Senior Applied AI Engineer (Contract)

About the role

Momentous is hiring a Senior Applied AI Engineer to own architecture and delivery on complex client work. Engagements span custom AI products, knowledge platforms, agentic systems, computer vision, and the infrastructure that runs them. You will be the engineering peer to client tech leads and CTOs, lead the work shipped under your name, and write the most complex code on every engagement.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end architecture and delivery on complex engineering engagements
• Operate as the technical peer to client senior engineering leadership; lead architectural conversations directly
• Mentor engineers; shape engineering practice and the code review standard
• Set the standard for AI-augmented engineering using Claude Code as an agentic partner
• Write production code on the most complex parts of every engagement

Minimum qualifications

• 6+ years of production software engineering experience, including architectural ownership of systems at scale
• Senior full-stack range across modern web (TypeScript, React, Next.js), a backend language (Python or Node), relational databases, and a cloud platform (we use GCP — Cloud Run, Vertex AI)
• Production experience with AI/ML systems: RAG architectures, agentic orchestration, evaluation pipelines, or model orchestration
• Direct technical communication skill with senior client stakeholders: architecture presentations, design sessions, written status notes that executives can act on
• Mentorship instinct demonstrated through code review and design conversations

Preferred qualifications

• Bilingual English / Spanish
• Direct experience using Claude Code or comparable agentic engineering tools on production work
• Experience as the embedded engineering lead inside a client's team
• Public engineering profile — talks, writing, OSS maintainership
• Specific depth in computer vision, hardware-software integration, or multi-modal AI systems

Logistics

Remote, with overlap to LATAM / US Pacific business hours. This posting is for the contract version of the role, available globally. If you're LATAM-based and prefer a full-time arrangement, see the full-time posting linked from the careers page.

Compensation

• USD $90–$130 per hour, calibrated to engagement scope and experience.
• Looking for an alternative arrangement (fractional, retainer)? Mention it in your application.

What we offer

• Trust-based time off (minimum 4 weeks per year)
• Equipment stipend
• Annual learning and conference budget
• Health coverage per local market