AI Founding Engineer $85,000 $150,000 DOE
Strong preference for New York City. Hybrid in the Bay Area is possible due to customer proximity
Job Overview
This is a founding Forward-Deployed Engineer role at the intersection of product, engineering, and field work. You will embed directly with law enforcement teams to understand investigative workflows and deploy AI-powered software that improves efficiency in real-world investigations. The role requires end-to-end ownership, from field discovery to shipping production-ready solutions used in live environments.
Key Responsibilities
Work on-site with detectives, analysts, and prosecutors to understand workflows and identify areas of friction.
Deploy and configure the platform for new agencies, including data ingestion, validation, and reliability checks.
Translate field feedback into product features and partner closely with product leadership to shape the roadmap.
Build and ship full-stack features using Python, React, TypeScript, and AI/ML APIs.
Support pilots, rollouts, training, and adoption for new customer deployments.
Act as a trusted technical partner to users and leadership teams.
Technical Qualifications
5+ years of experience in machine learning (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow).
2+ years of hands-on experience with large language models.
Proven experience deploying production AI systems, including RAG and vector search.
Strong full-stack engineering experience with modern backend and frontend frameworks.
Experience building scalable systems that integrate into complex environments.
Familiarity with modern AI frameworks (e.g., LangChain, LlamaIndex) or ability to learn quickly.
Collaboration & Communication
Comfortable working directly with customers and end users to gather feedback and shape solutions.
Able to clearly explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Experienced collaborating with product and cross-functional teams in fast-moving environments.
Ideal Profile
Field-oriented engineer who enjoys seeing how software is used in practice.
High-ownership operator comfortable working in small, fast-paced teams.
Customer-focused problem solver who thrives in ambiguity.
Mission-driven and comfortable working with sensitive material.
Prior experience in early-stage or high-impact environments preferred.
Logistics & Benefits
Willingness to travel 25–75% as needed.
U.S.-based role with visa sponsorship available for strong candidates (excluding H-1B).
Competitive compensation, equity, and performance-based bonuses.
Comprehensive health coverage, 401(k) with employer contribution, and unlimited PTO.