Tech Lead Manager - Model Performance and Inference

ABOUT BASETEN

We’re a growing team of builders backed by top-tier investors, including IVP, Spark Capital, Greylock, and Sarah Guo at Conviction. ML teams at enterprises and category-defining AI-native companies like Descript, Bland.ai, Patreon, Writer, and Robust Intelligence use Baseten to power their core production workloads with best-in-class performance, security, and reliability. While we’ve unlocked PMF and secured Series B funding, the ML infrastructure market is massive, and we’re just getting started. If you’re excited to work on engaging and relevant problems while building something new from the ground up, come join us!

THE ROLE

Are you passionate about advancing the frontiers of artificial intelligence while leading a team of exceptional engineers? We are looking for a Tech Lead Manager focused on ML model performance and inference. This role is ideal for someone with a strong engineering background who is eager to lead and mentor a team while remaining hands-on with technology. If you thrive in a fast-paced startup environment and are excited about both leadership and technical challenges, we want to hear from you.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of engineers focused on developing and optimizing ML model inference and performance.
• Oversee technical strategy and architecture decisions, driving improvements across our engineering organization.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration and scalability of ML models in production environments.
• Dive into the codebase of frameworks like TensorRT, PyTorch, CUDA, and others to identify and solve complex performance bottlenecks.
• Drive the development and deployment of large-scale optimization techniques for various ML models, especially large language models (LLMs).
• Own the full lifecycle of projects from inception through delivery, including planning, execution, and resource management.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive team environment that encourages continuous learning and growth.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of professional experience in software engineering, with at least 2 years in a technical leadership role.
• Proven experience managing and mentoring teams of engineers.
• Expertise in one or more programming languages, such as Python, C++, or Go.
• In-depth understanding of ML model performance optimization, especially using libraries such as PyTorch, TensorRT, and CUDA.
• Strong knowledge of containerization (Docker) and orchestration systems (Kubernetes).
• Experience with production-level AI/ML solutions, including scaling and deploying large models.
• Ability to balance hands-on technical work with team leadership and project management.

BONUS POINTS:

• Experience enhancing the performance of large language models (LLMs) or similar AI systems.
• Familiarity with LLM optimization techniques such as quantization, speculative decoding, or continuous batching.
• Deep knowledge of GPU architecture and performance tuning.
• Previous experience in a high-growth startup environment.

BENEFITS:

• Competitive compensation package (Unlimited PTO, 401k, covered healthcare premiums).
• An opportunity to lead a talented engineering team at a rapidly growing startup in the machine learning space.
• Inclusive and supportive work culture with ample opportunities for professional development.
• Exposure to a wide range of ML use cases, offering unmatched learning and networking potential.