Full-Time

Mission Software Engineer

Federal

Updated on 3/13/2025

Scale AI

Scale AI

1,001-5,000 employees

AI platform for data and models

Compensation Overview

$138k - $292.6kAnnually

+ Equity + Benefits

Mid, Senior

Washington, DC, USA + 3 more

More locations: San Francisco, CA, USA | St. Louis, MO, USA | New York, NY, USA

Candidates must be open to >50% travel or relocation to a key customer geographic location.

US Top Secret Clearance Required

Category
Backend Engineering
Software Engineering
Required Skills
Microsoft Azure
Python
JavaScript
Operating Systems
AWS
Google Cloud Platform
Requirements
  • Active TS/SCI security clearance or the ability to obtain a security clearance
  • Prior experience developing with Python and JavaScript, or other modern software languages
  • Familiarity with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and experience in developing and deploying applications in a cloud-native environment
  • Understanding of shell scripting, operating systems, etc
  • Understanding of networking technologies, configuration (ports, protocols, etc)
  • Knowledge of ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes and experience in building data pipelines to integrate and process diverse data sources
  • Understanding of data modeling, data warehousing, and data governance principles
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to understand complex challenges and devise effective solutions
Responsibilities
  • Work directly with customers to understand their problems and translate those into features in Scale’s platform
  • Be open to >50% travel or relocation to a key customer geographic location
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define and execute the vision for backend solutions
  • Implement end-to-end data integrations, syncing customer’s data to Scale’s platform and back
  • Deploy and maintain Scale software at customer sites
  • Develop customer requested features and work closely with them to ensure that they win customer love
  • Build robust and reliable backend systems that can serve as standalone products
  • Participate actively in customer engagements, working closely with stakeholders to understand requirements and deliver innovative solutions
Desired Qualifications
  • Track record of success as a hybrid customer facing engineer, forward deployed software engineer, and ability to quickly adapt to different roles
  • Familiarity with Node and React is a plus
  • Understanding of containerization (e.g., Docker) and container orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes) is a plus

Scale AI provides a platform that helps businesses develop AI applications by utilizing their enterprise data to customize generative models. The platform includes tools for collecting, curating, and annotating data, as well as features for evaluating and optimizing models. Scale works with a variety of clients, including major technology firms like Microsoft and Meta, large enterprises such as Fox and Accenture, and government agencies like the U.S. Army and Airforce. What sets Scale apart from its competitors is its comprehensive suite of tools and services that focus on safely unlocking the value of AI for its clients. The company's goal is to enhance the performance of advanced language models and generative models, making AI more accessible and effective for various industries.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

Series F

Total Funding

$1.6B

Headquarters

San Francisco, California

Founded

2016

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Increased demand for AI in military applications boosts Scale AI's market potential.
  • Partnerships with tech giants enhance Scale AI's credibility and innovation capacity.
  • AI's strategic importance in defense offers Scale AI significant growth opportunities.

What critics are saying

  • Labor practice investigations could harm Scale AI's reputation and client trust.
  • Ethical concerns over military AI use may lead to public criticism of Scale AI.
  • Reliance on reinforcement learning poses risks if AI fails in real-world scenarios.

What makes Scale AI unique

  • Scale AI offers comprehensive data annotation for AI model training and validation.
  • The company collaborates with major tech firms like Microsoft and Meta for AI solutions.
  • Scale AI's Thunderforge platform supports military planning with AI-driven decision-making.

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Benefits

Health, Dental & Vision Coverage - Our health plans give you the flexibility to select the right coverage for you and eligible family members through a variety of plan options.

Easy to use 401(K) - Plan and invest for the future with a 401(k) via Guideline. Scale’s 401(k) plan provides you an opportunity to defer compensation for your long-term savings.

Wellness Fund - We care about the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of all Scaliens. Our $100/month wellness stipend can be used for gym memberships, acupuncture, meditation apps, and so much more.

Virtual Social Activities - Being remote has not stopped us from hosting fun virtual events. From trivia night to candle making, we ensure employees are fostering connections & building strong relationships.

Learning & Development - We know how important career growth is for Scaliens, so we offer a $500/year L&D stipend to help support continued development throughout your journey.

Flexible hours allow you to work when you are most productive. You can work with your manager to best plan your daily work schedule.

Generous Paid Time Off - Enjoy time to travel or plan a staycation. We encourage employees to take time off to recharge and prevent burnout. We have a flexible PTO policy where each employee is afforded the flexibility to take planned time-off as needed.

Commuter Benefits - Set aside pre-tax dollars to use on qualified transportation expenses to help ease your commute.

Parental Leave - Balancing work and family is essential, and Scale understands the importance of having adequate leave policies in place to promote a healthy home and work life.

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-1%

1 year growth

4%

2 year growth

3%
MarketScreener
Mar 7th, 2025
Scale AI Reportedly Facing Probe by US Department of Labor Over Fair Labor Practices

Scale AI reportedly facing probe by US department of labor over fair labor practices.

Bitcoin World
Mar 7th, 2025
Urgent Probe: US Department of Labor Investigates Scale AI in Shocking Labor Practices Case

Urgent probe: US Department of Labor investigates Scale AI in shocking labor practices case.

Benzinga
Mar 7th, 2025
Nvidia, Meta And Amazon-Backed Scale AI Reportedly Faces US Labor Probe Over Fair Pay Practices

What Happened: The investigation into Scale AI's adherence to fair pay practices and working conditions was launched about a year ago under the Biden administration, reported Reuters.

AI News
Mar 7th, 2025
U.S. Department of Labor Investigates Scale AI Over Labor Practices

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is investigating Scale AI, a San Francisco-based data-labeling company, for potential violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), TechCrunch has learned.

MTS Solutions
Mar 6th, 2025
Pentagon signs AI deal to help commanders plan military maneuvers

The Pentagon has entered a contract with Scale AI to develop AI-driven tools for military planning.