DevOps Contractor

– San Jose, CA (hybrid) Are you seeking new challenges in your career? Embark on a new chapter and unleash your potential with Search Wizards, a leading global provider of talent solutions. If you have a passion for overcoming complex challenges and making a lasting impact on the organizations you work with, then this is the place for you. With a proven track record of matching your talent with the most sought-after companies across all industries , Search Wizards believe s in the power of connecting top talent with meaningful career opportunities. Start your journey with us today and take the first step towards a challenging and fulfilling career where opportunities for growth and professional development are endless. Excited yet? Us too! We currently have a very exciting opportunity available for a DevOps Contractor in San Jose, CA . This will be a 2-month contract r ole with 2 days onsite per week. Responsibilities • Model Development & Optimization: Design, train, fine-tune, and evaluate large language models (LLMs) for performance, efficiency, and alignment with product or research goals. • Systems Integration & Deployment: Implement scalable inference pipelines, optimize serving infrastructure (e.g., quantization, caching, distillation), and integrate models into applications or APIs. • Research & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Lead experimentation with new architectures, prompt-engineering techniques, or retrieval systems, and collaborate with product, data, and ML operations teams to translate research into production features. Model Development & Optimization: Design, train, fine-tune, and evaluate large language models (LLMs) for performance, efficiency, and alignment with product or research goals. • Systems Integration & Deployment: Implement scalable inference pipelines, optimize serving infrastructure (e.g., quantization, caching, distillation), and integrate models into applications or APIs. • Research & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Lead experimentation with new architectures, prompt-engineering techniques, or retrieval systems, and collaborate with product, data, and ML operations teams to translate research into production features. Required Qualifications • 6–9 years of experience in machine learning engineering, DevOps, or MLOps, with proven work on large language model (LLM) development or deployment. • Strong proficiency in Python, PyTorch/TensorFlow, and CI/CD tools, with hands-on experience in containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and infrastructure as code (Terraform, CloudFormation). • Demonstrated ability to design, train, fine-tune, and optimize deep learning models for performance, efficiency, and scalability. • Experience deploying and managing cloud-based ML systems (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and optimizing inference pipelines (quantization, distillation, caching). • Strong collaboration and communication skills with cross-functional teams across research, product, and operations. Preferred Qualifications • Experience with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), vector databases, or prompt engineering for LLM applications. • Familiarity with monitoring and observability tools for ML systems (Prometheus, Grafana, MLflow). • Knowledge of model alignment, evaluation, and AI safety practices. • Proven ability to translate research prototypes into production-grade systems. • Contributions to open-source ML or infrastructure projects a strong plus. Pay Range • Pay range for this position will be up to $ 96.67 per hour . Compensation will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. This rate is subject to change. Search Wizards is an equal opportunity employer. Search Wizards is known for its pioneering efforts and niche focus on Talent Solutions. We offer competitive rates, an excellent benefits package (healthcare and 401k), ongoing education, and more. Consumer Privacy Notice Job ID: KB5575801113