AI Engineer (Contract)

About Presto Phoenix, Inc.

Presto is the leading Voice AI company for restaurant drive-thrus, operating at scale in complex, noisy, customer-facing environments. As the AI partner to more than a dozen of the most iconic American restaurant brands, Presto is building one of the most impactful real-world applications of AI that directly impacts revenue, labor efficiency, and a magical guest experience for millions of people

.
AI is not a feature at Presto, it is the foundation of how we build, evaluate, and evolve our products. We operate at lightning-speed iteration cycles and are solving some of the hardest problems in Voice AI. We are backed by Remus Capital, were a Y Combinator company, and are headquartered in Silicon Valle

y.
This may not be the right fit for you if you are looking for a traditional 9-to-5 environment. We move at the pace of AI. Change is constant, and roadmaps evolve quickly. Presto is for builders, experimenters, and problem-solvers who thrive in ambiguity, learn continuously, and are excited to shape the future of real-world AI alongside a high-performance te

am.

The

RoleWe are looking for an AI Engineer Contractor for 6 Months to help build, deploy, and continuously improve the core intelligence behind Presto’s Voice AI plat

form.
This is a hands-on engineering role at the intersection of large language models, real-time systems, and production AI. You will work directly on systems that power live customer interactions across thousands of restaurant locations, where performance, latency, and reliability m

atter.
You will contribute to both experimentation and production rapidly prototyping new capabilities using modern LLMs while also ensuring that systems scale and perform reliably in real-world enviro

nments.
Success in this role requires strong software engineering fundamentals, an AI-first mindset, and the ability to move quickly from idea to production in a fast-paced, ambiguous envi

ronment.

What

You’ll Do
Build and improve production

• AI systemsDevelop and deploy AI/ML models and LLM-powered systems used in real-time voice i
• nteractionsWork across the full lifecycle from prototyping to production deployment and o
• ptimizationImprove system performance across latency, accuracy, and

scalability
Work with LLMs and moder

• n AI toolingBuild and experiment with LLM-based systems using APIs or c
• ustom modelsDesign and iterate on prompts, workflows, and syst
• em behaviorsLeverage modern development tools (e.g., Claude Code, Codex) to accelerate

development
Own data quality and

• model inputsClean, structure, and filter messy real-world data to improve mode
• l performanceDevelop pipelines and processes that ensure high-quality training and ev

aluation data
Contribute to fast it

• eration cyclesQuickly ramp on existing codebases and contribute with min
• imal oversightTest, evaluate, and iterate on new approaches to improve s
• ystem behaviorStay current with the latest advancements in AI, LLMs, and applied ma

chine learning
Collabora

• te across teamsWork closely with engineering, product, and AI teams to deliver n
• ew capabilitiesTranslate real-world problems into practic
• al AI solutionsCommunicate technical tradeoffs and system b

ehavior clearly

What

• We’re Looking ForBachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, or related field (or equiv
• alent experience)2–4+ years of experience in AI/ML engineering or software engineerin
• g with applied AIHands-on experience building or deploying LLM-based systems (APIs
• or custom models)Strong programming
• skills in PythonExperience with ML frameworks such as PyTorch, Tenso
• rFlow, or similarExperience working with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and deploying
• systems at scaleStrong understanding of software engineering fundamentals (data structures, systems d
• esign, debugging)Ability to work in fast-paced, ambiguous sta
• rtup environmentsStrong attention to detail and ability to manage mu

ltiple prior

• ities
  Nice to HaveExperience with real-time or l
• ow-latency systemsExperience with speech, voice AI, or conv
• ersational systemsExperience working with messy, real-world
• datasets at scaleExperience building end-t

o-end ML p

ipelines

Why PrestoWe move at the speed of AI. Change is rapid, experimentation is expected, and roles evolve alongside the technology. This is not a highly prescriptive environment. Success requires curiosity, adaptability, and a desire to continuously learn

and push boundaries.
You’ll work on real-world AI systems deployed at meaningful scale, directly impacting customer experiences and business outcomes. This role offers meaningful ownership and the opportunity to shape how AI systems opera

te in the real world.

Comp

ensation & BenefitsThe U.S. base salary range for this pos**ition is approximately $**8

,333 – $12,500

Monthly.

Our CommitmentWe value people from all walks of life and are committed to building an inclusive, equitable work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from historically underrepresented backgrounds to apply. Presto Phoenix, Inc. is an eq

ual opportunity employer.
If you need an accommodation to access the application or interview process, please cont

act [email protected].