Multimodal AI Model Optimization Research Engineer

TL;DR

Multimodal AI Model Optimization Research Engineer (AI Engineering): Optimize and productionize cutting-edge multimodal AI models focusing on sparsification, distillation, and quantization. Focus on designing efficient model architectures, benchmarking trade-offs, and collaborating closely with researchers and engineers to deploy scalable AI systems.

Location: Hybrid in San Francisco with relocation support; remote candidates also considered (London/Europe acceptable)

Company

hirify.global is a Series B startup pioneering multimodal AI to enable natural human-AI interaction through audio-visual avatar behavior and conversational video experiences across multiple industries.

What you will do

• Optimize research AI models for production using sparsification, distillation, and quantization techniques
• Define metrics, run experiments, and benchmark latency, cost, and quality trade-offs
• Collaborate with researchers and engineers to implement deployable AI systems
• Manage the full optimization lifecycle of key multimodal AI models

Requirements

• Location: Hybrid in San Francisco preferred with relocation support; remote candidates considered
• Strong experience in deep learning with PyTorch and model optimization techniques
• Knowledge of efficient architectures, inference performance, and GPU fundamentals
• Proficient Python coding and research engineering skills
• Experience with large models and datasets in cloud environments
• Ability to read and reproduce ML research papers and communicate effectively

Nice to have

• Experience optimizing diffusion, video/audio generative, or large language models
• Familiarity with real-time or streaming systems such as low-latency APIs and WebRTC
• Knowledge of TensorRT, ONNX Runtime, TVM, Triton, or XLA
• Experience writing custom CUDA kernels and low-level performance tuning
• Expertise in experiment tracking, benchmarking, and profiling at scale
• Prior research engineering or applied science experience

Culture & Benefits

• Flexible work schedules and unlimited PTO
• Competitive healthcare and gear stipends
• Collaborative environment focused on learning and impact
• Emphasis on diversity and culture creation