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Startup Ai Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Avathon

AI Engineer

Pleasanton, CA · On-site

High-Growth Environment -- Thrive in a fast-scaling startup where agility, collaboration, and rapid ... As an AI Engineer, you will play a critical role in designing, developing, and deploying scalable ...

Avathon

AI Engineer

Pleasanton, CA · On-site

High-Growth Environment -- Thrive in a fast-scaling startup where agility, collaboration, and rapid ... As an AI Engineer, you will play a critical role in designing, developing, and deploying scalable ...

Avathon

AI Engineer

Pleasanton, CA

$116K - $159K/yr

With 3-5 years of hands-on industry experience, you are expected to bring expertise in AI system design, ML engineering, LLM deployment, and scalable software development within fast-paced startup ...

Besty AI

AI Engineer Intern

Manhattan, NY · On-site

AI Engineer Intern Location: New York City, SoHo (Fully In-Person) About Besty AI Besty AI is the ... We're a venture-backed seed stage startup backed by Ridge Ventures, Armory Squared Ventures, Grand ...

Collate

AI Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Comfort working in an early-stage startup where ambiguity is high and ownership is expected ... Senior AI Engineer: $188-275K; Staff AI Engineer: $228-310K; Principal AI Engineer: $275-325K We ...

Collate

AI Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Comfort working in an early-stage startup where ambiguity is high and ownership is expected ... Senior AI Engineer: $188-275K; Staff AI Engineer: $228-310K; Principal AI Engineer: $275-325K We ...

Semble AI

Founding AI Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

As a Founding AI Engineer, you will work closely with the founders to build advanced systems that ... a YC startup where your work directly defines the company's trajectory Company : Semble AI ...

EQL Tech

AI Engineer

Phoenix, AZ · On-site

$125K - $175K/yr

EQL Tech has been exclusively retained by a high-growth technology startup to appoint a mission-critical AI Engineer to own the brand feel of the company and the movement they're building. About the ...

EQL Tech

AI Engineer

Phoenix, AZ · On-site

$125K - $175K/yr

EQL Tech has been exclusively retained by a high-growth technology startup to appoint a mission-critical AI Engineer to own the brand feel of the company and the movement they're building. About the ...

EQL Tech

AI Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$125K - $175K/yr

EQL Tech has been exclusively retained by a high-growth technology startup to appoint a mission-critical AI Engineer to own the brand feel of the company and the movement they're building. About the ...

Risa Labs

AI Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

Funding RISA Labs is a Series A startup backed by Optum Ventures, Cencora Ventures, Oncology ... healthcare AI solutions. We're looking for bright, curious minds in engineering with strong ...

EQL Tech

AI Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$125K - $175K/yr

EQL Tech has been exclusively retained by a high-growth technology startup to appoint a mission-critical AI Engineer to own the brand feel of the company and the movement they're building. About the ...

EQL Tech

AI Engineer

Phoenix, AZ · On-site

$125K - $175K/yr

EQL Tech has been exclusively retained by a high-growth technology startup to appoint a mission-critical AI Engineer to own the brand feel of the company and the movement they're building. About the ...

Risa Labs

AI Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

Funding RISA Labs is a Series A startup backed by Optum Ventures, Cencora Ventures, Oncology ... healthcare AI solutions. We're looking for bright, curious minds in engineering with strong ...

Mondo

AI Engineer

Raleigh, NC · Remote

$130K - $160K/yr

Startup or small-team engineering background * Experience supporting enterprise AI initiatives * Experience translating business requirements into technical prototypes

Mondo

AI Engineer

Manhattan, NY · Remote

$85 - $110/hr

Contribute to AI engineering standards and technical best practices. * Write clean, scalable ... Experience balancing startup-style execution within a large enterprise. Benefits: This role is ...

Provn

AI Engineer

Bellevue, WA · On-site

$100K - $200K/yr

Ground-floor role at a well-funded startup backed by top-tier VCs, working directly with founders ... ai-engineer

KlearNow.ai

Senior AI Engineer

California, MO · On-site

$187 - $215/hr

Role Overview As a Senior AI Engineer on our Applied AI team, you will design and deploy ... Former founder or early employee at a startup Why This Role * Define the core AI systems of the ...

Eloquent AI

AI Engineer, Agent

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Your Role As an AI Agent Engineer at Eloquent AI, you will be at the forefront of building ... You've worked in a fast-paced startup environment and thrive in rapid iteration cycles.

CoreStory

AI Engineer

We're looking for an AI Engineer who is passionate about building intelligent systems that blend ... Previous experience in SaaS or early-stage startup environments. What We Offer * Competitive ...

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Startup Ai Engineer information

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$25

$53

$76

How much do startup ai engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for startup ai engineer in the United States is $53.63, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $43.27 and $62.26 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a startup AI engineer?

Startup AI Engineers are technology professionals who design, develop, and implement artificial intelligence solutions within startup companies. They often work in fast-paced environments, building prototypes, training machine learning models, and deploying AI-powered features to help startups gain a competitive edge. Their role can be broad, covering data analysis, algorithm development, and collaboration with cross-functional teams. Unlike traditional AI engineers, those at startups may need to wear multiple hats and adapt quickly to changing priorities. A strong foundation in programming, machine learning, and problem-solving is essential for this role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a startup AI engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Startup AI Engineer, you need a solid background in computer science, mathematics, and machine learning, usually supported by a relevant degree or equivalent experience. Familiarity with programming languages (such as Python), deep learning frameworks (like TensorFlow or PyTorch), and cloud platforms is crucial, as are certifications in AI or data science. Creative problem-solving, adaptability, and strong communication skills are important soft skills for collaborating in a fast-paced, evolving environment. These competencies enable rapid prototyping, innovative solution development, and effective teamwork, which are vital for success in a startup setting.

What unique challenges can I expect when working as a startup AI engineer compared to larger companies?

As an AI Engineer in a startup environment, you’ll likely face the challenge of wearing multiple hats and adapting quickly to evolving project needs. Unlike larger organizations with specialized teams, you may be responsible for the entire AI pipeline—from data collection and cleaning, to model deployment and monitoring. Resource constraints can require creative problem-solving and a hands-on approach, but this also means you’ll have greater autonomy and the chance to make a significant impact. Startups often foster close-knit, collaborative teams where your ideas can directly shape the product and business strategy.

What is the difference between Startup Ai Engineer vs Data Scientist?

AspectStartup Ai EngineerData Scientist
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in CS, AI, or related fields; experience with ML frameworksBachelor's or Master's in CS, Statistics, or related fields; proficiency in data analysis
Work EnvironmentFast-paced startup setting, often cross-functionalVaried environments, including corporate, research, or startups
Employer & Industry UsageTech startups, AI-focused companiesWide range of industries including tech, finance, healthcare
Common Search & Comparison IntentYesYes

The Startup Ai Engineer and Data Scientist roles share similar educational backgrounds and work environments, especially in tech-focused companies. However, Startup Ai Engineers focus more on developing AI models and integrating AI solutions into products, while Data Scientists analyze data to generate insights. Both roles are crucial in AI-driven industries, but their core responsibilities differ slightly.

What is the salary of a startup AI engineer?

The salary of a startup AI engineer typically ranges from $80,000 to $150,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and the company's funding stage. Early-stage startups may offer lower base salaries but often include equity or stock options as part of the compensation package.
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What states have the most Startup Ai Engineer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Startup Ai Engineer jobs include:

What job categories do people searching Startup Ai Engineer jobs look for?

The top searched job categories for Startup Ai Engineer jobs are:

Startup Ai Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Startup Ai Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 76% Full Time, 20% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 66% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 30% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $111,552 per year, or $53.6 per hour.

AI Engineer

Avathon

Pleasanton, CA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Retirement

Re-posted 8 days ago

Job description

Who We Are & Why Join Us
Avathon is the leading Industrial AI autonomy platform, helping customers across heavy industries -- energy, mining, manufacturing, aerospace, defense, and logistics -- accelerate the journey toward autonomous operations. Our platform is built on a Computational Knowledge Graph foundation that contextualizes and connects operational data across siloed systems, bringing together time series, structured, unstructured, and machine vision data to power AI-driven applications in asset performance management, supply chain intelligence, visual AI, and global trade management. With capabilities spanning digital twins, normal behavior modeling, natural language processing, and computer vision, Avathon delivers real-time predictive intelligence and agentic decision-making at industrial scale.
Cutting-Edge AI Innovation -- Join a team at the forefront of AI, developing groundbreaking solutions that shape the future. High-Growth Environment -- Thrive in a fast-scaling startup where agility, collaboration, and rapid professional growth are the norm. Meaningful Impact -- Work on AI-driven projects that drive real change across industries and improve lives.
Learn more at: avathon.com
About the Role
Senior AI Engineer - Generative AI & LLMs
At Avathon, we are building cutting-edge AI solutions that transform operations across asset-intensive industries such as Supply Chain, Logistics, Energy, Mining, Aerospace, and Industrial Manufacturing. As an AI Engineer, you will play a critical role in designing, developing, and deploying scalable AI systems with a strong focus on Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), and production-grade machine learning applications.
This role is ideal for someone with strong engineering depth who can bridge research and production-building robust AI platforms, optimizing LLM workflows, and delivering high-impact solutions across forecasting, route optimization, anomaly detection, predictive maintenance, and intelligent automation.
With 3-5 years of hands-on industry experience, you are expected to bring expertise in AI system design, ML engineering, LLM deployment, and scalable software development within fast-paced startup environments.
You Will
  • Design, build, and deploy production-grade AI/ML systems with strong emphasis on Generative AI and LLM-powered applications
  • Develop and optimize end-to-end LLM pipelines including RAG architectures, fine-tuning, prompt orchestration, evaluation, and observability
  • Build scalable backend services and APIs for AI applications using modern engineering best practices
  • Implement and productionize transformer-based models and GenAI workflows for enterprise use cases
  • Design vector search systems, embedding pipelines, and retrieval frameworks for knowledge-intensive applications
  • Partner closely with Product, Engineering, and Business teams to translate operational challenges into scalable AI solutions
  • Drive experimentation, benchmarking, model evaluation, and performance optimization with scientific rigor
  • Improve inference efficiency, latency optimization, cost management, and reliability of deployed AI systems
  • Establish guardrails, hallucination detection, monitoring, and responsible AI practices for production deployments
  • Contribute to MLOps workflows including CI/CD, model lifecycle management, observability, and cloud deployment
  • Stay current with the latest advancements in LLMs, agentic systems, foundation models, and applied AI engineering
You'll Have
  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, or a related technical field
  • 3-5 years of hands-on industry experience in AI Engineering, Machine Learning Engineering, Applied AI, or related roles
  • Strong experience building and deploying LLM-based applications in production environments
  • Solid expertise with Python and modern AI/ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, Hugging Face, LangChain, LlamaIndex, or similar
  • Strong understanding of transformer architectures, LLM fine-tuning, prompt engineering, RAG systems, and vector databases
  • Experience building scalable APIs and backend systems supporting AI workflows
  • Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure
  • Strong software engineering fundamentals including system design, debugging, performance optimization, and production reliability
  • Experience with containerization, deployment pipelines, and collaborative engineering environments
  • Strong analytical thinking, ownership mindset, and ability to work in ambiguous, fast-moving startup environments
  • Strong communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally with technical and business stakeholder
Preferred Qualifications
  • Exposure to Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), vector databases, or embedding-based search systems
  • Familiarity with LLM observability and evaluation tools (e.g., Langfuse, LangSmith, Arize Phoenix, Weights & Biases)
  • Hands-on experience with practical LLM deployment -- prompt versioning, cost/latency tracking, guardrails, or hallucination detection
  • Exposure to LLM evaluation frameworks (e.g., RAGAS, DeepEval) or LLM-as-judge evaluation patterns
  • Basic understanding of MLOps practices and model lifecycle management
  • Experience working on applied AI projects in academic, internship, or startup settings
  • Interest in industrial AI and asset-intensive environments
  • Industry exposure in one or more of the following domains: Mining, Oil & Gas, Aerospace, Supply Chain, Logistics, or Renewable Energy
Interview Process
As part of the interview process, you will be asked to complete a technical assessment.
Benefits & Perks
What are the benefits and perks at Avathon? Below are some highlights we offer to our U.S. full-time employees -- we'd love to connect and share more!
  • Evolving culture with the opportunity to drive new ideas and technology
  • Stock Option Grants
  • Medical Coverage and Parental Leave Plans
  • 401k with Employer Match
  • Monthly Technology Allowance
  • Newly renovated office space located near Pleasanton, CA -- including fully stocked beverage and snack areas

Contract and temporary roles are not eligible for the above benefits.
Compensation
Pay Range: $110k - $130k salary annually. Pay for this position is based on a number of factors including geographic location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
Location: This role is not remote. Candidates must be based in the Bay Area, CA and are expected to report to our Pleasanton office 5 days a week.
Avathon is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Avathon is committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruiting process. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact us to discuss how we can assist you.

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