Senior Software Engineer (Backend) - AI/ML

$141K - $232K Remote Senior AI Software Engineer

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Skills & Technologies

AwsAzureGcpPythonTypescript

About This Role

AI job market dashboard showing open roles by category

### About ClickHouse

Recognized on the 2025 Forbes Cloud 100 list, ClickHouse is one of the most innovative and fast\-growing private cloud companies. With more than 3,000 customers and ARR that has grown over 250 percent year over year, ClickHouse leads the market in real\-time analytics, data warehousing, observability, and AI workloads.

The company’s sustained, accelerating momentum was recently validated by a $400M Series D financing round. Over the past three months, customers including Capital One, Lovable, Decagon, Polymarket, and Airwallex have adopted the platform or expanded existing deployments. These customers join an established base of AI innovators and global brands such as Meta, Cursor, Sony, and Tesla.

We’re on a mission to transform how companies use data. Come be a part of our journey!

### About the team

The AI/ML Engineering team builds and operates ClickHouse's AI and machine learning products end\-to\-end. This includes the Agentic Data Stack, AI Functions, chDB, the in\-Console copilot, and the AI/ML partnerships that distribute them — together with the shared components and expertise that let every other ClickHouse team ship AI in the surfaces they own. Our team is looking for highly skilled and experienced software engineers to join us, who will be responsible for designing, building, and operating the products that make ClickHouse the platform of choice for agents and data scientists.

### What you will do

  • Feature Development: Design and implement AI\-powered features across the full stack, from backend inference services to intuitive frontend interfaces within the ClickHouse Cloud platform.
  • API Architecture: Create robust, scalable APIs that connect ClickHouse's database capabilities with modern AI/ML inference systems and external/internal AI services.
  • Ecosystem Integrations: Implement and maintain integrations with the broader AI/ML ecosystem and standards, ensuring that ClickHouse as a technology works seamlessly with popular frameworks and tools.
  • Technical Integration: Integrate models into production systems with proper monitoring, versioning, observability, and evaluation.
  • Oncall: Participate in the daytime oncall rotation along with the rest of the team.
  • Developer Experience: Design and implement developer tools, SDKs, and documentation that enable users to leverage ClickHouse’s AI/ML capabilities.

### What you will bring along

  • 5\+ years of software engineering experience in production environments
  • Exposure to working directly with AI/ML technologies
  • Backend development experience in TypeScript or Python, with a focus on API design and service architecture
  • A high level of ownership and can drive features from concept to production with minimal supervision
  • Ability to thrive in collaborative environments and can effectively communicate technical concepts to diverse stakeholders
  • Backend development experience in one of Python, Go, or TypeScript, with a focus on API design and service architecture

Nice to have

  • Experience integrating and deploying AI/ML models in production systems, including working with inference APIs and vector databases
  • Familiarity with cloud technologies such as AWS, Azure, or GCP, particularly services related to AI/ML deployment
  • Understanding of database systems and data processing pipelines, with ClickHouse experience being a significant plus

\#LI\-remote

The typical starting salary for this role in the US is

$141,000 \- $195,000 USDThe typical starting salary for this role in US Premium Markets is

$158,000 \- $232,000 USD### Compensation

For roles based in the United States, the typical starting salary range for this position is listed above. In certain locations, such as the San Francisco Bay Area and the New York City Metro Area, a premium market range may apply, as listed.

These salary ranges reflect what we reasonably and in good faith believe to be the minimum and maximum pay for this role at the time of posting. The actual compensation may be higher or lower than the amounts listed, and the ranges may be subject to future adjustments.

An individual’s placement within the range will depend on various factors, including (but not limited to) education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, location, performance, and the needs of the business or organization.

If you have any questions or comments about compensation as a candidate, please get in touch with us at [email protected].

### Perks

  • Flexible work environment \- ClickHouse is a globally distributed company and remote\-friendly. We currently operate in over 20 countries.
  • Healthcare \- Employer contributions towards your healthcare.
  • Equity in the company \- Every new team member who joins our company receives stock options.
  • Time off \- Flexible time off in the US, generous entitlement in other countries.
  • A $500 Home office setup if you’re a remote employee.
  • Global Gatherings – We believe in the power of in\-person connection and offer opportunities to engage with colleagues at company\-wide offsites.

Culture \- We All Shape It

As part of a rapidly scaling start up, you will be instrumental in shaping our culture.

Equal Opportunity \& Privacy

ClickHouse provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type based on factors such as race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Salary Context

This $141K-$232K range is below the median for AI Software Engineer roles in our dataset (median: $190K across 193 roles with salary data).

Role Details

Company clickhouse
Title Senior Software Engineer (Backend) - AI/ML
Location Remote, US
Category AI Software Engineer
Experience Senior
Salary $141K - $232K
Remote Yes

About This Role

AI Software Engineers build the applications and systems that AI models run inside. They own the API layers, data pipelines, frontend integrations, and infrastructure that turn a model into a product users interact with. Every AI company needs engineers who can build the software around the AI.

The challenge is building reliable systems around inherently unreliable components. Models are probabilistic. They'll give different answers to the same question. They hallucinate. They're slow. They're expensive. Your job is to build an application layer that handles all of this gracefully while delivering a product that users trust and enjoy.

Across the 3,824 AI roles we're tracking, AI Software Engineer positions make up 7% of the market. At clickhouse, this role fits into their broader AI and engineering organization.

AI Software Engineer roles are among the most numerous in the AI job market. Every company deploying AI needs software engineers who understand AI integration patterns. The demand is broad, spanning startups to enterprises, across every industry adopting AI capabilities.

What the Work Looks Like

A typical week includes: building API endpoints that serve model inference with caching and fallback logic, designing the data pipeline that feeds context to a RAG system, implementing streaming responses in the frontend, debugging a race condition in the async inference pipeline, and optimizing database queries for the vector search layer. It's full-stack engineering with AI at the center.

AI Software Engineer roles are among the most numerous in the AI job market. Every company deploying AI needs software engineers who understand AI integration patterns. The demand is broad, spanning startups to enterprises, across every industry adopting AI capabilities.

Skills Required

Aws (31% of roles) Azure (23% of roles) Gcp (19% of roles) Python (51% of roles) Typescript (8% of roles)

Full-stack engineering skills with AI integration experience. Python and TypeScript are the most common requirements. You'll need to understand API design, database architecture, and how to build reliable systems around probabilistic outputs. Experience with streaming, async processing, and caching patterns is increasingly important as real-time AI applications proliferate.

Knowledge of vector databases, embedding APIs, and LLM integration patterns (function calling, structured outputs, retry logic) differentiates AI software engineers from general software engineers. Understanding cost optimization (caching strategies, model routing, batched inference) is valuable since inference costs can dominate application economics.

Strong postings describe the product you'll be building, the AI integration patterns you'll work with, and the scale requirements. Look for companies that have existing AI features and need engineers to improve and expand them, not companies that are 'planning to add AI' someday.

Compensation Benchmarks

AI Software Engineer roles pay a median of $234,620 based on 682 positions with disclosed compensation. Senior-level AI roles across all categories have a median of $227,400. This role's midpoint ($186K) sits 21% below the category median. Disclosed range: $141K to $232K.

Across all AI roles, the market median is $200,000. Top-quartile compensation starts at $253,000. The 90th percentile reaches $307,500. For comparison, the highest-paying categories include AI Engineering Manager ($293,500) and AI Safety ($274,200). By seniority level: Entry: $97,380; Mid: $160,000; Senior: $227,400; Director: $243,000; VP: $250,000.

clickhouse AI Hiring

clickhouse has 3 open AI roles right now. They're hiring across AI/ML Engineer, AI Software Engineer. Based in Remote, US. Compensation range: $230K - $232K.

Remote Work Context

Remote AI roles pay a median of $169,035 across 1,817 positions. About 16% of all AI roles offer remote work.

Career Path

Common paths into AI Software Engineer roles include Software Engineer, Full-Stack Developer, Backend Engineer.

From here, career progression typically leads toward Staff Engineer, AI Architect, Engineering Manager.

If you're a software engineer, you're already 80% there. Learn the AI integration patterns: RAG, streaming inference, function calling, structured outputs. Build a project that demonstrates you can wrap an AI model in a production-quality application with proper error handling, caching, and user experience. That's the portfolio piece that gets you hired.

What to Expect in Interviews

Technical screens look like standard software engineering interviews with an AI twist. Expect system design questions about building reliable applications around probabilistic models: handling streaming responses, implementing retry logic for API failures, and designing caching strategies for LLM outputs. Coding rounds test standard algorithms plus practical integration patterns like async processing and rate limiting.

When evaluating opportunities: Strong postings describe the product you'll be building, the AI integration patterns you'll work with, and the scale requirements. Look for companies that have existing AI features and need engineers to improve and expand them, not companies that are 'planning to add AI' someday.

AI Hiring Overview

The AI job market has 3,824 open positions tracked in our dataset. By seniority: 119 entry-level, 1,813 mid-level, 1,472 senior, and 420 leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level). Remote roles make up 16% of the market (613 positions). The remaining 3,187 roles require on-site or hybrid attendance.

The market median for AI roles is $200,000. Top-quartile compensation starts at $253,000. The 90th percentile reaches $307,500. Highest-paying categories: AI Engineering Manager ($293,500 median, 31 roles); AI Safety ($274,200 median, 51 roles); Research Engineer ($260,000 median, 401 roles).

AI Software Engineer roles are among the most numerous in the AI job market. Every company deploying AI needs software engineers who understand AI integration patterns. The demand is broad, spanning startups to enterprises, across every industry adopting AI capabilities.

The AI Job Market Today

The AI job market spans 3,824 open positions across 15 role categories. The largest categories by volume: AI/ML Engineer (2,702), Data Scientist (281), AI Software Engineer (258). These three account for the majority of open positions, though smaller categories often have higher per-role compensation because of specialized skill requirements.

The seniority mix tells a story about where AI teams are in their maturity. Entry-level roles (119) are outnumbered by mid-level (1,813) and senior (1,472) positions, reflecting that most companies are past the 'build a team from scratch' phase and need experienced engineers who can ship production systems. Leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level) total 420 positions, representing the bottleneck between technical execution and organizational strategy.

Remote work availability sits at 16% of all AI roles (613 positions), with 3,187 requiring on-site or hybrid attendance. The remote share has stabilized after the post-pandemic correction. Senior and specialized roles (Research Scientist, ML Architect) are more likely to be remote-eligible than entry-level positions, partly because experienced hires have more negotiating power and partly because these roles require less hands-on mentorship.

AI compensation is structured in clear tiers. The market median sits at $200,000. Top-quartile roles start at $253,000, and the 90th percentile reaches $307,500. These figures include base salary with disclosed compensation. Total compensation (including equity, bonuses, and sign-on) runs 20-40% higher at companies that offer those components.

Category matters for compensation. AI Engineering Manager roles lead at $293,500 median, while Prompt Engineer roles sit at $142,800. The spread between highest and lowest-paying categories reflects the premium on specialized technical skills versus broader analytical roles.

The most in-demand skills across all AI postings: Python (1,968 postings), Aws (1,203 postings), Azure (882 postings), Rag (877 postings), Gcp (735 postings), Prompt Engineering (587 postings), Pytorch (586 postings), Claude (554 postings). Python dominates, appearing in the vast majority of role descriptions regardless of category. Cloud platform experience (AWS, GCP, Azure) is the second most common requirement. The newer entrants to the top skills list (RAG, vector databases, LLM APIs) reflect the shift from traditional ML toward generative AI applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Based on 682 roles with disclosed compensation, the median salary for AI Software Engineer positions is $234,620. Actual compensation varies by seniority, location, and company stage.
Full-stack engineering skills with AI integration experience. Python and TypeScript are the most common requirements. You'll need to understand API design, database architecture, and how to build reliable systems around probabilistic outputs. Experience with streaming, async processing, and caching patterns is increasingly important as real-time AI applications proliferate.
About 16% of the 3,824 AI roles we track offer remote work. Remote availability varies by company and seniority level, with senior and leadership roles more likely to offer location flexibility.
clickhouse is among the companies actively hiring for AI and ML talent. Check our company profiles for detailed breakdowns of open roles, salary ranges, and hiring trends.
Common next steps from AI Software Engineer positions include Staff Engineer, AI Architect, Engineering Manager. Progression depends on whether you lean toward technical depth, people management, or product strategy.

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