Staff & Principal AI/ML Engineer

Harnham; California (MO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Unknown AI Startup seeks a senior technical leader to define problem framing and solve at scale. You will set architectural direction for multi-step agent systems, RAG pipelines, and knowledge retrieval across the platform.

You will own the AI behind core code generation, from prompts to validation, and drive large initiatives end-to-end with measurable ownership and impact.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software engineering with AI/ML depth and leadership.
• Experience shipping AI agents or coding agents in production at scale.
• Strong Python with hands-on RAG, vector DBs and knowledge graphs.
• Ability to decide architecture under uncertainty and deliver.
• Experience with AWS and Kubernetes across the AI development lifecycle.
• Experience with Databricks, Snowflake, BigQuery or Spark is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction across multi-step agent architecture and RAG pipelines.
• Own AI behind core code generation, from prompt design to validation at scale.
• Lead large initiatives end-to-end with ownership over outcomes.
• Shape production AI across the team with standards for eval, observability, reliability.
• Influence architecture decisions and mentor engineers at all levels.

Skills

AI/ML leadership

Python

AWS

Kubernetes

RAG

Vector databases

Knowledge graphs

Scala/Go

Tools

AWS

Kubernetes

Databricks

Snowflake

BigQuery

Spark

Neo4j

Job description

We're partnered with a well-funded, high-growth Series B startup building the next generation of AI-native data infrastructure for Fortune 500 enterprises. With 3.5x revenue growth in FY'24 and 160% net revenue retention, they're scaling fast and investing in senior technical leadership to define how AI gets built across the company.

This is a role for someone who sets technical direction, not just executes it. You'll shape agent architecture, evaluation strategy, and retrieval systems at the core of the platform, leading large-scale initiatives from design through to production with real ownership over outcomes. The scope is intentionally open-ended, and strong engineers have enormous leverage here.

What You'll Do

• Set technical direction across multi-step agent architecture, RAG pipelines, and knowledge retrieval systems, making the calls on agent design, model selection, and build vs. buy
• Own the AI behind the platform's core code generation capability, from prompt design and fine-tuning through to output validation at scale
• Lead large, complex initiatives end-to-end with minimal direction, defining the problem as much as the solution
• Shape how production AI gets built across the team, establishing standards for evaluation, observability, and reliability
• Influence architectural decisions across the broader engineering organisation and mentor engineers at all levels

Requirements

• 8+ years of software engineering experience with significant AI/ML depth and a track record of technical leadership
• Demonstrated experience owning and shipping AI agents or coding agents in production at scale
• Strong Python skills with deep hands-on experience across RAG, vector databases, and knowledge graphs (Neo4j)
• Ability to make architectural decisions under uncertainty and drive them through to production
• Experience with AWS and Kubernetes, and comfort operating across the full AI development lifecycle
• Experience with data platforms such as Databricks, Snowflake, BigQuery, or Spark is a strong plus
• Scala or Go experience is a bonus

If you're a technical leader who defines problems as much as you solve them, thrives in ambiguity, and wants to shape how AI is built at a company scaling toward its next funding round, this is the opportunity.