AI Engineer Who we are Makai Labs builds software that automates entire companies. We work across a diversified portfolio, which means our systems touch a wide range of domains, processes, and operational constraints. Our engineering team is small, senior, and high-output. We move fast, hold high standards, and trust each other to take ownership without being managed. What we're looking for Makai Labs is hiring a AI Engineer to help build AI systems for enterprise automation. This is a hands-on builder role where you’ll work closely with our engineering and design teams to prototype, ship, and improve AI-powered products and internal tools. You’ll have the opportunity to own smaller projects end to end while contributing to larger client and platform initiatives. Responsibilities will include • Build and improve AI-powered applications and internal tools • Rapidly prototype, experiment, and iterate across client and internal projects • Implement workflows that use LLMs, retrieval systems, agents, and structured outputs • Contribute to shared platform work and reusable tooling • Turn prototypes into reliable, client-ready systems • Conduct research, benchmarking, testing, and evaluation of new approaches • Own smaller projects or sub-projects with guidance from the team • Take ownership of deliverables and help deliver work that meets client needs • Write and maintain clear internal documentation Ideal Experience • Senior in college, recent graduate, or early-career engineer • Background in computer science (bonus if you also have business exposure) • Experience building AI applications through internships, coursework, research, or personal projects • Experience running AI experiments and iterating quickly • Strong Python skills What we value • Initiative and willingness to learn quickly on the job • Bias toward action and comfort with fast iteration • Interest in staying current with AI advancements and applying them in practical systems • Wants to solve hard problems Nice To Haves • Experience with APIs, backend services, or workflow automation • Familiarity with FastAPI, Flask, or similar backend frameworks • Familiarity with React and TypeScript • Familiarity with Docker and local development environments • Familiarity with testing in Python or TypeScript • Experience working with retrieval systems, embeddings, or search • Experience working with OCR, document processing, or PDF workflows • Experience with fine-tuning, benchmarking, or serving LLMs • Experience in fast-paced, high-accountability team settings Core values for Makai employees • Have a strong work ethic • Be self-sufficient and self-driven with an ownership mentality, no matter your role • Be a flexible thinker • Be congenial and a team player • Always be of service to each other and our clients, partners, and neighbors Benefits • Fully remote role, Eastern time zone • Opportunities to work in-person with local colleagues • Generous PTO • Full health insurance premium reimbursement • 401(k) matching • Career growth & development opportunities