Software Engineer

Software Engineer (Backend/AI)

Location: San Francisco, CA (100% On-site)

Employment Type: Full-time

Salary Range: $140K - $300K

We are a rapidly growing, well-funded AI company (backed by world-class investors like A16z, Benchmark, and First Round Capital) focused on solving a critical bottleneck for modern AI teams: ingesting complex, real-world enterprise data (like PDFs and spreadsheets) with state-of-the-art accuracy. We have achieved 7x YOY revenue growth, working with hundreds of clients from leading AI startups to large enterprises. We are seeking an exceptional Backend/AI Engineer to build the core platform.

As a Backend/AI Engineer, you will work on our core API, which powers document parsing for hundreds of companies globally. This role requires high agency, a strong bar for quality, and a hands-on approach to the full development lifecycle, from ideation to production.

Core Work Will Include:

• Integrating and optimizing LLM calls for critical document understanding tasks like structured extraction, form filling, and complex data parsing.
• Building and improving scalable document processing pipelines that handle various unstructured file formats (PDFs, spreadsheets) at an enterprise scale.
• Making critical improvements to API design and pre-processing algorithms (e.g., chunking, structured extraction) based on direct customer feedback.
• Experimenting with new techniques and output structures to continually improve LLM accuracy and reduce latency.
• Building internal tooling and evaluation systems (evals) to rigorously analyze failure cases and optimize model performance.
• Working directly with the founders and customers to shape the product direction and engineering strategy in a dynamic environment.

Requirements

• Experience: 2+ years of experience building real-world applications and integrating AI/LLMs into production systems (Ideal candidates have 1-5 years building 0-to-1 products, ideally in a startup setting).
• Language Proficiency: Exceptional proficiency in Python.
• Approach: A quantitative, high-agency approach to building products. Ability to debug, experiment, and iterate fast. You are your own worst critic and have a high bar for quality ("no settling for 90%").
• Tools: Comfortable building internal tools (e.g., quick Streamlit apps) as needed to test hypotheses or create datasets.
• Attitude: Ambitious, driven, and excited by hard work and moving quickly in an early-stage company environment.

Bonus Points If You:

• Have prior experience founding a company or building products at early stages.
• Have experience with advanced techniques like prompt engineering, fine-tuning, or building AI agents.
• Actively keep up with the latest developments in ML/AI research.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary ($140K - $300K) and generous founding-stage equity (0.1% - 1%).
• Unlimited PTO: We believe in recharging to enable great work.
• In-Office Perks: Free catered lunch daily to eat with teammates, and reimbursement for transportation costs.
• Comprehensive Insurance: Generous health insurance covering medical, dental, and vision.
• Wellness Budget: Up to $150/month reimbursement for health and wellness spending (e.g., gym memberships).
• Parental Leave: Flexible parental leave schedule designed to work for you and your family.
• Opportunity to join a small, fast-growing team backed by world-class investors, focused on a critical, category-defining problem in AI.

Due to the high volume of applications we anticipate, we regret that we are unable to provide individual feedback to all candidates. If you do not hear back from us within 4 weeks of your application, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion. We genuinely appreciate your interest and wish you the best in your job search.

Commitment to Equality and Accessibility:

At MLabs, we are committed to offer equal opportunities to all candidates. We ensure no discrimination, accessible job adverts, and providing information in accessible formats. Our goal is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace with equal opportunities for all. If you need any reasonable adjustments during any part of the hiring process or you would like to see the job-advert in an accessible format please let us know at th