Principal AI Engineer at Kizen

Austin, TX  | Manhattan, NYC | Hybrid (Minimum 4 days in office)  |  Full Time  |  https://kizen.comAbout UsAt Kizen, we’re engineering a more humane future where AI drives universal healthcare, more impactful work, world-class education, exceptional customer experiences, and — overall — a more fulfilling human experience.Kizen is on a mission to give every team member an AI Assistant - turning every company into an AI-company, every worker into an AI-Enhanced Worker, and every Process into an AI-optimized, continuously improving process. Kizen is the first GenAI enterprise application builder. Businesses of any size, within any industry can build AI assistants for complex jobs across healthcare, finance, and HR and modern enterprise applications - like CRMs, Workflow Automation, Real Time Dashboards, and Secure Portals in minutes and perfect them in an afternoon. Kizen helps teams systematically improve processes and business outcomes with data-driven insights and powerful automation with access to all the latest AI models.About the RoleShape the Future of AI at KizenAre you ready to push the boundaries of what's possible with AI and backend systems? At Kizen, we're engineering intelligent systems that combine cutting-edge AI with robust backend architecture to revolutionize healthcare, redefine work-life balance, transform education, and elevate customer experiences. Our mission is to create technology that doesn't just work – it transforms how businesses operate.As we rapidly expand, we're seeking exceptional engineers who excel in both AI development and backend systems. This is your opportunity to be part of something transformative – to architect and build systems that set new benchmarks for what technology can achieve across industries.At Kizen, you'll join a brilliant, fun team tackling challenges that matter. We offer:The opportunity to work on groundbreaking AI technologies with real-world impactA startup culture that values innovation, ownership, and rapid iterationRegular opportunities to present your technical solutions to company leadershipA supportive environment for professional growth and learningWe're looking for a Principal AI Engineer to provide strategic feedback and direction for our engineering team as we bring our next-generation platform to the world. In this position, you'll architect, plan, and build sophisticated AI systems with collaborators seamlessly integrating with our backend infrastructure, focusing on generative AI, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and multi-agent architectures.Key ResponsibilitiesLead the design and implementation of production-ready RAG systems that integrate seamlessly with our backend infrastructure using Django, Kafka, PostgreSQL, and ClickhouseArchitect multi-agent AI systems that operate effectively within our platform's constraints and understand business value implications.Drive product strategy by providing accurate work estimations and technical roadmaps with minimal supervision.Design and implement sophisticated vector search solutions, including graph-based RAG systemsArchitect and build highly scalable LLM-powered systems that can handle enterprise-level workloadsLead LLM fine-tuning initiatives to customize models for specific business domains and use casesDesign and implement user feedback systems to collect, analyze, and incorporate insights for continuous improvementOptimize LLM performance, cost, and reliability in production environmentsEstablish MLOps best practices using platforms like Langfuse or LiteLLM to ensure robust model monitoring and evaluationMentor and develop junior engineers in AI/ML best practicesCollaborate with cross-functional teams to translate business requirements into technical solutionsLead system architecture decisions and technical direction for AI initiativesEvaluate emerging AI technologies for potential adoptionExperienceRequired QualificationsEducation and ExperienceBachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field8+ years of backend engineering experience with Django, Kafka, and PostgreSQL4+ years of hands-on experience building and deploying machine learning systemsProven track record of implementing production RAG systems at scale Strong experience in product management, including work estimation and roadmap planningExperience building solutions at scale with large enterprise data in healthcare, finance, or banking sectors.Technical ExpertiseExpert-level Python development skills with Django experienceDeep understanding of distributed systems and message queuing using message broker systems (e.g., Kafka)Advanced PostgreSQL knowledge, including optimization for AI workloadsExperience building and optimizing retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systemsExperience architecting and implementing multi-agent AI systemsKnowledge of deep learning frameworks (PyTorch or TensorFlow) and NLP, particularly transformer architecturesExperience with cloud platforms (AWS preferred) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)Experience building solutions using pre-trained LLMs (OpenAI, Claude, Llama, etc.)Strong background in MLOps practices and tools, including platforms like Langfuse or LiteLLMProficiency in writing clean, well-documented code and troubleshooting complex issuesExperience in testing and validating products and communicating results with stakeholdersML/AI ExperienceExperience applying graph algorithms to machine learning problemsStrong experience with modern NLP techniques and transformer architecturesKnowledge of evaluation metrics for NLP system performanceSolid foundation in probability theory and statistical inferenceExperience with statistical modeling and hypothesis testingUnderstanding of sampling methods and experimental designLLM Systems ExpertiseProven experience designing and implementing scalable LLM-powered systems in production environmentsDeep understanding of LLM orchestration and optimization techniques for high-throughput applicationsExperience with prompt engineering, fine-tuning, and context window management for optimal LLM performanceDemonstrated expertise in LLM fine-tuning methodologies, including RLHF, PEFT, and LoRA techniquesExperience building data collection pipelines for LLM training and fine-tuningKnowledge of efficient usage strategies, cost optimization for LLM API consumption, and performance optimization of large-scale deployments.Experience implementing LLM caching mechanisms and vector store optimizationsExpertise in designing fault-tolerant LLM architectures with appropriate fallback mechanismsUnderstanding of techniques to reduce latency in LLM-powered applicationsKnowledge of strategies for handling data privacy and security in LLM applicationsUser Feedback and System ImprovementKnowledge of model monitoring and evaluation techniquesExperience designing and implementing robust user feedback collection systems for AI applicationsKnowledge of feedback aggregation and analysis techniques to identify patterns and improvement areasExperience building systems that leverage user feedback for continuous LLM improvementUnderstanding of human-in-the-loop approaches for refining AI system outputsExperience with A/B testing frameworks to evaluate AI system changesAbility to translate user feedback into actionable model improvementsExperience implementing evaluation frameworks to measure AI system quality and performanceProfessional SkillsDemonstrated ability to lead technical initiatives and architectural decisionsExperience managing technical product roadmaps and providing accurate work estimationsStrong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently on complex projectsStrategic thinking ability to balance immediate solutions with long-term scalabilityExcellent collaboration skills when working with cross-functional teamsExcellent written and verbal communication skills in EnglishDriven, self-motivated, adaptable, empathetic, energetic, and detail-orientedPreferred QualificationsExperience with graph-based RAG systemsContributions to open-source projects in backend or AI domainsExperience with streaming data processing at scaleDeep interest in emerging AI technologies and their practical applicationsStrong mentoring capabilities to guide and develop team membersAbility to work in our Los Angeles or Austin officeWhy KizenWe’re a fast-growing company that values innovation, growth, and continuous improvement. By joining Kizen, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the company while enjoying a supportive, dynamic, and collaborative workplace. You’ll have opportunities for professional development, impact, and career advancement.What We OfferHybrid Work ModelCareer Growth OpportunitiesEngaging Work CultureTop-Tier CompensationEquity PackageHealthcare CoverageProfessional Development StipendsPTO Kizen is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture that celebrates authenticity to win as one. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, citizenship or immigration status, or any other legally protected characteristics. At Kizen, we fully comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We are dedicated to embracing challenges and creating an accessible, inclusive workplace for all individuals. The base salary range for this position is $250,000-$350,000. However, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition to base salary, we also offer generous equity and benefits packages.If you’re excited about creating impact experiences and contributing to a fast-paced, people-focused team, we’d love to meet you!OTE - $312,000-$412,000KCompensation Range$250,000 - $400,000 USD