Staff Software Engineer, Applied AI

Valence; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Retirement plan

PTO & time off

Hybrid/Remote options

Job summary

Valence, an AI-native coaching platform for enterprises, seeks a founding Applied AI Engineer to shape the future of AI-powered leadership coaching. You will work with the Head of AI and cross-functional teams to design, build, and refine context-aware, enterprise-grade coaching systems.

You will tackle real-world AI problems, optimize conversational experiences, and influence production systems for Fortune 500 clients, collaborating across data, product, and engineering to deliver scalable,

Qualifications

• 8+ years in software engineering, AI/ML and data-intensive systems.
• Master's or PhD in Computer Science, ML, Data Science or related field.
• Experience with language systems (NLP) and conversational interfaces.
• Proficiency with core data science tools (NumPy, scikit-learn, Pandas, PySpark) and SQL.
• Cloud deployment experience (AWS/GCP/Azure) and containerization (Docker/Kubernetes).
• Strong software engineering practices, maintainable code, and distributed systems.
• Growth mindset, curiosity, and ability to learn on the job.
• Excellent communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Architect and build enterprise-grade AI and conversational systems powering coaching workflows.
• Develop and refine LLM-based components balancing performance and reliability.
• Integrate diverse data sources to improve contextual understanding and output quality.
• Collaborate with product and design to translate user needs into technical solutions.
• Prototype and iterate across backend services, data pipelines, and frontend interactions as needed.
• Create tooling, tests, and automation for reliable model deployment and observability.
• Streamline data and science workflows to enable fast experimentation and decisions.
• We value growth potential and curiosity over perfect coverage of every area.

Skills

Software engineering

AI/ML development

Data-intensive systems

NLP / conversational interfaces

Cloud deployment

Cross-functional collaboration

Growth mindset

Communication skills

Education

MS/PhD in CS/ML

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

MLflow

Weights & Biases

Job description

Valence has built the only first-to-market AI native coaching platform for enterprise, offering personalized, expert, and human-like guidance and support to any leader or employee. We’re not just talking about the future of work - we’re building it now, with the most innovative Fortune 500 companies across healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and technology.

Learn more about our work with Microsoft: Valence Brings AI Coaching More Deeply Into the Flow of Work with Microsoft 365

Our focus is on the problems that actually decide whether AI changes how organizations operate - the ones with no playbook, no obvious answers, and no guarantee of success. If you want to be part of the small group that defines how AI transforms the future at a global scale, this is your chance.

And this isn’t for everyone. We’re not looking for people who want predictability or incremental progress. We only want those who are restless at the edge of what’s possible, who get bored when things feel "done," and who are driven to redefine what AI can mean for leaders, companies, and the world. Because at Valence, the work worth doing is the kind that redefines work itself.

The Role

As a founding Applied AI Engineer at Valence, you will help define and build the future of AI-powered leadership coaching, working directly with our Head of AI and cross-functional product and engineering teams. You’ll be at the intersection of generative AI research and product execution - helping design, build, and refine intelligent systems that deliver context-aware, personalized coaching at enterprise scale. This role is purposefully broad and adaptable: we don’t expect any one candidate to check every technical box, but we do look for engineers who are eager to learn, iterate rapidly, and contribute meaningfully across a range of challenges from model behavior to production systems.

You’ll tackle real-world AI problems - from transforming enterprise data into actionable context, to optimizing conversational experiences, to shaping how AI engages with users in meaningful and responsible ways. Your work will directly impact how our platform performs in high-stakes enterprise deployments and how leaders around the world grow through AI-facilitated insights.

About Valence

We're the only company pioneering leadership coaching for large enterprises in an AI-first way. Our mission is to transform how the world's biggest companies approach learning and development, helping teams work better together through AI-powered personalization that adapts to individual goals and organizational culture using the latest advances in machine learning and natural language processing.

We've been featured in Harvard Business Review, TIME, World Economic Forum, Financial Times, Forbes and an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private companies in America. Our clients represent the most diverse and sophisticated enterprise AI implementations globally, including Coca-Cola, Delta, Nestlé, General Mills, Schneider Electric, Deutsche Telekom, AstraZeneca, Prudential, CVS and Bristol Myers Squibb.

Working at Valence means you'll work directly with Fortune 500 technology leaders, building expertise through the most complex enterprise deployments while gaining insight into diverse organizational approaches to AI transformation. These aren't just any enterprise clients - they're the companies defining what AI-first business transformation looks like across every major industry.

What You'll Do

• Architect and build enterprise-grade AI and conversational systems that power coaching workflows and user experiences.
• Develop, evaluate, and refine LLM-based components - balancing performance, scalability, and reliability in real use cases.
• Integrate and manage diverse sources of structured and unstructured data to improve contextual understanding and output quality.
• Partner closely with product, engineering, and design to translate user needs into impactful technical solutions.
• Rapidly prototype and iterate on systems that span backend services, data pipelines, and frontend interactions as needed.
• Build tooling, tests, and automation to support reliable model deployment, observability, and continuous improvement.
• Help streamline data and science workflows, enabling fast experimentation and data-driven decisions.
• We recognize that not every candidate will have experience in every area above - we value growth potential, curiosity, and the ability to learn on the job.

What We're Looking For

• Technical foundation: 8+ years of experience in software engineering, AI/ML, data-intensive systems, AI/ML development (ideally including a Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, ML, Data Science, or a related field).
• AI systems mindset: Familiarity with language systems (e.g., NLP, conversational interfaces, IR) and comfort reasoning about model behavior, context, and evaluation - both theoretical and practical knowledge.
• Data tooling & analysis: Experience with core data science tools such as NumPy, scikit-learn, Pandas, PySpark, plus SQL and common visualization tools (e.g., matplotlib, Seaborn, Plotly, or BI tools) to explore and communicate insights.
• Cloud & deployment experience: Comfortable developing and deploying services in cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure) and working with containerization/orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Engineering excellence: Strong software engineering skills, including writing maintainable code, debugging distributed systems, and collaborating in cross-functional teams.
• Growth orientation: Eagerness to tackle unfamiliar problems, learn new technologies, and contribute to shaping our platform and culture.
• Communication: Ability to explain technical ideas clearly and work effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Nice-to-have (but not required): experience with ML lifecycle tools (e.g., MLflow, Weights & Biases), familiarity with Cloud ML services, or past work building generative AI applications.

What You'll Get

Ownership & Rapid Growth

• Outsized missions from day one, with direct responsibility for company-defining projects
• Work alongside the executive team with transparency into strategy and decision-making
• Influence on direction through real-time customer feedback and market insights

AI-First Operator

• Work directly with cutting-edge AI models and next-generation platforms
• Build expertise in enterprise AI implementation across Fortune 500 companies and multiple industries
• Establish yourself as a recognized leader among peers in shaping how AI transforms work at a global scale

Compensation

• Competitive salary including base + bonuses
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision) from day one
• Generous PTO, company-wide R&R shutdowns, and paid parental leave
• Retirement plan support for US and global employees

Equity

• Meaningful ownership in a venture-backed company at a growth inflection point
• Financial upside that comes from scaling fast
• Top-up grants as we scale and you deliver exceptional performance - your compensation grows alongside your impact

Top-Performing Culture

• A culture built for top talent: intensity to win, growth without limits, and a team that solves hard problems and celebrates big wins together

Learn more about us and meet our team

Location and Work Environment

If candidates are based in NYC or Toronto they can work hybrid in our offices, otherwise this role can be remote. Candidates must be comfortable working with colleagues in different time zones (UK), and have valid travel documents without work authorization restrictions in the US.

Diversity and Inclusion

We are dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and supported. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and offer accommodations upon request throughout the hiring process. If you have any questions, please reach out to Allison Langille, Head of People, at [e-mail].

Employment Verification & Commitment

We use third-party services to verify employment history, education, and other information relevant to your candidacy. Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of these verification checks. This is a full-time role that requires a high level of focus, availability, and commitment. Employees may not hold concurrent full-time employment with another organization while employed at Valence. Any outside consulting, advisory, freelance, or other professional work must be disclosed and approved in advance and must not interfere with job responsibilities, availability, performance, or create a conflict of interest - including risks related to confidentiality, intellectual property, or competition.

Valence takes candidate fraud seriously. We verify identity, LinkedIn profiles, employment history, and references; any misrepresentation during the hiring process is grounds for withdrawing an offer or ending employment. All offers are contingent on successful completion of these checks.