Founding AI/ML Engineer (Senior/Staff) - VC Backed Startups
Content + Source + Freshness • 11 Dec 2025 • 95% confidence
Offer value
Solid opportunity in AI and ML development for a senior technical role with competitive compensation and growth potential.
- Competitive salary between $170K - $250K with equity
- Opportunity to work with innovative AI technologies
- Chance to be a foundational member of a startup
- Requires 3+ years of AI/ML experience, which may limit entry
Pros
- Attractive salary ($170K - $250K) with equity options
- Chance to work in cutting-edge AI development
- Ability to shape AI strategies in early-stage enterprises
Cons
- Requires at least 3 years in machine learning, which may limit candidate pool
- Workload may be intense given startup nature
- Potentially high pressure to deliver rapid results
Who it's for
Mid to Senior level • Hybrid
Good fit
- AI or ML professionals with startup experience
- Candidates passionate about cutting-edge technology
- Individuals looking to directly shape products and strategies
Not recommended for
- New graduates without relevant experience
- Those preferring secure corporate environments
- Candidates lacking problem-solving enthusiasm
Motivation fit
Key skills
About the job
Location
Bay Area - Hybrid
Employment Type
Full time
Location Type
Hybrid
Department
EPDEngineering
Compensation
- $170K – $250K • Offers Equity
Join SignalFire’s Talent Network for Founding AI Engineer Roles at VC-Backed Startups
At SignalFire, we partner with top early-stage startups that are shaping the future of technology. Our portfolio spans 200+ innovative companies across AI, cybersecurity, healthtech, fintech, developer tools, and enterprise SaaS.
We’re looking to connect with exceptional Founding AI Engineers who are excited about joining high-growth startups as core technical leaders. By joining SignalFire’s Talent Network, your profile will be shared with our portfolio companies, giving you visibility into exclusive early-stage opportunities that may not be publicly listed.
💡 This is not an application for a specific job. Instead, this is a way to get on the radar of VC-backed startups that are actively hiring AI/ML talent. If you have any questions, please direct inquiries to talentnetwork@signalfire.com.
Who Should Join?
We’re looking for AI engineers who are:
✔ Passionate about building AI/ML models from the ground up and deploying them in production
✔ Excited about joining early-stage startups and working directly with founders
✔ Interested in shaping AI strategy and leading the development of AI-powered products
Typical Roles & Responsibilities
Designing, developing, and deploying machine learning (ML) and deep learning models
Building scalable data pipelines for preprocessing, feature engineering, and model training
Optimizing and deploying AI models for real-time and batch processing
Working closely with founders to align AI strategies with product and business goals
Researching and integrating state-of-the-art AI methodologies
Developing and optimizing RAG pipelines, agent architectures, and LLM-powered systems
Common Qualifications
While each startup has its own hiring criteria, many founding AI roles in our network look for:
3+ years of experience in machine learning, deep learning, or applied AI
Strong Python skills with frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, or JAX
Experience with big data tools (Apache Spark, Kafka, Hadoop) and MLOps platforms
Familiarity with cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure) and containerization tools (Docker, Kubernetes)
Startup experience or an interest in early-stage environments is a plus
💡 Technologies You Might Work With: Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, JAX, scikit-learn, Kubernetes, Docker, MLflow, TFX, Kubeflow, FastAPI, Flask, SQL, NoSQL, Apache Spark, Kafka, Hadoop, Flink, Airflow, AWS (SageMaker, Lambda, S3), GCP (Vertex AI, BigQuery), Azure (ML Studio, Synapse).
What Happens Next?
Submit your application to join SignalFire’s Talent Ecosystem.
We review applications on an ongoing basis to identify strong candidates.
If there’s a match, a SignalFire talent partner or a leader from one of our startups may reach out directly.
No match yet? We’ll keep your profile on file for future AI/ML roles in our portfolio.
Compensation Range: $170K - $250K
