Staff Applied AI Engineer Careers at Zapier - Build the Future of AI Automation

Role Overview

Zapier is revolutionizing work automation with AI, and we're seeking an exceptional Staff Applied AI Engineer to join our AI Capabilities team. This is a foundational role building the unified AI execution platform that powers every AI product at Zapier—including intelligent Agents, sophisticated Chatbots, AI by Zapier, and next-generation orchestration experiences.

As a Staff Engineer, you'll bring deep expertise in LLMs, orchestration systems, evaluation frameworks, and platform engineering to create what our AI foundation should have been from day one. You'll solve complex technical challenges that directly impact millions of users and accelerate development across all Zapier AI teams.

This isn't just another engineering role. You'll shape the architecture that becomes the backbone of Zapier's AI empire, making tough tradeoffs, elevating engineering standards, and ensuring our platform is scalable, safe, cost-efficient, and developer-friendly. If you thrive on building platforms that others build upon, this is your opportunity to make a massive impact.

Key Responsibilities

The Staff Applied AI Engineer at Zapier owns the technical vision and execution of our core AI platform. Your day-to-day will include:

• Architecting the unified runtime, tooling, data models, and orchestration layers for all Zapier AI products
• Designing scalable LLM inference systems handling millions of daily requests with sub-second latency
• Building comprehensive evaluation frameworks to measure and improve AI model performance continuously
• Optimizing infrastructure costs while maintaining reliability at enterprise scale
• Implementing robust AI safety guardrails, content filtering, and risk monitoring systems
• Leading architectural discussions and making critical system design decisions
• Unifying APIs and developer experience across AI product teams for maximum velocity
• Creating observability tools for debugging complex, multi-step AI agent workflows
• Mentoring senior engineers and establishing platform engineering best practices
• Prototyping emerging AI capabilities (RAG, tool calling, multi-agent systems) for production readiness
• Collaborating cross-functionally with product managers, designers, and other engineering teams
• Staying at the forefront of AI research and integrating breakthroughs into our platform
• Contributing to hiring and building the world's best AI engineering team

Qualifications

We're looking for engineers who have shipped production AI systems at scale. You should have:

• 10+ years of software engineering experience, with 5+ years focused on AI/ML systems
• Deep expertise with Large Language Models, including inference optimization and fine-tuning
• Proven experience building AI platforms, orchestration layers, or runtime environments
• Strong systems design skills for distributed, high-throughput AI workloads
• Hands-on experience with LLM frameworks (LangChain, LlamaIndex, Haystack, etc.)
• Expertise in AI evaluation methodologies, benchmarking, and continuous improvement
• Experience optimizing AI infrastructure costs at scale (model selection, caching, distillation)
• Demonstrated ability implementing AI safety measures and responsible AI practices
• Proficiency in Python, cloud platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure), and container orchestration
• Track record of technical leadership and mentoring engineering teams
• Excellent communication skills for collaborating across distributed, remote teams
• Passion for automation and making complex systems feel simple to use

Salary & Benefits

Competitive Compensation: Total compensation for this senior role typically ranges from $220,000 - $320,000 USD annually, including base salary, equity, and performance bonuses. Exact offer depends on experience and location.

Comprehensive Benefits Package:

• Unlimited PTO with built-in minimum vacation requirements
• Top-tier medical, dental, vision coverage for families
• 401(k) with generous company matching
• Annual bonus potential up to 20% of base salary
• Remote-first with flexible hours and time zone accommodations
• $2,000+ annual learning & development stipend
• 16 weeks paid parental leave
• Full home office setup allowance
• Mental health support and wellness programs
• Meaningful equity in a profitable, high-growth company
• Regular team retreats and virtual social events
• Transparent career growth framework with promotion paths

Why Join Zapier?

Zapier isn't just another automation company—we're building the operating system for the AI era. Our platform connects 7,000+ apps and serves millions of customers who trust us to automate their most critical workflows.

Impact at Scale: Your platform will power AI experiences used by millions daily. When customers succeed with Zapier AI, businesses grow faster and people focus on creative work.

Technical Excellence: Work with cutting-edge AI technologies on problems that matter. We're not experimenting—we're shipping reliable, scalable AI to production.

Remote Culture Done Right: Fully distributed team across 40+ countries with proven systems for async communication, deep work, and meaningful connection. No office politics, no commute.

Growth Opportunities: Clear career ladders, internal mobility, and investment in your development. Many engineers grow into staff/principal roles or leadership positions.

Mission-Driven: We're passionate about making automation accessible to everyone, democratizing AI power for small businesses and solopreneurs worldwide.

How to Apply

Ready to build the AI platform powering Zapier's next decade? Here's how to stand out:

1. Review our AI guidance: Check How to Collaborate with AI During Zapier's Hiring Process
2. Tailor your application: Share specific projects where you've built AI platforms or orchestration systems
3. Highlight impact: Quantify results (cost savings, latency improvements, scale achieved)
4. Include code: Link to relevant GitHub repos or technical blog posts
5. Explain fit: Why Zapier's mission and this specific platform role excites you

Applications are reviewed continuously. Top candidates hear back within 1 week for initial conversations with our AI Capabilities team.

Zapier is committed to building diverse teams. We encourage applications from women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, and people with disabilities.

Keywords: Staff Applied AI Engineer, AI Platform Engineer, LLM Orchestration, Zapier AI jobs, remote AI engineering careers, senior staff engineer AI, machine learning platform roles