Senior Software Engineer, Applied AI

Your Impact at Lila

We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join our Applied AI group and help build the next generation of our AI-driven scientific platform. In this role, you will design and optimize the backend systems, data pipelines, and AI integrations that power intelligent, data-driven applications. You’ll work at the intersection of backend engineering and machine learning, ensuring our platform seamlessly scales and supports cutting-edge applied AI techniques such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), agentic AI, and large language model (LLM) integration.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in bridging software engineering and applied AI—turning research into production-grade systems that drive real-world scientific discovery. If you are passionate about building performant, elegant systems that make AI useful and impactful, we would love to hear from you!

What You'll Be Building

• Applied AI Integration: Design and deploy backend services and data pipelines that directly support advanced AI applications, including LLMs, RAG, and agentic frameworks.
• API & Service Development: Build high-performance APIs and microservices that enable seamless integration between AI models, scientific tools, and user-facing applications.
• Data Pipeline Architecture: Architect and manage scalable pipelines capable of handling structured, unstructured, and vectorized data for AI/ML workloads.
• Database & Knowledge Systems: Implement and optimize SQL, NoSQL, and vector databases to support low-latency AI retrieval and inference workloads.
• Cloud & Infrastructure: Leverage AWS, Kubernetes, and infrastructure-as-code (Terraform/CloudFormation) to build robust, production-ready AI platforms.
• Performance & Reliability: Diagnose system bottlenecks, optimize for cost and speed, and ensure the reliability and fault-tolerance of AI-driven workflows.
• Collaboration: Partner with ML researchers, platform engineers, and scientists to translate models and algorithms into scalable, production-ready systems.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

• Educational Background: Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Backend & Data Expertise: 7+ years of professional experience building and scaling production systems, including APIs, data pipelines, and distributed services.
• Programming Skills: Strong Python skills (FastAPI, Flask, Django), with solid experience in backend service development.
• Databases: Proven experience with SQL, NoSQL, and vector databases; skilled in schema design, indexing, and query optimization.
• Applied AI Systems: Hands-on experience integrating ML models or AI-driven workflows into production services.
• Cloud & DevOps: Proficiency with AWS, Docker/Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure-as-code.
• Communication & Problem-Solving: Ability to work cross-functionally with diverse teams and explain complex technical concepts to non-experts.

Bonus Points For

• Scientific & Data-Intensive Domains: Experience working with life sciences, materials sciences, or other research-heavy fields.
• Startup Experience: Comfort with fast-paced, iterative environments where impact and adaptability matter.

About Lila

Lila Sciences is the world’s first scientific superintelligence platform and autonomous lab for life, chemistry, and materials science.  We are pioneering a new age of boundless discovery by building the capabilities to apply AI to every aspect of the scientific method.  We are introducing scientific superintelligence to solve humankind's greatest challenges, enabling scientists to bring forth solutions in human health, climate, and sustainability at a pace and scale never experienced before. Learn more about this mission at  pythongoawskubernetesdockermachine learningaibackenddevopsdata