Senior Software Engineer (AI Infrastructure)
About the role
This role is open to candidates in Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, LA, Silicon Valley and San Francisco.
Responsibilities
- Design, build, and operate the systems and shared infrastructure that AI applications at the firm depend on.
- Own metrics, logs, and traces for the platform. Instrument services, build dashboards and alerts, and use telemetry to diagnose and resolve performance and reliability issues.
- Harden and improve the resilience, security posture, and operational maturity of existing systems.
- Provide the tooling, environments, and deployment paths that let application developers ship AI agents and workflows onto the platform quickly and safely. Treat internal developers as your users.
- Collaborate with engineers, data scientists, product managers, and corporate departments (Security, IT) to understand requirements, communicate tradeoffs, and deliver platform capabilities that fit how the firm works.
Requirements
- BA/BS with 4+ years of professional software, platform, infrastructure, or DevOps engineering experience, OR a Master or PhD in a quantitative field (e.g., Computer Science, Math, Economics) with 2+ years of industry experience.
- Strong fundamentals in system design, with the ability to build reliable systems that handle sensitive data with high reliability.
- Demonstrated ability to work across tech stacks and pick up new languages or frameworks quickly.
- Experience using AI-powered coding assistants to accelerate development; strong interest in staying at the forefront of AI-enabled engineering.
- Familiarity with building AI agents (e.g., using the Claude Agent SDK), and with what it takes to run agents safely in sandboxed environments.
- Deep, practical experience with environment isolation concepts and container solutions such as Docker, Podman, or Bubblewrap.
- Hands-on experience with metrics, logging, and distributed tracing, ideally with the Grafana ecosystem (Grafana, Loki, Tempo, Mimir, Alloy) and OpenTelemetry.
- Ability to clearly articulate technical tradeoffs, document systems well, and explain progress to both technical peers and non-technical stakeholders.
Skills
- Engineering Mindset
- Technical Versatility
- AI-Native Development
- Agentic Tooling
- Containers
- Observability & Reliability
- Hardening & Operations
- Developer Enablement
- Communication
Preferred
- Reverse Proxies & Gateways
- Networking & Service Connectivity
- Ci/Cd & Infrastructure as Code
- Orchestration
- Hybrid Environments
- Identity & Secrets
- Regulated or Professional Services Environments
About Cornerstone Research
The firm draws from an extensive network of prominent academic and industry experts to support each matter effectively. Pairing a deep understanding of economics and finance with a suite of industry-leading artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, Cornerstone provides clients with a sophisticated, tailored approach. A reputation for innovation, precision, and excellence has defined Cornerstone since 1989. That momentum continues with over 1,000 professionals collaborating across nine offices in the US, UK, and EU.
About Data Science Center
The Data Science Center (DSC) is the Cornerstone Research's center of excellence for advanced analytics, data infrastructure, and AI-enabled innovation. The DSC sits at the intersection of economics, data science, and litigation. We partner with consultants to build practical, AI-powered products that reshape how Cornerstone delivers. The DSC brings together deep domain expertise, direct access to real user problems, and strong distribution channels, creating the conditions for legal technology that lasts.
Application Requirements
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- (Optional) Code Portfolio
Application Instructions
Cornerstone Research will provide visa support to full-time candidates. If you are applying from within the US, candidates should have at least 12 months remaining of work authorization.
Benefits
- Market-leading compensation and benefits package
- Base salary range: $215,000 - $235,000
- Eligibility for a signing bonus depending on skills, education, and experience
- Eligibility for discretionary bonuses based on case performance, firm contributions, and other factors
- Equal Employment Opportunity