Senior Software Engineer - Applied AI

At Stacklok, we’re an AI-first company led by Kubernetes co-founder Craig McLuckie, helping enterprise developers connect the data, systems, and services that power their businesses today with the agentic and assistive AI systems they’re building for tomorrow. We believe the shift from applications to agents is the next major evolution in software, and we’re building the foundation that helps teams make that leap with confidence.

Our open source platform, ToolHive, provides developers with a powerful yet simple way to securely connect AI systems to real-world environments, delivering the right context at the right time. It solves tough challenges like security, access control, and observability without adding friction to the developer experience. By using open protocols like MCP (Model Context Protocol) and a highly pluggable architecture, supported by a community first development approach, ToolHive allows enterprises to run AI agents safely behind firewalls, with full control over data flow, context, and decision-making.

Connect With Us!

Location

This is a hybrid role that requires in-person work three days a week: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. We believe this approach balances flexibility with the value of in-person collaboration and community.

Our current office is located at:
3120 139th Avenue SE, Suite 500
Bellevue, WA 98005

Please note: we are planning to relocate to a more central location in the near future.

The Opportunity

Stacklok is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to build the future of our Applied AI platform. You’ll contribute to the design and development of advanced Tools and AI agents that transform conversational interfaces into autonomous systems capable of taking real-world action.

Operating at the intersection of LLMs, secure infrastructure, and enterprise systems, you'll turn AI’s theoretical promise into production-ready tools and solutions. These agents will integrate deeply with organizational tools and data, giving knowledge workers powerful new capabilities.

As a Senior Engineer, You'll contribute to technical strategy discussions, implement scalable architectures, and work hands-on across the stack. You'll mentor junior engineers, contribute to technical excellence within your team, and help implement the best practices that position us at the forefront of enterprise AI.

If you thrive in fast-moving environments, enjoy building high-leverage systems, and see versatility as a strength, not a stretch, this is your opportunity to lead with impact.

What Success Looks Like: First 6-12 months

• Technical Context Gained: You've developed a solid understanding of the architecture and codebase through code reviews, design discussions, and hands-on contributions. You're making meaningful contributions to AI agent development and can work independently on complex features.
  
  
• AI Agent Features Delivered: You've successfully shipped 2-3 significant AI agent features or improvements that demonstrably enhanced user experience or operational efficiency. You collaborated effectively with design partners and stakeholders throughout the development process.
  
  
• Testing and Quality Contributions: You've implemented comprehensive testing for your AI systems, including unit tests, integration tests, and basic evaluation metrics. Your code consistently meets quality standards and includes proper error handling and observability.
  
  
• Mentorship and Collaboration: You've successfully mentored 1-2 junior engineers, sharing knowledge about AI agent development patterns and best practices. You've built strong working relationships with Product, Design, and AI Research teams.
  
  
• Technical Problem Solving: You've independently resolved complex technical challenges in agent orchestration, RAG pipelines, or model integration. You've contributed to architectural discussions and proposed solutions that improved system reliability or performance.
  
  
• Customer Impact Understanding: You've gained a deep understanding of how your AI agent work impacts real users through customer feedback, usage metrics, and direct stakeholder interaction.

In This Role, You Will

• Build and Optimize AI Agents: Develop production-quality AI agents and tools that solve specific business problems, focusing on reliability, performance, and user experience. Collaborate with senior engineers on architectural decisions and implementation approaches.
  
  
• Implement Agent Orchestration: Work with frameworks like LangGraph, LangChain, or CrewAI to build robust agent workflows, handling complex multi-step processes and integrations with external systems.
  
  
• Develop RAG Solutions: Build and maintain retrieval-augmented generation pipelines, including vector database integration, embedding optimization, and retrieval strategy implementation.
  
  
• Collaborate on Technical Discovery: Partner with product managers and senior engineers to understand customer needs, prototype solutions, and validate technical approaches for new agent capabilities.
  
  
• Ensure Production Quality: Implement comprehensive testing, monitoring, and error handling for AI systems. Contribute to deployment processes and operational excellence practices.
  
  
• Share Knowledge and Mentor: Guide junior engineers in AI agent development practices, code review best practices, and technical problem-solving approaches.
  
  
• Drive Technical Innovation: Evaluate new AI tools, frameworks, and techniques to improve development velocity and solution quality. Contribute to engineering standards and best practices.
  
  
• Champion AI-First Engineering: Use AI tools and workflows to streamline development, inform decisions, and accelerate innovation in how software is built and delivered.

We understand 

Not everyone will meet every requirement listed, and that’s perfectly okay. We encourage you to apply regardless of your self-assessment. We value a diverse range of skills and experiences and believe your unique perspective can make a significant impact. We want to hear from you!

Desired Skills & Experience

• Strong Python Proficiency: Solid Python skills including async programming, testing practices, and familiarity with AI/ML libraries like OpenAI SDK, Anthropic SDK, or similar. Experience with prompt engineering and model integration.
  
  
• Agent Framework Experience: Hands-on experience with at least one major agent orchestration framework (LangGraph, LangChain, CrewAI, AutoGen) and understanding of agent workflow patterns and best practices.
  
  
• RAG Implementation Skills: Experience building retrieval-augmented generation systems, including vector database usage (Pinecone, Weaviate, Chroma), embedding strategies, and optimizing retrieval accuracy.
  
  
• MCP Server Development: Experience building Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers or similar agent integration patterns. Understanding of protocol specifications and resource management.
  
  
• Distributed Systems Architecture: Experience designing scalable, fault-tolerant agent systems using microservices, event-driven patterns, and proper state management.
  
  
• Cloud and Deployment: Proficiency with containerization (Docker) and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure). Experience with CI/CD pipelines and production deployment practices.
  
  
• Testing and Evaluation: Experience implementing testing strategies for AI systems, including unit testing, integration testing, and basic evaluation metrics for model performance.
  
  
• System Integration: Ability to integrate AI agents with databases, APIs, and enterprise systems. Understanding of authentication, error handling, and data privacy considerations.
  
  
• Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with ability to explain technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  
  
• Collaborative Mindset: Proven ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams, contribute to code reviews, and participate in technical discussions and planning sessions.
  
  
• Continuous Learning: Demonstrated interest in staying current with rapidly evolving AI technologies and frameworks. Experience with open source contributions or personal AI projects is a plus.
  
  
• OSS Experience: Experience contributing to or maintaining open source software projects, with demonstrated ability to collaborate in distributed development environments
  
  
• Communication: Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across engineering, product, design, and business teams.
  
  
• Startup Mindset: Self-motivated and hands-on. Thrives in dynamic, fast-changing environments and drives clarity through action.

Base Salary Range: $199,500 - $252,000


#LI-Hybrid

Why Join Us?

At Stacklok, we believe great technology is built by teams that support, challenge, and inspire one another. We are AI maximalists, confident in its potential and committed to ensuring it is used in ways that are safe and sustainable.

You will join a highly motivated, collaborative team with deep experience building some of the world’s most impactful technologies. We work in the open, side by side with the community, with strong roots in open source, cloud-native technologies, security, and developer tools.

We offer competitive compensation, equity, comprehensive healthcare, and a flexible work environment - including adaptable work hours and flexible PTO to support your success. 

If you're excited about the future of AI, and want to build alongside people who care deeply about their craft, their community, and each other, we would love to hear from you.

Stacklok Inc, is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all people and place great value in both diversity and inclusiveness. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to their, or any other person's, perceived or actual race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, or any other basis protected by law.