# AI Engineer - New Verticals

**Company:** [Protege](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/protege)
**Location:** Remote
**Role:** ML Engineering
**Experience:** 3+ years
**Skills:** Python, SQL, Backend Engineering, Data Systems, Infrastructure, Application Logic, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, LLMs
**Posted:** 2026-08-31

> Build the technical foundation for a new business vertical, creating reusable infrastructure and leading early customer engagements from scoping through delivery. The role requires 3+ years of engineering experience, strong Python and SQL skills, backend/data expertise, and comfort operating in ambiguity.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Partner with the GM and early customers to define the vertical’s technical needs.
- Build reusable patterns, integrations, tooling, workflows, and infrastructure on top of the existing platform.
- Make architectural decisions about what belongs in the core platform versus vertical-specific tooling.
- Create a technical playbook for future Forward Deployed Engineers.
- Lead initial customer engagements from technical scoping through delivery and post-launch support.
- Write production-grade code that addresses immediate customer needs while becoming reusable infrastructure.
- Translate customer requirements into durable, maintainable systems.
- Identify repeatable use cases, infrastructure gaps, and opportunities for productization.
- Collaborate with Product, Engineering, Data Lab, Solutions, the GM, and other FDEs.
- Define the vertical’s technical strategy and serve as its technical voice as it grows.

## Requirements
- 3+ years of engineering experience, including meaningful 0-to-1 work as a founding engineer, early technical lead, or builder in an ambiguous environment.
- Strong engineering generalist skills with a backend and data orientation.
- Hands-on experience with Python and SQL.
- Experience across infrastructure, application logic, and data systems.
- Ability to create structure without a fully defined roadmap and move quickly in ambiguity.
- Strong technical judgment balancing short-term delivery with long-term architecture.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with senior technical and business stakeholders.
- Ability to independently lead customer technical-scoping conversations and translate them into execution plans.

## Nice to Have
- Prior founding-engineer experience at a successful startup.
- Experience extending an existing platform into a new domain or use case.
- Experience turning customer-specific work into reusable infrastructure or product capabilities.
- Familiarity with machine learning, natural-language processing, or large language model systems.

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