Senior AI Engineer
Blank Metal· startup· Internet· Sep 25, 2026 · 1mo ago
Minneapolis, MN
Hybrid
Full-time
Senior
$160K–$213K est.
5+ years exp
Job description
ABOUT BLANK METAL
Blank Metal is an AI-native engineering company that partners with enterprises to deliver production AI fast. We blend strategic insight with hands-on execution, shipping high-impact systems that turn AI initiatives into measurable business results.
We're builders, not theorists. Our team of seasoned engineers, designers, and strategists work across industries to create AI applications that actually get used and make a difference.
THE ROLE
You're a technical leader who shapes how Blank Metal approaches AI engineering. With experience designing, building, and shipping AI features that hold up under real‑world use, you combine deep technical expertise with mentorship and vision. You architect complex AI systems, make critical technical decisions, and elevate the entire team's capabilities.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Lead the technical architecture and strategy for AI‑powered projects
- Design scalable, production‑grade systems that handle real‑world complexity
- Make critical decisions about tooling, frameworks, and architectural patterns
- Own the quality and reliability of systems in production
- Mentor and develop other engineers
- Drive technical discussions and shape team standards
- Keep up with emerging tools and techniques
- Build observability and evaluation frameworks
- Partner with product and client teams to translate business needs into technical solutions
- Contribute to longer‑term technical vision and innovation
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
- AI Architecture Expertise: Deep understanding of production AI systems design, scalability, and reliability
- Production AI Leadership: Extensive hands-on experience building, deploying, and operating AI systems
- System Design Mastery: Can architect complex AI integrations that scale, handle edge cases, and provide excellent observability
- AI Tooling Depth: Expert knowledge of LLM APIs, vector databases, prompt engineering, agents, and emerging AI tools
- Full-Stack Fluency: Advanced development skills across frontend, backend, and infrastructure
- AI Observability & Evals: Experience building evaluation frameworks and monitoring for AI systems
- Technical Leadership: You mentor others, set technical standards, and drive architectural decisions
- Strategic Thinking: You connect technical decisions to business outcomes
- Learning Mindset: You stay current with the rapidly evolving AI landscape
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
- At least 5 years of professional software engineering experience, with a demonstrated ability to deliver production‑ready AI features that real users depend on
- Proven record of shipping complex, mission‑critical software
- Strong full‑stack and/or backend development skills applied to real projects
- Experience designing and leading technically challenging work from concept through delivery
- Shown ability to guide others, share knowledge, and influence technical direction
NICE TO HAVE
- Experience building RAG systems at scale
- Deep experience with vector databases and semantic search
- Background in AI observability, evaluation frameworks, or monitoring
- Experience with agent-based architectures and agentic AI systems
- Understanding of inference optimization and model serving
- Previous mentorship or technical leadership roles
- Contribution to AI-focused open source projects
WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT HERE
- Build AI that ships: every project ends in a live deployment, not a slide deck
- Craft meets velocity: we obsess over quality while delivering at startup speed
- Outcome-driven model: our projects align with client success, not billable hours
- AI-native culture: you'll work with peers who deeply understand modern AI's potential and limits
- Real collaboration: open conversations, shared ownership, and space to bring your voice and creativity
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
In your role, you'll:
- Establish technical standards and best practices for AI engineering across the team
- Lead the design of complex, large-scale AI systems that others will follow
- Mentor engineers and accelerate their growth as AI builders
- Ship high-impact AI projects that showcase innovation and quality
- Become a thought leader on production AI within the organization
- Build a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning
- Help the company scale AI capabilities as it grows
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Blank Metal is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all backgrounds and perspectives. Diversity makes our work better and our team stronger.
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