The Role
Applied AI / ML Engineer to help design, implement, and scale advanced models that power Replica’s urban simulation and analytics products. This role is scoped at the Senior level or above : we expect candidates to operate at least at a Senior Engineer level, and for exceptional candidates, we are open to Staff or Principal-level.
You’ll sit at the intersection of research and engineering, translating applied methods into production-ready models that deliver meaningful insights about mobility, land use, and activity patterns across the US. Your work will focus on algorithms, modeling, and applied AI / ML techniques that improve Replica’s products and unlock new capabilities for customers.
Location : San Francisco, New York, Kansas City, or Remote (US)
Reports to : Director of Engineering
Works closely with : Product and Data Science teams and other engineers on the Data Production team
Collaborates with : Customer Success and Strategy teams to ensure models align with product needs and customer use cases
Responsibilities
- Design, prototype, and implement applied AI / ML models for mobility, activity, and behavioral modeling at scale.
- Drive improvements to core models for routing, mode choice, demand estimation, and geospatial forecasting — balancing research innovation with production readiness.
- Partner closely with Product and Data Science leadership to set technical direction for modeling initiatives, ensuring they align with customer and business needs.
- Evaluate new data sources (e.g., vendor-provided mobility data, traffic sensors, geospatial layers) for quality, coverage, and fitness-for-use in Replica’s models.
- Develop new algorithms to fuse Replica’s proprietary data with external sources (e.g., traffic sensors, land use, census, streaming data).
- Evaluate model performance, define success metrics, and iterate quickly to improve accuracy, robustness, and fairness.
- Collaborate with data production engineers to transition prototypes into robust, production-quality systems used nationwide.
- Contribute to modeling frameworks and shared libraries, mentoring peers and raising the technical bar across the team.
- Stay current with advances in machine learning, optimization, and geospatial modeling, applying them pragmatically to Replica’s challenges.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Engineering, or related field; advanced degree (MS / PhD) preferred.4+ years of professional experience in applied ML / AI, research engineering, or related roles.Strong Python skills with experience in ML libraries (PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn) and numerical computing (numpy, pandas, scipy).Experience designing, training, and deploying AI / ML models in production.Hands-on experience with large-scale data sets, especially geospatial or time-series data.Familiarity with distributed computation frameworks (Dask, Spark, Ray) and cloud environments (GCP preferred).Proven ability to communicate technical decisions and tradeoffs clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.What We Value
We work in the service of othersWe understand that talent + diversity + curiosity + relentlessness winsWe believe walking >talking
We operate with thoughtful urgencyWe communicate openly and directlyWe build products people useBenefits
Our people! We work as a team and are excited to contribute to city planningCompetitive salary based on experience and potential for impactEquity at an early stage startupHealth benefits including medical, dental, vision, and FSA options401k account + employer safe harbor contributionOffices in San Francisco, CA, New York and Kansas CityFlexible PTOCompensation
Replica is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices.The base salary range for this position is $157,500 to $239,800. Actual compensation packages are based on qualifications, depth of experience, skill set, certifications, training, education, and location. Adjustments may occur based on cost of living for the location. Position titles may span multiple career levels.The total compensation package includes equity stock options, employee benefit package, 401k with 3% safe harbor employer contribution, unlimited PTO, and may include other incentive compensation and / or bonuses. For more information, visit https : / / replicahq.com / careersReplica is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily.The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and / or ability required.Ability to operate at both a strategic / conceptual level and at a detailed, operational level metrics driven; highly disciplined.Must have strong interpersonal skills, maturity and good judgment and be capable of communicating with a diverse range of individuals.A hands-on, action-oriented approach that fits well with the entrepreneurial, fast-paced culture.Engaging leadership style that builds and sustains credibility with colleagues, clients and other stakeholders.Broad functional experience in areas of strategic planning and marketing, sales and market development and planning.#J-18808-Ljbffr
