automation.
• Hands-on experience with LLMs (e.g., GPT-OSS, Nemotron, Kimi, Qwen, LLaMA, Mistral, Falcon, or similar open-weight models).
• Proficiency in Python and ML frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Expertise in vector databases (FAISS, Weaviate, Chroma, Pinecone, Milvus) and retrieval models
• Experience deploying models in local, on-prem, or resource constrained environments.
• Experience with multi-agent AI systems (LangGraph, CrewAI, AutgoGen, OpenAI Assistants API) for autonomous coding tasks
• Hands-on model development, working with business stakeholders to define KPIs and develop and deliver multi-modal (Text and Images) and ensemble models.

• Solid understanding of model optimization techniques (quantization, batching, memory optimization).
• Familiarity with Linux, containers (Docker), and basic cloud/on-prem infrastructure concepts.
• Research & Innovation:
  • Continuous Learning: Commitment to stay updated with the latest research and advancements in AI and machine learning.
  • Innovation: Ability to think creatively and propose innovative solutions to complex problems.

Soft Skills

• Mentoring: Act as mentor/guide to a small set of engineers
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Adaptability: Ability to adapt to changing technologies and project requirements.
• Team Player: Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well in a team environment.

Pay & Benefits
Consistent with Lattice Semiconductor values and applicable law, we provide the following information to promote pay transparency and equity. We have a market-based pay structure which varies by location. Please note that the base pay range is a guideline, and our compensation range reflects the cost of labor in the U.S. geographic market based on the location of the role. Pay within these ranges varies and depends on job-related knowledge, skills, and relevant work experience.
For candidates who receive and offer, the starting salary will vary based on various factors including, but not limited to, such qualifications as, skill level, competencies, and work location. The range provided may represent a candidate range and may not reflect the full range for an individual tenured employee.
Base Pay Range
220800
In addition to base pay, this role may be eligible for variable/ incentive compensation and/ or equity. In addition, this role is eligible for a comprehensive, competitive benefits package which may include healthcare and retirement plans, paid time off, and more!
Additional Information
This position requires a successful background and reference checks and satisfactory proof of your right to work in the United States.
Lattice recognizes that employees are its greatest asset and the driving force behind success in a highly competitive, global industry. Lattice continually strives to provide a comprehensive compensation and benefits program to attract, retain, motivate, reward and celebrate the highest caliber employees in the industry.
Lattice is an international, service-driven developer of innovative low cost, low power programmable design solutions. Our global workforce, some 1,000 strong, shares a total commitment to customer success and an unbending will to win. For more information about how our FPGA, CPLD and programmable power management devices help our customers unlock their innovation, visit www.latticesemi.com. You can also follow us via Twitter, Facebook, or RSS. At Lattice, we value the diversity of individuals, ideas, perspectives, insights and values, and what they bring to the workplace. Applications are welcome from all qualified candidates.
As an E-Verify employer, we use this system to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires in accordance with federal law. All applicants will be required to complete a Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, upon hire. We do not use E-Verify to pre-screen job candidates and will comply with all E-Verify regulations.