## **What we do**
Idler builds reinforcement learning environments that teach AI models to code like 0.01% engineers. Our training environments are based on real-world coding scenarios that frontier models will actually encounter.
We've closed a multimillion-dollar contract with a leading foundation lab (the largest they've issued to date). Demand is outpacing our capacity to deliver, so we're scaling the team fast.
## **What you'll do**
Build agentic systems that create and QA coding environments at scale. Most of your day will be spent designing these systems to be extremely sound. A big part of our work is thinking critically about what makes a coding environment and task "good" and "fair". This requires high agency and philosophical thinking alongside technical execution.
Concretely, you'll:
- Design and build scaleable systems that generate RL environments
- Create automated QA systems to validate environment quality and fairness
- Work directly with AI researchers at leading labs to understand what makes training data effective
- Support new product lines as we expand beyond coding environments
## Staff Engineer Responsibilities & Requirements
- Lead the process of identifying, specifying, and implementing core technology primitives that maximize the leverage of the rest of the team.
- Understand and own the technology stack end-to-end.
- 8+ years of professional software engineering experience.
- Lead and mentor more junior members of the team.
## **You'll work with**
The founding team, a founding engineer, and a small group of engineers (we're hiring quickly). You'll have direct access to AI researchers at frontier labs.
## **Tech stack**
Typescript, React, NodeJS, Postgres, Redis, Vercel, Cursor
## **Benefits**
- Healthcare coverage, 401(k), and 15 days PTO.
- Meals, coffee, and snacks (that you will actually enjoy) covered during working days.
- Latest MacBook Pro and equipment.
- Relocation assistance available.
- Team offsites and events (we love hanging out).
This is an in-person role in San Francisco. We're a tight-knit founding team and we play to win. Join us if you like to win too.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
