Software Engineer 1 (AI/ML)

At myKaarma, we’re not just leading the way in fixed ops solutions for the automotive industry—we’re redefining what’s possible for dealership service centers. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, and powered by a global team, our industry-leading SaaS platform combines communication, scheduling, and payment tools in one seamless solution that keeps dealerships and vehicle owners connected. With myKaarma, every service interaction flows effortlessly, bringing good karma to customers and service teams.

Rooted in the principles of the Toyota Production System, we operate with precision, efficiency, and a relentless focus on continuous improvement to deliver a better experience for all. We’re looking for innovators, problem-solvers, and tech enthusiasts passionate about building solutions that people love to use. If you’re ready to make an impact in an industry ripe for change, join us at myKaarma and help shape the future of automotive service.

Role Description

What you will do

• Design, develop, and test software components that enable automotive dealerships to better engage with their customers.
• Build and integrate AI/ML solutions — including developing and consuming LLM APIs, training and fine-tuning models, and deploying them into production environments.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders and customers to translate real-world needs into scalable technical solutions.
• Work across diverse tech stacks such as microservices, iOS/Android development, cloud infrastructure, and more.
• Communicate effectively with your team leader and product managers to set clear project goals, timelines, and deliverables.
• Drive technical excellence by speaking up, challenging tradeoffs (speed vs. reliability), and taking ownership of high-quality outcomes.

Education & Experience

1–3 years of experience developing cloud-based software services with an understanding of scalability, performance, and reliability.

Strong computer science fundamentals; a degree in Computer Science/Engineering or equivalent work experience is preferred (Tier 1/Tier 2 institutes like IIT, NIT, etc. are a plus, but not required).

Skills:

Proficiency in at least one modern programming language (Java, Python, or C#).

Understanding of data structures, algorithms, and design principles.

Strong communication skills for working with technical and non-technical teammates.

Curiosity and eagerness to learn new tools, frameworks, and architectures.

Operating system and networking fundas

AI/ML Fundas:

Data & ML Lifecycle

• Core Concepts: Can clearly explain the purpose and importance of train/validation/test splits.
• Data Intuition: Understands "garbage in, garbage out." Can discuss the conceptual importance of data cleaning, normalization, and augmentation.
• Evaluation: Can explain the purpose of common metrics (e.g., accuracy, precision/recall, loss). Can look at a training/validation loss curve and identify clear overfitting or underfitting.

Neural Networks (NNs)

• Core Concepts: Can intuitively explain the basic components of a neural network (neurons, layers, weights, activation functions) and their purpose.
• Training Dynamics: Understands, at a high level, how a network "learns" via loss functions, gradient descent, and backpropagation.
• Practical Intuition: Can conceptually differentiate between training and inference and is familiar with core issues like overfitting and underfitting.

Transformers

• Motivation: Understands the motivation for the Transformer architecture (e.g., the limitations of sequential models like RNNs/CNNs for long-range dependencies).
• *Core Mechanics: Can intuitively explain the purpose of key components like self-attention, positional encodings, and the encoder-decoder structure.
• *Attention Intuition: Grasps the basic idea of self-attention (how a model learns which words are important to each other) and multi-head attention (looking at a sequence in different "ways").

Large Language Models (LLMs)

• *Architecture & Scaling: Understands the relationship between Transformers and LLMs and is aware of concepts like scaling laws and the pre-training/fine-tuning paradigm.
• Practical Pipeline: Familiar with the concepts of tokenization (how text is processed) and prompt-based interaction.
• Application Concepts: Aware of core application patterns like Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and the idea of LLM-based agents.
• Responsible AI: Recognizes model limitations (e.g., hallucinations) and understands the importance of responsible AI, safety, and model interpretability.
• Nice to have

Technologies We Use

You don’t need to know them all, but you should be excited to learn!

• Languages: Java, Python, C#
• Frontend: Angular, React, GWT, Bootstrap
• Mobile: Android (Kotlin), iOS (Swift), Flutter
• Frameworks & Infrastructure: Spring, Microservices, Docker, Drools, Kong, Kubernetes, Docker Swarm
• Databases: MySQL, MongoDB, Redis, ElasticSearch, Vitess
• Messaging: RabbitMQ, Kafka
• AI/ML Tools: OpenAI API, Gemini API, self-fine-tuned open-source models, Codex, Cursor IDE
• Cloud: AWS, Google Cloud

What We Offer

• A small, global engineering team where your voice matters.
• Competitive salary and potential for equity.
• Flexible time off — we don’t track your leaves or vacations.
• A diverse, relaxed, results-oriented culture with smart, supportive colleagues. Perks: unlimited snacks, fun outings, ping-pong battles, and more.

We value diverse experiences and backgrounds, so we encourage you to apply if you meet some but not all of the listed qualifications.

Total Rewards at myKaarma

Benefits

At myKaarma, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that extends beyond the base salary. Our commitment to competitive compensation includes bonuses and benefits that support both personal and professional well-being:

• Flexible Work Environment: We embrace a high-performance, flexible structure that values freedom and responsibility. Our “Highly Aligned, Loosely Coupled” model empowers teams to innovate and continuously improve using data-driven insights.
• Health and Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits, along with wellness and telework stipends.
• Time Off: Generous vacation time to recharge and balance life outside work.
• In-Office Perks: Enjoy dog-friendly offices and unlimited snacks or refreshments onsite.

The starting salary range for this role is [hiring target], depending on experience and qualifications, reflecting our dedication to competitive industry compensation. Additional details about our Total Rewards package will be shared during recruitment.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

At myKaarma, diverse perspectives drive innovation and success. We are committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive workplace where every employee feels valued and empowered and can do meaningful work. Our mission to deliver exceptional solutions to our clients is strengthened by the unique contributions and perspectives of our team members from all backgrounds.

As an equal opportunity employer, myKaarma prohibits any form of unlawful discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, family or parental status, disability, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable laws in the regions where we operate. We adhere to all EEOC regulations and actively promote an environment that celebrates and supports diversity, equity, and inclusion for all.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. Reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done, which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on myKaarma. Please let us know if you require reasonable accommodations during the application or interview process by filling out this form.

myKaarma participates in the E-Verify Program.

myKaarma considers candidates requiring work authorization on a case-by-case basis. Sponsorship may be available for exceptional candidates depending on role requirements and business need