Senior Machine Learning Engineer (AI)

TL;DR

Senior Machine Learning Engineer (AI): Building next-generation AI-driven animation systems for persistent AI avatars with an accent on motion generation, multimodal learning, and 3D character technology. Focus on training and optimizing large-scale generative models for real-time applications, including text-to-motion and audio-driven facial animation.

Location: Must be based in or able to commute to Los Angeles or San Francisco (Hybrid)

Salary: $130,000–$300,000

Company

A well-funded AI company developing the visual and embodiment layer for AI characters to provide them with persistent identity and natural real-time interaction.

What you will do

• Develop core models for motion, behavior, and expression generation for AI-powered avatars.
• Build and optimize large-scale generative models for real-time performance.
• Work on text-to-motion generation and audio-driven facial animation systems.
• Connect language, audio, and intent to motion output using multimodal systems.
• Own machine learning systems end-to-end from model development to deployment.
• Collaborate at the intersection of generative AI, animation, and 3D character technology.

Requirements

• Must be based in or able to commute to Los Angeles or San Francisco.
• Experience building and training generative machine learning models in production or research.
• Strong foundations in probability, optimization, deep learning, and ML systems.
• Hands-on experience with diffusion models, transformers, VAEs, or GANs.
• Strong PyTorch experience.
• Experience owning machine learning systems end-to-end.

Nice to have

• Experience with skeletal animation, motion capture, or character animation systems.
• Background in computer graphics, gaming, or 3D technologies.
• Experience with facial animation systems, FACS, or blendshapes.
• Experience optimizing models for real-time inference.