Staff Software Engineer, Applied AI

Role Description

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.

• Tackle real-world AI problems, including:
• Transforming enterprise data into actionable context
• Optimizing conversational experiences
• 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.

Qualifications

• 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).
• Familiarity with language systems (e.g., NLP, conversational interfaces, IR) and comfort reasoning about model behavior, context, and evaluation - both theoretical and practical knowledge.
• 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.
• Comfortable developing and deploying services in cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure) and working with containerization/orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Strong software engineering skills, including writing maintainable code, debugging distributed systems, and collaborating in cross-functional teams.
• Eagerness to tackle unfamiliar problems, learn new technologies, and contribute to shaping our platform and culture.
• Ability to explain technical ideas clearly and work effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Requirements

• 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.

Benefits

• 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
• 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

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 View email address on us.fitly.work.

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.