AI/Backend Engineer | San Francisco | $250k + equity

Harrison Clarke are partnered with an early-stage startup building ground truth infrastructure for AI agents - creating the data, evaluation, and runtime systems that allow LLM-powered agents to behave reliably in real-world environments.As an AI / Infrastructure Engineer focused on LLM systems, you will help design and operate the production backbone for deploying and scaling large language models. This includes building low-latency inference systems, GPU-optimised serving infrastructure, and the evaluation pipelines that ensure model outputs remain accurate, consistent, and grounded.Key Responsibilities:Design and operate infrastructure for deploying LLMs (e.g., GPT-style, open-weight, fine-tuned models)Build and optimise high-throughput, low-latency inference pipelinesImplement scalable LLM serving systems (batching, caching, streaming, request routing)Manage GPU-based infrastructure with a focus on cost and performance efficiencyDeploy and maintain model serving stacks (e.g., vLLM, TensorRT-LLM, TGI, Triton, or equivalents)Build systems for model routing, fallback logic, and multi-model orchestrationImplement observability for LLM systems (latency, throughput, cost, failure modes, quality signals)Design evaluation infrastructure for production LLM behaviour (A/B testing, regression testing, drift detection)Collaborate with ML and product teams to productionise RAG systems and fine-tuned modelsQualifications:3+ years in infrastructure engineering, MLOps, or backend systems rolesProven experience deploying ML or LLM systems in production environmentsStrong proficiency in Python and/or GoStrong understanding of distributed systems and scalable backend architectureHands-on experience with Docker, Kubernetes and CI/CD pipelinesFamiliarity with model serving frameworks (e.g., vLLM, Triton, TGI)Experience building high-performance APIs for production systemsStrong debugging skills across infrastructure and application layersMust have the legal right to work in the US and must not require visa sponsorship If this sounds like something of interest, please apply below or alternatively reach out to me at