Staff Software Engineer (SF/NY)

About Fractional AI

Fractional AI is dedicated to leveraging frontier AI technologies to deliver impactful solutions. Backed by prominent investors including Anthropic, Blackstone, Hellman & Friedman, Goldman Sachs, General Atlantic, Leonard Green & Partners, Apollo Global Management, GIC, and Sequoia Capital, we operate from headquarters in San Francisco with offices in New York, Raleigh-Durham, and Dubai.

The Role

This role is tailored for experienced engineering leaders (IC or EM) or founders who wish to maintain a significant level of impact as individual contributors. As an IC, you will lead a small, high-performing team (2-5 engineers and a Product Manager) to develop AI-driven solutions for clients. Your responsibilities include setting technical direction, writing code, and guiding clients through complex problem-solving sessions. You will spend approximately 75% of your time coding and 25% collaborating closely with clients, typically their Chief Technology Officers (CTOs).

What You Bring

• 8+ years of engineering experience, with a proven track record of delivering complete products.
• Adept at writing elegant, production-ready code across various domains.
• A deep interest in applying software engineering principles to AI systems.
• A strong ability to balance model capabilities with robust system design.
• Comfortable engaging with senior technical stakeholders and navigating complex conversations.
• A high degree of ownership and initiative, ready to tackle both large and small projects.
• A low ego and high integrity, committed to honesty and collaboration within the team.

Our Engineering Philosophy

We advocate for best practices in AI engineering, emphasizing the importance of rigorous testing, hypothesis-driven design, and maintaining systems over time. Our approach involves designing systems around testable ideas, curating reliable datasets, and ensuring that what we produce remains functional even after deployment. With over 30 AI products under our belt, we have developed a unique perspective on successful AI product development.

How Fractional Is Different

Engineers here typically release two to three products annually, learning from dozens more. Each project offers unparalleled autonomy and exposure to cutting-edge AI models and tools. While this can be exhilarating, it also demands a high level of adaptability and resilience. If you thrive in such an environment, you might find this role highly rewarding. However, it's important to note that not everyone will enjoy this pace and intensity.

Our Values

• Overdeliver: We aim to establish ourselves as the leading experts in creating enterprise value with Large Language Models (LLMs), and we continuously share our insights with our team.
• Overuse AI: We actively explore new AI tools and methodologies, fostering a culture of innovation and experimentation within our team.
• Over 'engineer' the culture: Every major decision is evaluated to determine its impact on Fractional's overall culture and team dynamics.

Ready to Join Us?

Apply now to join a dynamic team pushing the boundaries of AI engineering and product development. We're excited to have you on board!