Principal AI/ML Engineer - VC Backed Startups

SignalFire • San Francisco, CA

6d

About The Position

Join SignalFire’s Talent Network for Principal AI/ML Engineer Roles at VC-Backed Startups. This is not an application for a specific job, but a way to get on the radar of VC-backed startups that are actively hiring AI/ML talent. SignalFire partners with top early-stage startups that are shaping the future of technology across various sectors including AI, cybersecurity, healthtech, fintech, developer tools, and enterprise SaaS. We are looking to connect with exceptional Principal AI/ML Engineers who are excited about driving AI strategy, advancing machine learning research, and scaling AI-powered systems at high-growth startups. By joining SignalFire’s Talent Network, your profile will be shared with our portfolio companies, giving you visibility into exclusive early-stage opportunities that may not be publicly listed.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in AI/ML, deep learning, or applied AI
• Expertise in Python and ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, JAX, Hugging Face Transformers)
• Strong background in computer vision, NLP, generative AI, or reinforcement learning
• Experience developing scalable AI pipelines, data processing workflows, and distributed training systems
• Familiarity with big data tools (Apache Spark, Kafka, Hadoop) and MLOps platforms (MLflow, TFX, SageMaker)
• Deep understanding of LLMs, transformer architectures, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines
• Experience with model quantization, fine-tuning, and optimization for performance
• Strong knowledge of cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure) and containerization tools (Docker, Kubernetes)
• A track record of technical leadership, mentoring, and driving AI innovation

Responsibilities

• Architect, develop, and optimize machine learning and deep learning models for production systems
• Research and apply state-of-the-art AI methodologies, including LLMs, transformers, and reinforcement learning
• Lead AI strategy, identifying opportunities for innovation and model optimization
• Develop scalable training and inference pipelines for AI-powered applications
• Work closely with engineering, data, and product teams to integrate AI/ML into business solutions
• Optimize ML models for efficiency, accuracy, and scalability in real-world deployments
• Ensure robust MLOps practices, including model monitoring, retraining, and deployment automation
• Collaborate on AI/ML research publications, patents, and open-source contributions

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Education Level: No Education Listed