Machine Learning Engineer, Ops

As a Machine Learning Engineer, Ops at Cantina Labs, you will build and scale the inference infrastructure for generative audio models, including Text-to-Speech (TTS), voice conversion, and Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR). You will design and deploy high-performance systems that ensure low-latency, reliable, and scalable model serving for both streaming and batch inference, bridging the gap between research and production.

What you'll do

• Design and maintain inference infrastructure for generative audio model architectures
• Implement and manage high-performance inference engines
• Orchestrate service deployments using Kubernetes (K8S), implementing advanced autoscaling paradigms to handle varying traffic loads efficiently
• Develop and automate robust CI/CD pipelines to streamline the testing and deployment of model artifacts and inference configurations
• Monitor production systems, establishing observability practices to track latency, resource utilization, and overall model performance
• Collaborate closely with research teams to optimize model serving paths and evaluate various inference strategies
• Optimize inference performance for both streaming and batch applications

What you bring

• A deep understanding of modern audio model architectures (e.g., TTS, ASR) and their specific inference requirements
• Strong hands-on experience with Kubernetes (K8S), container orchestration, and implementing autoscaling strategies for production workloads
• A solid background in MLOps, including CI/CD automation and managing scalable cloud infrastructure
• Proficiency in software engineering principles and experience with Python or Go for infrastructure tooling and backend services
• Experience with GPU-accelerated inference and performance profiling techniques

Nice to have

• Familiarity with high-performance inference engines such as Triton Inference Server or vLLM-Omni

What we offer

• Annual base salary of $125,000-$165,000 (€110,000-€145,000)
• Generous company equity
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with 99.99% of premiums covered by Cantina
• 42 days of paid time off annually, including 15 PTO days, 10 sick days, 15 company holidays, and 2 floating holidays
• Generous parental leave and fertility support
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Lifestyle spending account of $500 per month
• Complimentary lunch and snacks for in-office employees
• One Medical membership

About Cantina Labs

Cantina Labs is a social AI company developing advanced real-time models for generative audio and character interactions. The flagship Cantina platform enables people to tell stories, connect, and create with AI-powered characters and voices.