Founding ML Engineer / Series A / NYC / $250k + Founding Equity

Founding AI/ML Engineer (Production) - NYC - $250k-$500k+ + Founding Equity

We’re hiring for one of NYC’s top 10 robotics startups. If you’re an elite engineer looking to join an A squad-builders from SpaceX, Palantir, Google & Anduril - this is where you want to be.*

Most AI roles are currently focused on generating pixels or text. This team are using LLMs to command multi-ton autonomous machines.

Must be based in NYC & role requires US citizenship due to regulatory constraints.

We need a Founding AI/ML Engineer to build the production intelligence layer for autonomous heavy machinery. This isn't a research lab. We have real robots, real customers, and systems operating in the field 24/7. Your work won't just generate tokens; it will drive physical outcomes.

The Work

This is a 100% production role focused on critical AI infrastructure. You are responsible for the intelligence that allows multi-ton machines to act on complex environments.

• Production LLMs: Fine-tuning and deploying models that handle mission-critical operational logic.
• Systems & Infra: Building the RAG pipelines and data flywheels that power our fleet’s intelligence.
• Evals & Determinism: Designing evaluation frameworks to ensure model outputs are safe and reliable enough for heavy hardware.
• Problem Solving: Moving from raw telemetry to deployed models. You own the pipeline, the tuning, and the performance in the field.

The Team

You’ll be joining a high-density team from SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril. We’ve stripped away the typical corporate friction-no bloated meetings or research for the sake of research. We hire for high agency and low ego. As a founding hire, you aren't just training models; you’re architecting the intelligence of the company.

What we're looking for

We want high-signal builders who are bored with "wrapper" apps and want to solve hard problems grounded in physics.

• Production Grit: You’ve shipped ML systems at scale. You care about inference latency and reliability more than "vibe checks."
• LLM Mastery: Deep experience with fine-tuning, RAG, and prompt engineering in high-stakes environments.
• Systems Thinker: You understand the full stack. You know how to optimize models to run efficiently and how to build the infra that supports them.
• High-Bar Pedigree: You’ve worked in environments where the standard for "production-ready" is exceptionally high.

Stack & Comp

• Stack: Python, PyTorch, LLMs, RAG, Vector DBs, Kubernetes.
• Location: NYC (Manhattan) - On-site/Hybrid.
• Comp: $250k - $500k+ base + Founding Member Equity.

The Process

1 Week & 0 Take-Homes We move as fast as we ship. We can go from first touch to offer in one week:

• (Founders) Technical Deep Dive: A conversation about the most complex AI system you’ve actually shipped.
• (Team)Practical Pairing: Solving a real-world production ML or data infra problem together. No Leetcode.
• (Exec) Founding Team Chat: A focus on judgment, trade-offs & vision.

If you’re ready to put AI into the physical world, let’s talk.

TL;DR

• Role: Founding AI/ML Engineer (Production)
• Focus: Fine-tuning, Evals, and RAG for Robotics
• Team: Ex-SpaceX, Palantir, Anduril, Google
• Comp: $250k - $500k+ base + Founding Equity
• Process: 1 week. 3 rounds.

Equal Opportunity

We're hiring for an Equal Opportunity Employer.

• All our new jobs are posted here 1st:

linkedin.com/in/sufyanbashir/