AI/ML Engineer

Cyrano is a stealth, pre-seed, revenue-generating AI startup in San Francisco building systems with real memory and continuity. We're hiring an early AI/ML engineer who wants real ownership (not another big-company role) and is ready to prove it.

What you'll do

• Take ambiguous problems from idea to production across LLM features, agent workflows, retrieval, and memory

• Build async Python services, including streaming and real-time interactions

• Design short-term, long-term, and episodic memory for persistent conversational state

• Build evaluation datasets, catch regressions, and improve quality, latency, and cost

• Document decisions and own your work from design through delivery

What you'll bring

• Strong Python (asyncio, FastAPI) plus working knowledge of C++, Rust, or Go

• Solid CS foundations: graphs, relational theory, algorithmic complexity

• Hands-on experience shipping LLM features: RAG, tool use, agent frameworks (LangChain, AutoGen, CrewAI, LlamaIndex, or custom)

• Practical deep learning: transformers and PyTorch, JAX, or TensorFlow

• Fine-tuning / post-training (SFT, LoRA/QLoRA, preference optimization), and the judgment to know when not to

• Production infrastructure: containers, Kubernetes, cloud, CI/CD, observability

Nice to have: real-time voice/speech, LLM serving (vLLM, TensorRT-LLM, Triton), distributed training, open-source work or shipped AI products.

We care about what you've actually built more than a list of tools. A CS/ML degree is useful but not required.

How we hire (about one week)

1. Self-assessment form (~30 min)

2. JokeBox Challenge (invite only): opens Mon, Sep 28; Box due Tue, Sep 29; full build due Wed, Sep 30

3. Finalist Hackathon: all-day, in person in SF, Thu, Oct 1, with on-the-spot offers

Full-time · In person, SF Bay Area (Bay Area residence required) · $120K–$200K base + early equity

Pay: $120,000.00 - $200,000.00 per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in San Francisco, CA 94158