Software Engineer (AI/ML Tools focus)

This position's primary focus is to build, configure, apply, and maintain infrastructure and runtimes that will provide AI/ML (AI and Machine Learning) functionality for software developers inside SEL. This will include maintaining systems, deployments, and integrations (Ops work) as well as development and research tasks. During the course of your work, you will primarily focus on configuration of existing solutions, validation of working deployments, and occasional lightweight model training or fine-tuning for specific applications. You will develop integrations and the occasional novel application harness, but this position's research focus is on applications of AI/ML, not directly performing model development or research. Note: US Citizenship required Tech stack Technologies you will likely encounter in the first year of your job include, but are not limited to: Azure AI Foundry Apple/Nvidia on-premises using sglang, openwebui, llama.cpp, mlx_lm, ollama GitHub, Docker, Kubernetes Transformers, diffusers, natural language processing ecosystem LoRA and similar fine-tuning and customization toolchains Python, C/C++ Required and desirable skills The successful candidate will have most if not all of the following skills and experience, and an interest in progressing them further. Experienced with Python, pip/uv Familiarity with typescript, yarn/npm Familiarity with transformers, autoencoders, classifiers Basic Linux/Unix ops skills Additional skills and experience that are desirable include: Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines Familiarity with Azure/Azure Foundry Familiarity with computer vision models, diffusion models, classifiers, YOLO, SAM, etc. Familiarity with Kubernetes, Docker, containerd, etc. Familiarity with rust language and accompanying toolchains A strong candidate will have: Worked on medium to large sized codebase with PR-driven review workflow Maintained CI/CD pipelines Maintained hybrid ops framework for lambda/azure functions, scheduled tasks, REST or similar web services, etc. Familiarity with OIDC or SAML from developer and ops side Responsibilities In the course of this job, you will work with a small team with a highly variable task load and dynamic prioritization and responsibility. You will help maintain infrastructure deployed by this team while balancing research and new tool development. You will thrive in a continual culture of research to help identify new technologies that improve the default quality and safety of our work as well as amplify the efforts of our developers. Much of your role will involve developing automation harnesses for applied AI/ML and marrying that automation to our SDLC toolchains (CI/CD, static analysis, DevOps tooling). This will be iterative work in a changing ecosystem where the frontier and the obsolescence window move at a fast pace. A large part of this role will involve meeting with stakeholders and internal customers to identify needs, obtain agreement on prioritization, and help educate our internal customers on how they can succeed in the ecosystems you will help build. Desirable traits You may be an ideal fit for this position if several of the following describes you. You have a passion for making AI/ML a net benefit for our organizations, our customers, and society. You are flexible: you take external steering and direction well, but are also comfortable self-directing with a broad goal set, and able to pivot gracefully between the two modes. You are eager to follow self-guided training, seek out learning opportunities, and stay abreast of changes in the AI/ML tool and technology landscape. You have a commitment to quality and attention to detail, while still retaining the agility to deliver pragmatic temporary solutions as needs demand. You are curious and interested in the underlying technology, and excited by the potential of AI/ML. You have a healthy skepticism for AI/ML and a practical understanding of where total automation may be unattainable with current tech. You are excited by the problem space; you want to help empower hardware designers, software/firmware developers and product maintainers alike. You want to help remove unnecessary or tedious human touch points where it serves to improve quality of outcomes and dignity of work. You want to magnify the capabilities and efficiency of our experts to let them focus on areas where human expertise is indispensable. Location: Pullman, WA – This position is located in Pullman, WA. Nestled in Eastern Washington, offering an exceptional quality of life. Embrace the charm of small-town living with spacious surroundings, no traffic hassles, and easy access to outdoor adventures in nearby mountains, rivers, and forests. Plus, benefit from excellent schools and universities in the area. #SEL25 Competitive pay. Superior benefits. Inspiring work. People are at the core of our company and we hire employee-owners. We welcome you to learn more about how we support employees. We’re 100% employee owned. Retirement benefits include an employer funded stock ownership plan (ESOP) and personal 401(k) options. We offer top tier medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance. We recognize the importance of a healthy life balance and offer: 10 paid holidays, annual vacation accrual starting at 12 days, 9 paid sick days, and paid family and medical leave that covers 90% of your pay. We foster growth and development of our employees through avenues such as STEM courses, apprenticeships, tuition assistance, and engineering development programs. Ask our team about other benefits including wellness, fertility, adoption, and flexible spending benefits. Pay Range Data - $97,700.00 - $144,400.00 annually We set starting pay based on job-related factors such as your experience, training, knowledge, and skills. We are looking to fill this position at the Software Engineer level, and we welcome applicants with a range of experience. Depending on your background, we may consider you for a different level, with compensation aligned accordingly. Communication with Applicants We communicate with all applicants. If you do not receive a response about your application, please check your SPAM filter or reach out to us at View email address on click.appcast.io. SEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Vets/Disabled. SEL invents, designs, and builds digital products and systems that protect power grids around the world. This technology prevents blackouts and enables customers to improve power system reliability and safety at a reduced cost. A 100 percent employee-owned company headquartered in Pullman, Washington, SEL has manufactured products in the United States since 1984 and now serves customers worldwide. Our mission is simple: to make electric power safer, more reliable, and more economical.