Software Engineer, Frontier AI Infrastructure

Scale AI is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Software Engineer to join our dynamic Public Sector Engineering team, focusing on Frontier AI Infrastructure.

About the role

As part of this team, you will own the model inference layer, enabling state-of-the-art models, debugging the latest AI tools, managing networking, debugging latency, and tracking pricing/usage metrics for AI models. You will lead technical discussions with cloud vendors and customers to deliver on critical contracts and debug platform issues. You will also work upstream with Product to understand features before they break, shifting from "infra-only debugging" to proactive integration testing.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement secure, scalable backend systems for Public Sector customers, leveraging Scale's modern and cloud-native AI infrastructure.
• Own services or systems and define their long-term health goals, while improving the health of surrounding components.
• Re-architect the stack to run in compliant or restrictive environments by designing swappable components (auth, storage, logging) to meet government/security mandates without breaking the product.
• Work with Product to build integration tests that catch issues early, shifting focus from "infra-only debugging" to preventing failures upstream.
• Participate actively in customer engagements, working closely with stakeholders to understand requirements and deliver innovative solutions.
• Contribute to the platform roadmap and product strategy for Scale AI's Public Sector business, shaping the future direction of our offerings.

Requirements

• Active Secret clearance and the ability & willingness to upgrade to TS/SCI with CI Poly (required).
• Must be able to support work 3-4 days a week from the DC, SF, NYC, or STL office.

Qualifications

• Full Stack Development: Proficiency in both front-end and back-end development, including experience with modern web development frameworks, programming languages, and databases. Experience developing and delivering software to air-gapped and isolated environments is a plus.
• Cloud-Native Technologies: Understanding of containerization (e.g., Docker) and container orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes). Familiarity with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and experience deploying applications in a cloud-native environment.
• Security Focused: Experience with Federal Compliance frameworks and requirements (e.g., Cloud SRG, FedRAMP, STIG Benchmarks). Experience developing software and technical solutions that meet strict security and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Problem Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to understand complex challenges and devise effective solutions. Ability to think critically, identify root causes, and propose innovative approaches.
• Collaboration and Communication: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to collaborate with cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and customers. Ability to clearly articulate technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Adaptability and Learning Agility: Willingness to embrace new technologies, learn new skills, and adapt to evolving project requirements. Ability to quickly grasp and apply new concepts and stay up-to-date with emerging trends in software engineering.

Pay

Compensation packages include base salary, equity, and benefits. The base salary range for this full-time position is:

• San Francisco, New York, Seattle: $184,000—$259,440 USD
• Hawaii, Washington DC, Texas, Colorado: $165,600—$233,496 USD
• St. Louis: $138,000—$194,580 USD

The final salary will be determined during the interview process based on work location, job-related skills, experience, qualifications, interview performance, and relevant education or training. Eligible roles may also receive equity-based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Retirement benefits.
• Learning and development stipend.
• Generous PTO.
• Commuter stipend (role-dependent).

About Us

At Scale, our mission is to develop reliable AI systems for the world's most important decisions. Our products provide high-quality data and full-stack technologies that power leading models and help enterprises and governments build, deploy, and oversee AI applications. We work with industry leaders like Meta, Ernst & Young, Mayo Clinic, Time Inc., the Government of Qatar, and U.S. government agencies including the Army and Air Force.