Principal AI (Search) Engineer

Yieldmo • New York, NY

6d • $200,000 - $275,000 • Remote

About The Position

We’re seeking an exceptional Search Engineer to architect and build Yieldmo’s next-generation, AI-powered search platform—redefining how users discover and engage with content across the open web. This is a rare opportunity to shape an entirely new search product from inception, working at the intersection of AI, large-scale data, and user experience. You’ll bring deep technical expertise, creative problem-solving, and a builder’s mindset to create a system that sets new standards for relevance, intelligence, and performance.

Requirements

• You have designed and built scalable, general-purpose search or retrieval systems end-to-end.
• You bring deep expertise in AI-powered search methodologies, including LLMs, embeddings, vector databases, and retrieval-augmented generation.
• You have a strong understanding of indexing, query processing, and ranking architectures.
• You’re a hands-on engineer with experience leading or scaling systems and teams in fast-moving environments.
• You’ve worked within or closely alongside world-class AI/search organizations (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, xAI, Google DeepMind, etc.).
• You’re proficient in Python, SQL, Docker, and microservices, with familiarity in function/tool calling from an LLM.
• You communicate with clarity and thrive in a highly collaborative, cross-functional setting.

Nice To Haves

• Experience building retrieval or ranking systems specifically for publisher or adtech ecosystems.
• Familiarity with distributed vector search systems or hybrid retrieval frameworks.
• Prior startup or early-stage product experience—comfortable building with ambiguity and speed.
• Background in reinforcement learning, personalization, or recommendation systems.

Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and build Yieldmo’s AI-driven search engine from the ground up, launching first with a major publisher partner before scaling across multiple partners.
• Write high-quality, production-ready code while iterating quickly to validate ideas and refine search performance.
• Collaborate closely with Product and Engineering teams to integrate cutting-edge retrieval, ranking, and recommendation technologies.
• Define the long-term technical vision and roadmap for Yieldmo’s search capabilities.
• Build and mentor a small, high-performing team of engineers to evolve and scale the platform.
• Establish best practices for search quality, experimentation, and performance monitoring.
• Drive innovation by exploring emerging AI and search technologies to enhance discovery and personalization.
• Partner with leadership to align the search strategy with Yieldmo’s broader product and revenue goals.
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, curiosity, and ownership across the engineering organization.

Benefits

• Remote Work: Our team is fully distributed, though we love an opportunity to get together at our annual offsites, holiday parties, and more.
• 100% Company Paid Health Coverage: Choose the medical, dental, and vision plan that’s best for you and your family – all with options for 100% company paid coverage.
• 401(k) Plan: Invest in yourself by participating in our 401(k) plan with a company match.
• Equity: Share in Yieldmo’s success through our employee stock option program.
• Flexible Time Off, Company Slowdowns, and Summer Fridays: Take time off to relax and rejuvenate on your own terms with flexible time off, multiple company slowdowns, and Summer Fridays.
• Home Office Setup and Stipend: Set up your home office for success with our premium technology packages and an additional stipend for any extra needs.
• Professional Development: Grow your hard and soft skills with our annual professional development stipend.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees