Surge AIAI Operations Engineer
Surge AI is hiring an AI Operations Engineer for a remote role open to applicants in United States. Level rates it ; you can apply on Surge AI.
Level's read on this job
- Level rates this role Works on AI ●●●○: the daily work is on AI products, without building the model.
- This is listed as a remote role.
- The posting mentions Anthropic, Python and data pipelines among its tools and skills.
- Level classes it as a mid-level role.
- Surge AI has 27 other open roles on Level.
AI in this role
Design and build data processing pipelines, custom tooling, and AI-powered quality control systems for frontier models.
About Us
Our mission is to raise AGI with the richness of human intelligence — curious, witty, imaginative, and full of unexpected brilliance.
Surge was founded by engineers and researchers who dreamed of building the next generation AI. We're building a platform that powers the most powerful models in the world in partnership with companies like Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, and Meta.
At Surge, we believe the path to AGI isn't just about scaling compute—it's about embracing the unlimited ceiling of human intelligence and creativity in the data that shapes these systems. Our platform combines elite human expertise with cutting-edge tools for scalable oversight, from building rich RL environments to conducting rigorous evaluations that go beyond benchmarks. We've run a profitable business from day one without raising venture funding.
The Role
As an AI Operations Engineer at Surge, you'll lead initiatives that directly impact our products and our customers. You'll be part of our operations team and collaborate closely with engineering solve our most complex challenges.
This role is ideal for someone earlier in their career — or looking to apply a technical background in a new context — who thrives in rapidly scaling, high-ambiguity environments. You'll spend a meaningful portion of your time designing and building — whether that's data processing pipelines, custom internal tooling, or AI-powered systems that improve how we deliver and evaluate work at scale. You'll also own the end-to-end design and execution of data collection projects for frontier AI labs — defining task structures, building quality frameworks, and shipping datasets that directly improve the world's most advanced models.
What You’ll Do
Design and build scalable systems and tooling — including data processing pipelines, automation workflows, and AI-based quality control tools — working closely with engineering to ship solutions to real operational problems.
Establish and expand scalable processes to enhance customer support and value delivery.
Drive execution of multiple simultaneous cross-functional projects, setting timelines and managing deadlines.
Interface with a variety of technical and non-technical stakeholders.
What We’re Looking for
Background in CS, engineering, or another quantitative field preferred.
Hands-on coding experience (Python or similar) and comfort building tools and systems from scratch — not just scripting, but designing solutions to real operational problems.
Proven track record of navigating ambiguity and executing complex, cross-functional projects in a high-performing environment.
Strong interpersonal skills that enable you to influence without authority and build cross-organizational alignment.
Comfortable working through trade-offs, balancing competing priorities, and having your mind changed.
Deep interest in AI systems — direct AI/ML experience valued but not required.
How we rate this
AI Operations Engineer at Surge AI rates 70 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Works on AI (AI Level 3 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Works on AI. The daily work is on AI products, without building the model.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Questions you could be asked
- Tell me about a project where python was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where data pipelines was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where automation was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where system design was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where operations was part of your work. What did you do?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Python, Data Pipelines, Automation, System Design, and Operations. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
- Show where AI is part of your daily process, not a one-off project. This role expects it to be a running habit.
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