Applied AI Engineer

📋 Description

• • Valence is at the forefront of revolutionizing leadership development with its pioneering AI-native coaching platform for enterprises. We are seeking a highly motivated and innovative Applied AI Engineer to join our founding team in New York, New York. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of work by building intelligent systems that provide personalized, expert, and human-like guidance to leaders and employees within Fortune 500 companies. If you are driven by complex challenges, thrive at the edge of possibility, and are passionate about redefining AI's impact on a global scale, this role is for you.
• • As a Founding Applied AI Engineer, you will collaborate closely with the Head of AI and cross-functional product and engineering teams. Your primary focus will be at the intersection of cutting-edge generative AI research and practical product execution. You will be instrumental in designing, developing, and refining sophisticated AI systems engineered to deliver context-aware, personalized coaching experiences at enterprise scale. This role is designed to be broad and adaptable, acknowledging that no single candidate will possess every technical skill. We are looking for individuals who are eager to learn, embrace rapid iteration, and contribute significantly across a spectrum of challenges, from fine-tuning model behavior to architecting robust production systems.
• • Your responsibilities will encompass tackling real-world AI problems that are critical to our platform's success. This includes transforming vast amounts of enterprise data into actionable insights and context, optimizing conversational AI to ensure natural and engaging user interactions, and shaping how our AI engages with users in ways that are both meaningful and ethically responsible. The impact of your work will be directly felt in the performance of our platform within high-stakes enterprise deployments and in the growth and development of leaders worldwide through AI-facilitated insights.
• • Valence is the only company dedicated to pioneering AI-first leadership coaching for large enterprises. Our mission is to fundamentally transform how the world's largest companies approach learning and development. We achieve this by leveraging the latest advancements in machine learning and natural language processing to create AI-powered personalization that adapts to individual goals and organizational cultures. Our innovative approach has garnered recognition from prestigious publications such as Harvard Business Review, TIME, World Economic Forum, Financial Times, and Forbes, and we have been recognized as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private company.
• • You will have the unparalleled opportunity to work directly with Fortune 500 technology leaders, building deep expertise through some of the most complex enterprise AI implementations globally. This role offers unique insights into diverse organizational strategies for AI transformation. Our clients are not merely large corporations; they are the vanguards defining what AI-first business transformation looks like across every major industry, including healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and technology. Examples of our esteemed clientele include Coca-Cola, Delta, Nestlé, General Mills, Schneider Electric, Deutsche Telekom, AstraZeneca, Prudential, CVS, and Bristol Myers Squibb.
• • This position requires a proactive and curious mindset. You will be expected to contribute to the entire AI lifecycle, from conceptualization and research to implementation and deployment. This includes exploring novel AI techniques, developing and evaluating machine learning models, building scalable data pipelines, and ensuring the reliability and performance of AI systems in production environments. You will play a key role in defining best practices for applied AI within the company and contributing to our intellectual property. The ideal candidate is someone who is not afraid to experiment, learn from failures, and push the boundaries of what is currently possible with AI in the enterprise context. Your contributions will directly influence the strategic direction of Valence and the evolution of AI in leadership development.
• • We are building a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. As a founding engineer, you will have a significant impact on the company's trajectory and culture. You will work in a fast-paced environment where your ideas are valued and your contributions are recognized. This is more than just a job; it's an opportunity to be part of a transformative movement in the future of work and leadership.