Lead AI Engineer

Iris.ai is a pioneering AI-first company on a mission to transform how humans discover and apply knowledge. For over a decade, we’ve built intelligent systems that empower researchers, engineers, and product teams to work faster and more precisely with scientific and technical data.

Our product suite — Neuralith, Axion, and RSpace — supports end-to-end AI development, from data orchestration and retrieval to LLM evaluation and deployment. At the core of our work are Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines, LLM Evaluation Frameworks, and intelligent AI Agents that bring context-awareness, accuracy, and task-level reasoning to applied AI.

Backed by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and trusted by leading R&D teams across industries, we turn advanced AI research into real-world tools that help organizations solve high-impact problems.

Opportunity:

We are looking for a Lead AI Engineer to take a key role in guiding the development of our AI products and platform. This is a senior technical position combining deep engineering expertise with leadership. You will contribute hands‑on to our Python-based AI stack while mentoring engineers, shaping architecture, and ensuring that ideas move rapidly from concept to production.

As Lead AI Engineer you will lead a small, talented engineering team building advanced AI products. You will collaborate with product managers and researchers to align technical decisions with business goals, drive innovation, resolve blockers, and foster a culture of knowledge sharing. You will guide architectural decisions, maintain high technical standards, while coding side-by-side with the team mates.

Key Technologies:

• Python & Django
• Relational databases (PostgreSQL)
• Non-relational and vector databases (Elasticsearch / OpenSearch, ChromaDB, Couchbase)
• AI / ML / NLP libraries (Gensim, Torch, Transformers, spaCy, Autogen, etc.)
• Cloud (AWS)
• GenAI tools (Windsurf, Cursor, Amazon Q, Claude and other)
• Git & CI / CD

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Design, implement and deliver scalable AI-driven software systems using Python.
• Drive innovation: research, test and adopt new technologies to enhance development productivity.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define, design, and ship new features.
• Participate in the full development cycle from specification to deployment.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to team members, ensuring code quality and best practices.
• Guide architectural decisions and ensure alignment with product strategy.
• Participate in hiring, onboarding and performance reviews of engineers.

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 2+ years of leadership or team management experience (Tech Lead, Team Lead, Engineering Manager, etc.).
• At least 7 years of experience in software development.
• Minimum 3 years of professional Python experience.
• Solid experience in web backends (Django/Flask), REST APIs, databases, and cloud infrastructure
• Familiarity with ML systems or motivation to learn in depth
• Strong knowledge of architectural and software design patterns.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or similar.
• Ability to teach and transfer knowledge to others.
• Proficient analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Fluent English.

Any of these is an advantage:

• Masters degree in Computer Science or related field
• Previous work with LLMs, NLP, or AI model evaluation
• Experience contributing to or using RAG systems in production
• Open-source contributions, academic research, or mentoring

LIFE AT IRIS OFFERS:

Impact

• Build responsible AI that shapes the future of science and tech
• Join a sharp, versatile team of ambitious builders
• Thrive in a flat structure with no corporate hierarchy, where every voice matters

Compensation

• Competitive salary with annual reviews
• Stock options to share in our long-term success

Work Your Way

• 30 days annual paid vacation + bonus days
• Flexible work hours
• Flexible work location – You choose where to work from
• Hybrid model or 100% remote work – You want it? – You have it!
• Regular Team building activities and travels
• Seasonal Working Camps (summer / winter)
• Personalized Work Equipment Allowance – choose your own Gear

Grow With Us

• Learning & Development Allowance – we will sponsor you to Join global conferences or take upskilling courses
• Career Enhancement Plan
• New technologies introduction & testing opportunities
• Knowledge transfer, Work buddies, PairCoding, Mentorship opportunities, weekly Tech Deep Dives
• Workshops, Conferences, Hackathons
• Freedom to bring innovation and your ideas to life

Wellbeing & Perks

• Free MultiSport card
• Cool Sofia office in a central location
• Private Health Insurance – Premium package
• Bi-annual health checks
• Charity and volunteer activities