Software Engineer, AI Data - Columbia, SC, USA

Role overview Build the data systems that support AI model training and future audio products. You’ll find and onboard audio data sources, then develop scalable pipelines and processing systems that balance dataset quality, speed, and cost. The role combines backend engineering with close collaboration with AI researchers, and calls for ownership from early problem discovery through ongoing improvement.

Responsibilities - Identify audio data sources and build dependable pipelines to bring them into training datasets. - Develop and improve large-scale data processing, monitoring quality, throughput, and operating cost. - Work with AI researchers to refine datasets and support the development of new models. - Lead engineering work from investigating a problem through implementation and continued iteration.

Requirements - A degree in computer science or a related area, or equivalent practical experience. - At least five years of professional software engineering experience and strong backend fundamentals. - Proficiency with Python and Bash in Linux environments. - Experience building and operating production software; data pipelines or large-scale processing experience is especially relevant. - Sound problem-solving skills, initiative, and the ability to work independently when requirements are unclear.

Nice to have - Background in web crawling, data acquisition, or distributed data processing. - Cloud infrastructure and Infrastructure as Code experience, particularly with GCP and Terraform. - Familiarity with machine learning datasets, data quality, or audio processing.

Benefits and work setup The position is described as full time, with a U.S. base salary range of $140,000–$200,000, plus bonus and equity based on experience. The team works across locations and emphasizes autonomy and asynchronous collaboration. The work connects AI and audio, with an opportunity to contribute to products intended to make reading more accessible.