We're hiring an Applied AI Engineer to design, build, and scale the systems that power our next-generation voice AI platform. You'll work across the stack - from LLM fine-tuning and retrieval pipelines to real-time voice interactions - delivering production-grade systems that learn from real users in the wild. This is a hands-on role focused on fast iteration, technical depth, and measurable impact in production.
What You'll Do:
Develop multimodal AI systems with a focus on natural, real-time voice interactions
Implement safety and alignment frameworks for LLM-driven user experiences
Build scalable monitoring systems to detect and respond to unexpected model behavior
Balance rapid feature deployment with long-term system reliability and scalability
Ensure compliance with financial and data safety regulations
Collaborate closely with engineering, product, and research teams to ship quickly and iterate continuously
What You'll Bring:
2+ years of experience working directly with LLMs or voice AI technologies (voice experience is a plus, not required)
Deep expertise in LLM development (RAG, fine-tuning, prompt design, evaluation)
Proven ability to ship and maintain production AI systems at scale
Strong background in ML systems design and engineering best practices
Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
Based in or willing to relocate to San Francisco (4 days/week in office)
At Salient, we're building at the edge of AI - fast, focused, and with real ownership. Sprints and major launches move quickly, and we look for people who are energized by that pace and ready to collaborate in person 4 days a week in our San Francisco office with a start time of 8:00 AM. We also offer a benefits package designed to support our full-time employees: medical, dental, and vision coverage, a generous 401(k), and catered lunches.