Senior AI Engineer
Blank Metal · Minneapolis
About Blank Metal
Blank Metal is an AI-native engineering company that partners with enterprises to deliver production AI fast. We blend strategic insight with hands-on execution, shipping high-impact systems that turn AI initiatives into measurable business results.
We're builders, not theorists. Our team of seasoned engineers, designers, and strategists work across industries to create AI applications that actually get used and make a difference.
The Role
You're a technical leader who shapes how Blank Metal approaches AI engineering. With experience designing, building, and shipping AI features that hold up under real‑world use, you combine deep technical expertise with mentorship and vision. You architect complex AI systems, make critical technical decisions, and elevate the entire team's capabilities.
What You'll Do
Lead the technical architecture and strategy for AI‑powered projects
Design scalable, production‑grade systems that handle real‑world complexity
Make critical decisions about tooling, frameworks, and architectural patterns
Own the quality and reliability of systems in production
Mentor and develop other engineers
Drive technical discussions and shape team standards
Keep up with emerging tools and techniques
Build observability and evaluation frameworks
Partner with product and client teams to translate business needs into technical solutions
Contribute to longer‑term technical vision and innovation
What We're Looking For
AI Architecture Expertise: Deep understanding of production AI systems design, scalability, and reliability
Production AI Leadership: Extensive hands-on experience building, deploying, and operating AI systems
System Design Mastery: Can architect complex AI integrations that scale, handle edge cases, and provide excellent observability
AI Tooling Depth: Expert knowledge of LLM APIs, vector databases, prompt engineering, agents, and emerging AI tools
Full-Stack Fluency: Advanced development skills across frontend, backend, and infrastructure
AI Observability & Evals: Experience building evaluation frameworks and monitoring for AI systems
Technical Leadership: You mentor others, set technical standards, and drive architectural decisions
Strategic Thinking: You connect technical decisions to business outcomes
Learning Mindset: You stay current with the rapidly evolving AI landscape
Required Experience
At least 5 years of professional software engineering experience, with a demonstrated ability to deliver production‑ready AI features that real users depend on
Proven record of shipping complex, mission‑critical software
Strong full‑stack and/or backend development skills applied to real projects
Experience designing and leading technically challenging work from concept through delivery
Shown ability to guide others, share knowledge, and influence technical direction
Nice to Have
Experience building RAG systems at scale
Deep experience with vector databases and semantic search
Background in AI observability, evaluation frameworks, or monitoring
Experience with agent-based architectures and agentic AI systems
Understanding of inference optimization and model serving
Previous mentorship or technical leadership roles
Contribution to AI-focused open source projects
Why You'll Love It Here
Build AI that ships: every project ends in a live deployment, not a slide deck
Craft meets velocity: we obsess over quality while delivering at startup speed
Outcome-driven model: our projects align with client success, not billable hours
AI-native culture: you'll work with peers who deeply understand modern AI's potential and limits
Real collaboration: open conversations, shared ownership, and space to bring your voice and creativity
What Success Looks Like
In your role, you'll:
Establish technical standards and best practices for AI engineering across the team
Lead the design of complex, large-scale AI systems that others will follow
Mentor engineers and accelerate their growth as AI builders
Ship high-impact AI projects that showcase innovation and quality
Become a thought leader on production AI within the organization
Build a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning
Help the company scale AI capabilities as it grows
Equal Opportunity
Blank Metal is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all backgrounds and perspectives. Diversity makes our work better and our team stronger.
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