Founding Machine Learning Engineer - Harnham : Job Details

Founding Machine Learning EngineerAI Start-Up Location: New York, NY (Onsite, 5 days/week) Compensation: $170,000-$240,000 base + equity Harnham is partnering with an early-stage startup that is developing an open-source platform designed to optimize large language model (LLM) applications. This platform integrates inference, observability, optimization, and experimentation to continuously enhance LLM performance, making models smarter, faster, and more efficient over time. Backed by leading investors and guided by a clear technical roadmap, this startup is laying the groundwork for the next generation of AI solutions. Are you a seasoned ML professional ready to take on a pivotal role at a cutting-edge AI start-up? This is your opportunity to shape the future of a revolutionary platform and leave a lasting impact on the AI/ML landscape. THE ROLE This is an opportunity to join an emerging company at the frontier of ML engineering. As a founding member of the technical staff, you will take on a leading role in developing innovative ML solutions for optimizing LLMs, directly influencing the product and platform's growth. You will work closely with the CEO and CTO to define the technical vision, contribute to open-source initiatives, and have a significant impact on shaping both the product and the future of the company. RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, implement, and optimize advanced ML solutions for large language models, focusing on reinforcement learning and other cutting-edge approaches.
• Build high-performance systems with sub-millisecond overhead to support LLM inference and observability pipelines.
• Translate academic research into practical solutions, including advanced techniques such as retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and agent-based systems.
• Develop and integrate experimentation frameworks, including A/B testing, routing strategies, and model optimization.
• Work alongside the CTO and CEO to define the technical road map, contributing to both infrastructure and application development.
• Take ownership of the ML lifecycle from research and prototyping to production deployment.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Commercial experience in machine learning engineering or research, particularly with large language models or reinforcement learning.
• Proven track record of tackling complex technical challenges and driving high-impact projects from concept to production.
• Deep understanding of optimization techniques for ML models.
• Experience with advanced inference strategies, model evaluation, and experimentation methodologies.
• Strong interest in growing your skill set and taking on new technical challenges across the stack.
• Ability to collaborate closely in an in-person, fast-paced team environment.

As a founding member of a technical team, you will have the opportunity to shape not only the product but also the company's engineering culture, practices, and long-term vision. If you are passionate about pushing the boundaries of machine learning and want to work on the cutting edge of AI, apply. HOW TO APPLY Register your interest by sending your resume to Virginia using the Apply link KEYWORDS Machine Learning | ML | Large Language Model | LLM | Open-source | AI Optimization | Feedback loop | Reinforcement learning | Experimentation | Optimization strategy