AI Engineer

Who We Are & Why Join UsAvathon is the leading Industrial AI autonomy platform, helping customers across heavy industries -- energy, mining, manufacturing, aerospace, defense, and logistics -- accelerate the journey toward autonomous operations. Our platform is built on a Computational Knowledge Graph foundation that contextualizes and connects operational data across siloed systems, bringing together time series, structured, unstructured, and machine vision data to power AI-driven applications in asset performance management, supply chain intelligence, visual AI, and global trade management. With capabilities spanning digital twins, normal behavior modeling, natural language processing, and computer vision, Avathon delivers real-time predictive intelligence and agentic decision-making at industrial scale.Cutting-Edge AI Innovation -- Join a team at the forefront of AI, developing groundbreaking solutions that shape the future. High-Growth Environment -- Thrive in a fast-scaling startup where agility, collaboration, and rapid professional growth are the norm. Meaningful Impact -- Work on AI-driven projects that drive real change across industries and improve lives.Learn more at: avathon.comAbout the RoleSenior AI Engineer – Generative AI & LLMsAt Avathon, we are building cutting-edge AI solutions that transform operations across asset-intensive industries such as Supply Chain, Logistics, Energy, Mining, Aerospace, and Industrial Manufacturing. As an AI Engineer, you will play a critical role in designing, developing, and deploying scalable AI systems with a strong focus on Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), and production-grade machine learning applications.This role is ideal for someone with strong engineering depth who can bridge research and production—building robust AI platforms, optimizing LLM workflows, and delivering high-impact solutions across forecasting, route optimization, anomaly detection, predictive maintenance, and intelligent automation.With 3–5 years of hands-on industry experience, you are expected to bring expertise in AI system design, ML engineering, LLM deployment, and scalable software development within fast-paced startup environments.You WillDesign, build, and deploy production-grade AI/ML systems with strong emphasis on Generative AI and LLM-powered applicationsDevelop and optimize end-to-end LLM pipelines including RAG architectures, fine-tuning, prompt orchestration, evaluation, and observabilityBuild scalable backend services and APIs for AI applications using modern engineering best practicesImplement and productionize transformer-based models and GenAI workflows for enterprise use casesDesign vector search systems, embedding pipelines, and retrieval frameworks for knowledge-intensive applicationsPartner closely with Product, Engineering, and Business teams to translate operational challenges into scalable AI solutionsDrive experimentation, benchmarking, model evaluation, and performance optimization with scientific rigorImprove inference efficiency, latency optimization, cost management, and reliability of deployed AI systemsEstablish guardrails, hallucination detection, monitoring, and responsible AI practices for production deploymentsContribute to MLOps workflows including CI/CD, model lifecycle management, observability, and cloud deploymentStay current with the latest advancements in LLMs, agentic systems, foundation models, and applied AI engineeringYou'll HaveBachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, or a related technical field3–5 years of hands-on industry experience in AI Engineering, Machine Learning Engineering, Applied AI, or related rolesStrong experience building and deploying LLM-based applications in production environmentsSolid expertise with Python and modern AI/ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, Hugging Face, LangChain, LlamaIndex, or similarStrong understanding of transformer architectures, LLM fine-tuning, prompt engineering, RAG systems, and vector databasesExperience building scalable APIs and backend systems supporting AI workflowsFamiliarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or AzureStrong software engineering fundamentals including system design, debugging, performance optimization, and production reliabilityExperience with containerization, deployment pipelines, and collaborative engineering environmentsStrong analytical thinking, ownership mindset, and ability to work in ambiguous, fast-moving startup environmentsStrong communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally with technical and business stakeholderPreferred QualificationsExposure to Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), vector databases, or embedding-based search systemsFamiliarity with LLM observability and evaluation tools (e.g., Langfuse, LangSmith, Arize Phoenix, Weights & Biases)Hands-on experience with practical LLM deployment -- prompt versioning, cost/latency tracking, guardrails, or hallucination detectionExposure to LLM evaluation frameworks (e.g., RAGAS, DeepEval) or LLM-as-judge evaluation patternsBasic understanding of MLOps practices and model lifecycle managementExperience working on applied AI projects in academic, internship, or startup settingsInterest in industrial AI and asset-intensive environmentsIndustry exposure in one or more of the following domains: Mining, Oil & Gas, Aerospace, Supply Chain, Logistics, or Renewable EnergyInterview ProcessAs part of the interview process, you will be asked to complete a technical assessment.Benefits & PerksWhat are the benefits and perks at Avathon? Below are some highlights we offer to our U.S. full-time employees -- we'd love to connect and share more!Evolving culture with the opportunity to drive new ideas and technologyStock Option GrantsMedical Coverage and Parental Leave Plans401k with Employer MatchMonthly Technology AllowanceNewly renovated office space located near Pleasanton, CA -- including fully stocked beverage and snack areasContract and temporary roles are not eligible for the above benefits.CompensationPay Range: $110k - $130k salary annually. Pay for this position is based on a number of factors including geographic location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.Location: This role is not remote. Candidates must be based in the Bay Area, CA and are expected to report to our Pleasanton office 5 days a week.Avathon is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.Avathon is committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruiting process. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact us to discuss how we can assist you.