---
title: 'Software Engineer, Applied ML (Discovery, Recommendation & Search) at Character.AI'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-applied-ml-discovery-recommendation-search-character-ai-5r4a2m0v7fzq'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-10'
---

# Software Engineer, Applied ML (Discovery, Recommendation & Search) at Character.AI

- **Company:** Character.AI
- **Location:** Redwood City, CA
- **Compensation:** $200k–$300k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2025-12-18
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/character/3cfa1472-4f6d-46fa-bd08-f6de0833a53f/application

**Skills:** RESTful web services, gRPC, Cloud infrastructure management, GCP, AWS, Azure, PyTorch, TensorFlow, CI/CD pipelines, Automated testing, Vector databases, GPU/TPU deployment optimization, End-to-end feature shipping

> Design and implement applied ML models and infrastructure for native AI consumer applications, including discovery, recommendation, ranking, and search. Collaborate cross-functionally with product and data science teams to optimize existing systems and support new AI-generated content formats.

## Job description

## About the Role

As a Software / ML Engineer you will work cross functionally with product, data science and data platform to identify, design and implement the applied ML models and infra, ranging from the model optimization, data pipeline to model training and serving infrastructure, on one of the fastest growing native AI consumer applications on the market today. You will work on implementation of our ML backend systems to power the discovery surfaces including recommendation, ranking and search, supporting new AI generated content formats on our product while working with the team to support optimizing our existing systems. Requirements:

- B.A.S. in Computer Science or equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of industry experience
- Experience building/consuming RESTful and gRPC based web-services
- Experience building and managing infrastructure in a cloud environment (GCP, AWS or Azure)
- Familiar with one of the popular ML Frameworks like Pytorch, Tensorflow
- Experience writing highly performant service in a modern typed language
- Experience configuring and maintaining CI/CD pipelines and automated testing

Desired Experience:

- Experience with shipping intelligent features, end-to-end, and from idea to production
- Experience with understanding, designing or implementing a full pipeline from data ingestion to model training.
- Experience with production AI/ML systems and services including optimizing GPU/TPU deployments
- Experience working with vector databases or other feature storage

You will be a good fit if you are proactive and have a “get things done” mindset. Given our current pace of growth and load on our systems, most people have had a significant impact during their first week at the company.

## About Character.AI

[Character.AI](http://Character.AI) empowers people to connect, learn and tell stories through interactive entertainment. Over 20 million people visit [Character.AI](http://Character.AI) every month, using our technology to supercharge their creativity and imagination. Our platform lets users engage with tens of millions of characters, enjoy unlimited conversations, and embark on infinite adventures.

In just two years, we achieved unicorn status and were honored as Google Play's AI App of the Year—a testament to our innovative technology and visionary approach.

Join us and be a part of establishing this new entertainment paradigm while shaping the future of Consumer AI!

At Character, we value diversity and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. As an equal opportunity employer, we firmly uphold a non-discrimination policy based on race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or disability. Your unique perspectives are vital to our success.

## About Character.AI

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Character.AI builds a full-stack, direct-to-consumer platform where users interact with AI-powered "Characters" for open-ended conversation, storytelling, and entertainment.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Venture Capital-Backed)
- **Headquarters**: Menlo Park, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2021
- **Founders**: Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Entertainment Software, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, SaaS (B2C)
- **Target customers**: B2C — millions of monthly active users seeking virtual companions, creative storytelling, and interactive entertainment.
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "Empower people to connect, learn, and tell stories through interactive entertainment."

## Products & Services
- **Character.AI Platform**: A web and mobile application that allows users to create, discover, and converse with AI Characters. The platform supports user-generated content, enabling users to build heroes, settings, stories, and challenges. It sits at the intersection of storytelling, gaming, social connection, and creative expression.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (latest known round: Secondary Transaction - Private, completed at "Generating Revenue" stage per PitchBook).
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding raised — **$193M** (Series A: $43.1M in 2022; Series A extension/round: $150M in March 2023).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Andreessen Horowitz, Google, Greycroft, SV Angel, Elad Gil, and 8 total investors. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/characterai)
- **Growth Signals**: 
    - Millions of monthly active users.
    - Headcount of ~130 employees as of 2026.
    - Offices in Silicon Valley (HQ), Seattle, and New York.
    - The company completed a "Reverse Acqui-Hire" transaction, signaling strong talent acquisition interest from larger players.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Deep Technical Talent**: Founded by AI pioneers Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, who bring deep expertise in machine learning and natural language processing.
- **Full-Stack AI Platform**: Unlike many chatbot APIs, Character.AI owns the entire stack from model inference to consumer interface, giving them control over user experience and data.
- **Strong User Engagement & Community**: The platform has built a passionate community of creators and users who generate and share content, creating a network effect moat.
- **Brand Recognition**: One of the leading independent consumer AI platforms globally, with a clear identity as an entertainment-first product.

## Strategic Focus
- **AI-driven Entertainment**: The company is focused on redefining entertainment through generative AI, moving beyond simple chatbots into immersive, interactive experiences.
- **User-Generated Content (UGC)**: Empowering users to create their own characters and worlds is a core strategic priority, differentiating them from single-purpose AI tools.
- **Monetization & Scale**: Moving from a free product toward a sustainable business model (subscription tiers like c.ai+) while scaling the platform to serve a global user base.
- **Talent Acquisition**: Actively hiring across ML research, engineering, and safety to build out the next generation of their product.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven Work**: Opportunity to work on cutting-edge generative AI and shape the future of entertainment for millions of users.
- **High-Impact Environment**: Described as a "small, passionate team" where individuals can have significant ownership and influence.
- **Strong Compensation**: Competitive salaries (e.g., Research Engineer, AI Safety & Alignment: $225K–$400K + equity). [jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/character/)
- **Comprehensive Benefits**:
    - **Parental Leave**: 20 weeks paid for birthing parents, 12 weeks for non-birthing parents.
    - **Retirement**: 401(k) match up to $5,875/year (25% of contributions up to IRS cap).
    - **Time Off**: 20 days accrued PTO, 12 company-paid holidays, plus accrued sick time.
    - **Health**: 100% premium coverage for medical (PPO or HSA), dental, and vision for employees; 80% for dependents. Life, AD&D, and LTD insurance fully covered.
    - **Perks**: Daily lunch in all offices, monthly DoorDash credit, monthly commuter allowance ($50), and a quarterly wellness stipend.
- **Work Policy**: Hybrid (offices in Menlo Park, Seattle, New York).
- **Culture Values**: "Users First" (users > company > team), "Think Transformational," and a focus on collaboration and high performance.

## Sources
1. [character.ai/about](https://character.ai/about)
2. [character.ai/careers](https://character.ai/careers)
3. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/character/](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/character/)
4. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/characterai)
5. [pitchbook.com](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/512290-54)

## Other roles at Character.AI

- [Technical Program Manager, Product Experience](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-program-manager-product-experience-character-ai-redwood-city-m9zmhkmgt1qy) — Redwood City, CA
- [Principal Research Engineer, Post-Training](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-research-engineer-post-training-character-ai-redwood-city-92f6f7sk06h1) — Redwood City, CA
- [Technical Program Manager, Model Alignment and Deployment](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-program-manager-model-alignment-and-deployment-character-ai-redwood-brmkpc2gvra0) — Redwood City, CA
- [Staff Data Scientist, Monetization](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-data-scientist-monetization-character-ai-redwood-city-51hmwhgh6e2k) — Redwood City, CA
- [Technical Program Manager, AI Infrastructure](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-program-manager-ai-infrastructure-character-ai-redwood-city-3ty4trwmewr9) — Redwood City, CA
- [Software Engineer, Backend/Applied ML (Safety & Integrity)](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-backend-applied-ml-safety-integrity-character-ai-redwood-city-4q5mdjeptsz5) — Redwood City, CA
- [Software Engineer, Backend](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-backend-character-ai-redwood-city-kx5x7rxznvz7) — Redwood City, CA
- [Software Engineer, Monetization](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-monetization-character-ai-redwood-city-4wjqzcp5e490) — Redwood City, CA
- [Software Engineer, Core Product](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-core-product-character-ai-redwood-city-h676pc9pz8k1) — Redwood City, CA
- [Research Engineer, AI Safety & Alignment](https://feeny.ai/job/research-engineer-ai-safety-alignment-character-ai-redwood-city-p2gtwtpvekg7) — Redwood City, CA