Founding Engineer, NLP Systems & Infrastructure
At a glance
Mid-level Machine Learning Engineering role at Clera. Munich · full-time · €60,000–€120,000 base.
aimlroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Architect production data and NLP pipelines, model integrations, observability, delivery automation and cloud or on-premises hosting
- Build the first shippable product slice, including decisions on its infrastructure and security
- Choose the engineering roadmap and standards, weighing delivery pace against quality and security
- Work with founders and users, then hire and manage engineers as the team grows
What you bring
- At least five years building and operating production data-heavy or NLP systems, including ingestion, deduplication and orchestrated workflows
- Use Python as your main language and bring experience with testing, CI/CD and monitoring data or model drift
- Have designed production systems for cloud and on-premises deployment, and worked with PostgreSQL plus a graph, vector or search database
- Have used embeddings, vector search and language models in production, accounting for cost, version changes and variable outputs
- Be prepared and eligible to secure clearance in the near term
Who this fits
This suits a hands-on founding engineer who will set technical direction and manage an engineering team as it grows. The role is on-site in Munich, and visa sponsorship is available.
From the employer
About the Role
Join an early-stage AI and deep-tech team as its first technical hire, turning a research-grade NLP prototype into a reliable production system. You will shape the architecture and engineering roadmap, contribute hands-on, and build and lead the engineering team as it grows. The product helps organizations understand complex information environments and respond to emerging risks.
What You'll Do
Design and own production architecture for data and NLP pipelines, AI/ML integrations, CI/CD, observability, and cloud or on-premises deployments.
Build and validate the first production-ready product slice, including infrastructure and security decisions.
Set the engineering roadmap while balancing delivery speed, quality, and security.
Establish technical direction, engineering standards, and a constructive team culture.
Hire and manage an engineering team as the organization grows, while working closely with founders and users.
What We're Looking For
At least 5 years building and operating production data-intensive or NLP systems, including ingestion, deduplication, entity resolution, queues, and orchestrated pipelines.
Python as your primary language, with experience in automated testing, CI/CD, and observability, including data and model drift monitoring.
Production architecture experience across deployment options, including cloud and on-premises.
Experience with PostgreSQL and at least one graph database, vector store, or search engine.
Practical experience with embeddings, vector search, and language model integration, including cost, versioning, and non-determinism considerations.
Ability to build clean APIs and analyst-facing interfaces using React, Vue, or similar technologies.
Willingness and eligibility to obtain a security clearance in the near future.
Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, or Helm, large-scale open-web data collection, and its legal and ethical constraints is beneficial. German proficiency is also beneficial.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary: €60,000 to €120,000 annually. Visa sponsorship is available.
Location
On-site in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.