Performance Engineer (C++, Python, Rust)

Summary

Weekday AI is a cutting-edge AI research initiative focused on advancing the next generation of Large Language Models. They are seeking experienced Performance Engineers to contribute their expertise in systems optimization and performance engineering, working alongside AI researchers and engineering teams to improve AI capabilities and build more capable AI systems.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with research and engineering teams to improve AI capabilities in systems programming, compiler optimization, runtime performance, and low-level engineering concepts
• Design challenging, real-world performance engineering tasks that reflect production-scale optimization scenarios
• Develop accurate, well-documented solutions to complex systems programming and performance optimization problems
• Review and evaluate AI-generated solutions, providing detailed technical feedback on correctness, efficiency, and engineering quality
• Create comprehensive evaluation frameworks and scoring rubrics for topics including:
• Systems architecture
• Runtime optimization
• Compiler engineering
• Memory management
• CPU and GPU performance
• Concurrency and parallel processing
• Collaborate with fellow subject matter experts to ensure consistency, technical accuracy, and quality across AI training datasets
• Contribute domain expertise to enhance the reasoning capabilities of advanced AI models

Skills

• Minimum 2 years of professional experience in Performance Engineering, Systems Programming, or Low-Level Software Optimization
• Strong hands-on expertise in at least one of the following programming languages: C++, Python, Rust
• Working familiarity with the remaining languages is highly desirable
• Proven experience delivering measurable improvements in production systems, including: Latency reduction, Throughput optimization, Memory footprint reduction, Runtime performance improvements
• Strong understanding of systems architecture, compiler behavior, and performance profiling techniques
• Demonstrated career progression with increasing technical responsibility
• Availability to work 40 hours per week during standard weekday business hours
• Excellent written communication skills with the ability to clearly explain complex engineering concepts and optimization decisions
• Experience optimizing large-scale distributed systems or high-performance computing workloads
• Knowledge of compiler internals, runtime systems, or operating system fundamentals
• Experience with profiling, benchmarking, and performance analysis tools
• Familiarity with AI infrastructure or machine learning system optimization
• Experience collaborating with research teams on advanced engineering projects
• Passion for building highly efficient, scalable software systems

Qualifications

Must Haves

• Minimum 2 years of professional experience in Performance Engineering, Systems Programming, or Low-Level Software Optimization
• Strong hands-on expertise in at least one of the following programming languages: C++, Python, Rust
• Working familiarity with the remaining languages is highly desirable
• Proven experience delivering measurable improvements in production systems, including: Latency reduction, Throughput optimization, Memory footprint reduction, Runtime performance improvements
• Strong understanding of systems architecture, compiler behavior, and performance profiling techniques
• Demonstrated career progression with increasing technical responsibility
• Availability to work 40 hours per week during standard weekday business hours
• Excellent written communication skills with the ability to clearly explain complex engineering concepts and optimization decisions

Nice to Haves

• Experience optimizing large-scale distributed systems or high-performance computing workloads
• Knowledge of compiler internals, runtime systems, or operating system fundamentals
• Experience with profiling, benchmarking, and performance analysis tools
• Familiarity with AI infrastructure or machine learning system optimization
• Experience collaborating with research teams on advanced engineering projects
• Passion for building highly efficient, scalable software systems

Benefits

• Fully remote engagement
• Fully remote engagement with meaningful technical work and flexible execution
• Independent contractor basis
• Payments are processed weekly through Stripe or Wise based on approved work completed