Applied AI Engineer

Valence has built the first-ever, first-to-market AI coaching platform for enterprise, offering personalized, expert, and human-like guidance and support to any leader or employee. At Valence, we're not just talking about the future of work – we're actively shaping it. From your first interaction with us, you'll notice we're different. We're inviting you to help transform the future of work by bringing groundbreaking research into real-world applications that will enhance human skills and abilities in the workplace. At Valence, you'll be helping to architect the future of leadership in the age of AI. This is not for everyone, but for those with an insatiable curiosity, a passion for innovation, and a desire to transform how businesses approach leadership, this could be the career-defining opportunity you've been waiting for. The future of leadership development is waiting, and we want you to help shape it.

The Role: As a founding Applied AI Engineer at Valence, you'll spearhead the development of groundbreaking AI-driven leadership coaching, reporting directly to our Head of AI. This pivotal role positions you at the intersection of cutting-edge generative AI and practical business applications, offering the opportunity to shape the future of workplace development. You'll:

• Design and develop advanced generative AI models to revolutionize leadership development.
• Craft intelligent interactions through sophisticated natural language processing systems that provide personalized guidance to leaders.
• Optimize AI systems for enterprise scale, ensuring high performance and reliability for Fortune 500 clients.
• Collaborate with product and leadership teams to identify new AI integration opportunities and drive product innovation.
• Champion ethical AI, maintaining standards of fairness, transparency, and user trust in our coaching solutions.

About Valence: We're a Series A B2B SaaS company, backed by Insight Partners, pioneering the first generative AI leadership coach for large enterprises. Our mission is to transform how the world's largest companies approach learning and development, helping teams work better together. Notable features include mentions in the Harvard Business Review and a prestigious client list that includes Coca-Cola, Nestlé, General Mills, ServiceNow, AstraZeneca, Experian, and Bristol Myer.

What You'll Do:

• Architect and develop enterprise-grade conversational AI solutions for leadership coaching.
• Implement improvements in user experience in conversational interactions leveraging LLMs.
• Evaluate and enhance existing conversational (LLM-based) models for effectiveness, scalability, and efficiency.
• Integrate diverse data sources to enrich the knowledge and contextual understanding of our AI coaching models.
• Work with the product team to analyze user behavior and prioritize product developments.
• Support data science processes and other software development efforts as needed.

What We're Looking For:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of professional experience in software engineering or AI/ML development. A Master's or Ph.D. in a related field is a plus.
• Practical and theoretical knowledge of conversational systems, NLP, and Information Retrieval, with relevant tools.
• Strong software engineering skills with a focus on data-driven machine learning systems.
• Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, Tensorflow, JAX) along with cloud deployment experiences (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Experience with Data Science tools (e.g., NumPy, scikit-learn, Pandas) and lifecycle tools (e.g., MLflow, Weights & Biases).
• Hands-on experience with Generative AI applications, particularly Large Language Models.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with effective communication of complex ideas.
• Exposure to early-stage startups, preferably B2B SaaS.

What You'll Get:

• Ownership of projects and strategic priorities, with a focus on learning.
• Strong connections to the executive team and a culture of transparency.
• Competitive salary and equity packages, options from day one.
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision) starting from day one.
• Provisions for success, including learning tools, hardware, and office equipment.
• Generous PTO, company-wide R&R shutdowns, and paid leave for parents.
• A WFH stipend and support for chosen work environments.

Location and Work Environment: Candidates may work hybrid in our offices in NYC or Toronto, or remotely. Candidates must be comfortable collaborating with colleagues in different time zones (UK) and hold valid travel documents without work authorization restrictions in the US.

Diversity and Inclusion: We are dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and supported. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and offer accommodations upon request throughout the hiring process. For inquiries, please reach out to Allison Langille, Head of People, at jobs@valence.co.