AI Performance Optimization Engineer

Who We Are

Lightning AI is the company reimagining the way AI is built. After creating and releasing PyTorch Lightning in 2019, Lightning AI was launched to reshape the development of artificial intelligence products for commercial and academic use.

We are on a mission to simplify AI development, making it accessible to everyone-from solo researchers to large enterprises. By removing the complexity of building and deploying AI tools, we empower innovators to focus on solving real-world problems. Our platform is built to scale with the latest AI advancements while staying intuitive and adaptable, so you can bring your ideas to life.

We have offices in New York City, San Francisco, and London and are backed by investors such as Coatue, Index Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and Firstminute.

Our Values

• Move Fast : We act with speed and precision, breaking down big challenges into achievable steps.
• Focus : We complete one goal at a time with care, collaborating as a team to deliver features with precision.
• Balance : Sustained performance comes from rest and recovery. We ensure a healthy work-life balance to keep you at your best.
• Craftsmanship : Innovation through excellence. Every detail matters, and we take pride in mastering our craft.
• Minimal : Simplicity drives our innovation. We eliminate complexity through discipline and focus on what truly matters.

What We're Looking For

We are seeking a highly skilled AI Optimization Engineer to work on optimizing training and inference workloads on compute accelerators and clusters, through the Lightning Thunder compiler and the broader PyTorch Lightning ecosystem . This role sits at the intersection of deep learning research, compiler development, and large-scale system optimization . You'll be shaping technology that pushes the boundaries of model performance and efficiency, creating foundational software that will impact the entire machine learning ecosystem.

You will be joining the Engineering Team and report to our Tech Lead. This is a hybrid role based in either our New York City or San Francisco office with in-office requirements of 2 days per week. The salary range for this role is $120,000-$250,000.

What you'll do

Design and implement profiling and debugging tools to analyze model execution, identify bottlenecks, and guide optimization strategies.

What you'll need

Deep understanding of compiler internals (IR design, operator fusion, scheduling, optimization passes) or proven work in performance-critical software.

Benefits and Perks

We offer competitive base salaries and stock options with a 25% one year cliff and monthly vesting thereafter. For our international employees, we work with Velocity Global to pay you in your local currency and provide equitable benefits across the globe.

In the US, we offer :

At Lightning AI, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe that diverse teams drive innovation and create better products. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We are dedicated to building a culture where everyone can thrive and contribute to their fullest potential.