Principal Python Engineer - ML Infrastructure

About The Job Alignerr connects top technical experts with leading AI labs to build, evaluate, and improve next-generation models. We work on real production systems and high-impact research workflows across data, tooling, and infrastructure. Position Senior Python Full-Stack Engineer — AI Data & Infrastructure Type: Contract, Remote Commitment: 20–40 hours/week Compensation: Competitive, hourly (based on experience) Role Responsibilities • Design, build, and optimize high-performance systems in Python supporting AI data pipelines and evaluation workflows • Develop full-stack tooling and backend services for large-scale data annotation, validation, and quality control • Improve reliability, performance, and safety across existing Python codebases • Collaborate with data, research, and engineering teams to support model training and evaluation workflows • Identify bottlenecks and edge cases in data and system behavior, and implement scalable fixes • Participate in synchronous reviews to iterate on system design and implementation decisions Qualifications Must-Have • Native or fluent English speaker • Full-stack developer experience with a strong systems programming background • 5+ years of professional experience writing production Python, specifically for large-scale infrastructure or platform engineering. • Expertise in designing distributed computing systems and managing concurrency with advanced asynchronous patterns. • Deep understanding of Python internals (GIL limitations, memory profiling) and experience optimizing performance for compute-heavy workloads. • Clear written and verbal communication skills for driving technical strategy and architectural decisions. • Ability to commit 20–40 hours per week. Preferred • Prior experience with data annotation, data quality, or evaluation systems • Familiarity with AI/ML workflows, model training, or benchmarking pipelines • Experience with distributed systems or developer tooling Application Process • Submit your resume • Complete a short technical screening • Project matching and onboarding