Data Engineer

IFM is hiring a Data Engineer in Sunnyvale, United States. It pays $150k-$450k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on IFM.

Level's read on this job

On Level's scale, this data engineer role is Builds AI ●●●●: the job is building AI systems.
The listed pay starts close to the typical data engineer posting on Level.
Tools and skills the posting cites include prompt engineering, NLP and AI research.
Level lists 42 other open roles at IFM.

AI in this role

prompt-engineeringnlpai-research

About the Institute of Foundation Models

We are a dedicated research lab for building, understanding, using, and risk-managing foundation models. Our mandate is to advance research, nurture the next generation of AI builders, and drive transformative contributions to a knowledge-driven economy.

As part of our team, you’ll have the opportunity to work on the core of cutting-edge foundation model training, alongside world-class researchers, data scientists, and engineers, tackling the most fundamental and impactful challenges in AI development. You will participate in the development of groundbreaking AI solutions that have the potential to reshape entire industries. Strategic and innovative problem-solving skills will be instrumental in establishing MBZUAI as a global hub for high-performance computing in deep learning, driving impactful discoveries that inspire the next generation of AI pioneers.

The Role As a Data Engineer specializing in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and large-scale data processing, you will quickly and effectively gather, curate, and prepare high-quality datasets to support cutting-edge NLP research. Your role will be instrumental in enabling researchers by delivering essential data through efficient and scalable engineering practices, including web crawling, LLM-generated content refinement, and robust data pipelines, primarily leveraging Python and related technologies.

Key Responsibilities

Rapidly collect, curate, and preprocess datasets based on detailed specifications provided by NLPresearchers,delivering data within tight timelines.
Develop and maintain efficient web crawling solutions, APIs, and automated workflows to continuously improve data collection processes.
Refine and evaluate outputs from Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate structured datasets suitable for model training and benchmarking.
Implement scalable data pipelines, ensuring efficient data processing, storage, retrieval, and distribution to research teams.
Collaborate closely with researchers and engineers to ensure collected data meets specified quality and relevance criteria.
Document data collection methodologies, dataset characteristics, and pipeline architecture clearly and effectively.
Engage with peer teams and participate in technical reviews to uphold best practices and data quality standards.
Represent MBZUAI at industry and research forums, showcasing technical capabilities in large-scale data processing and AI data infrastructure.

Academic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or a related technical field required
Master’s degree or PhD degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or related technical fields preferred.

Professional Experience - Required

Extensive experience in data engineering, data processing, and automation using Python.
Demonstrated proficiency in designing and deploying web crawling solutions, automated data extraction, and processing pipelines.
Strong understanding of data structures, algorithms, databases, SQL, and performance optimization.
Experience working with cloud infrastructure and distributed data processing frameworks (e.g., AWS, Spark, Kafka, Kubernetes).
Excellent problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and the capability to rapidly address technical challenges.
Strong communication and collaboration skills with cross-functional teams.

Professional Experience - Preferred

Proven track record of supporting NLP or AI research teams with rapid and reliable data delivery.
Experience working with large language models, including evaluation, efficient inference, and prompt engineering.
Experience with refining outputs from large-scale AI models, such as LLM-generated data.
Contributions to open-source projects, coding competitions, or high visibility in coding communities (e.g., GitHub, Stack Overflow).
Familiarity with the latest advancements in NLP data processing and large language model technologies.

Compensation

$150,000 – $450,000/year + discretionary performance bonus + benefits

The posted salary range represents the company’s good faith estimate of the base compensation for this position upon hire. The actual base compensation offered may vary within this range depending on individual qualifications, including but not limited to relevant skills, experience, education, certifications, and specific business needs. In addition to base salary, total compensation includes an annual discretionary performance bonus and comprehensive benefits.

Benefits Include

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
Bonus
401K Plan
Generous paid time off, sick leave and holidays
Paid Parental Leave
Employee Assistance Program
Life insurance and disability

How we rate this

Data Engineer at IFM rates 92 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Builds AI (AI Level 4 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Builds AI. The job is building AI systems.

●●●● 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.

Key facts

Data Engineer is an open job at IFM.
Level rates this role AI Level 4 of 4: Builds AI.
The listed salary is $150k-$450k a year.
The role is based in Sunnyvale, CA.
The job was posted on April 9, 2025.
Applications are handled by IFM. Apply on IFM

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

Prompt engineeringNLPAI Research

Also common in data engineer jobs at this level

Machine learning AI agents Vector databases RAG Generative AI Azure

Pay

This job starts at: $150k
Typical data engineer job: $150k

This posting starts close to the typical data engineer job. See data engineer jobs

Questions you could be asked

How do you structure and test a prompt to get consistent output from a language model?
What NLP problem have you worked on, and how did you measure whether it actually worked?
Tell me about a research question you investigated. What did you find?
How would you decide a model or AI system is ready to ship?
Tell me about a time a model underperformed in production. How did you find out, and what did you change?

Adapt your resume

List these exact terms on your resume: Prompt engineering, NLP, and AI Research. 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.
Lead with what you built, trained or shipped. This role is judged on the AI system itself, not the tools around it.

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