Demo

AI Engineer

Makai Labs
Jersey, NJ Contractor
POSTED ON 5/17/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 6/14/2026
Who We Are

Makai Labs builds software that automates entire companies. We work across a diversified portfolio, which means our systems touch a wide range of domains, processes, and operational constraints. Our engineering team is small, senior, and high-output. We move fast, hold high standards, and trust each other to take ownership without being managed.

What We're Looking For

Makai Labs is hiring a AI Engineer to help build AI systems for enterprise automation. This is a hands-on builder role where you’ll work closely with our engineering and design teams to prototype, ship, and improve AI-powered products and internal tools. You’ll have the opportunity to own smaller projects end to end while contributing to larger client and platform initiatives.

Responsibilities Will Include

  • Build and improve AI-powered applications and internal tools
  • Rapidly prototype, experiment, and iterate across client and internal projects
  • Implement workflows that use LLMs, retrieval systems, agents, and structured outputs
  • Contribute to shared platform work and reusable tooling
  • Turn prototypes into reliable, client-ready systems
  • Conduct research, benchmarking, testing, and evaluation of new approaches
  • Own smaller projects or sub-projects with guidance from the team
  • Take ownership of deliverables and help deliver work that meets client needs
  • Write and maintain clear internal documentation

Ideal Experience

  • Senior in college, recent graduate, or early-career engineer
  • Background in computer science (bonus if you also have business exposure)
  • Experience building AI applications through internships, coursework, research, or personal projects
  • Experience running AI experiments and iterating quickly
  • Strong Python skills

What We Value

  • Initiative and willingness to learn quickly on the job
  • Bias toward action and comfort with fast iteration
  • Interest in staying current with AI advancements and applying them in practical systems
  • Wants to solve hard problems

Nice To Haves

  • Experience with APIs, backend services, or workflow automation
  • Familiarity with FastAPI, Flask, or similar backend frameworks
  • Familiarity with React and TypeScript
  • Familiarity with Docker and local development environments
  • Familiarity with testing in Python or TypeScript
  • Experience working with retrieval systems, embeddings, or search
  • Experience working with OCR, document processing, or PDF workflows
  • Experience with fine-tuning, benchmarking, or serving LLMs
  • Experience in fast-paced, high-accountability team settings

Core values for Makai employees

  • Have a strong work ethic
  • Be self-sufficient and self-driven with an ownership mentality, no matter your role
  • Be a flexible thinker
  • Be congenial and a team player
  • Always be of service to each other and our clients, partners, and neighbors

Benefits

  • Fully remote role, Eastern time zone
  • Opportunities to work in-person with local colleagues
  • Generous PTO
  • Full health insurance premium reimbursement
  • 401(k) matching
  • Career growth & development opportunities

Compensation Range: $115K - $130K

Salary : $115,000 - $130,000

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