Staff Software Engineer, ML Ops and Infrastructure

As a Staff Software Engineer focusing on ML Ops and Infrastructure at Cohere, your key responsibilities will include building self-service systems to automate the management and deployment of services, particularly focusing on our custom Kubernetes operators. You'll also ensure that our environment is observable and resilient, enabling developers to troubleshoot issues effectively. Participation in an on-call rotation is vital to meet defined Service Level Objectives (SLOs), alongside nurturing relationships with internal developers and contributing to the team through knowledge-sharing.

To be successful in the Staff Software Engineer role at Cohere, you should possess over five years of engineering experience working with large-scale production infrastructure. Familiarity with designing highly available distributed systems using Kubernetes and cloud services such as GCP, Azure, or AWS is necessary. In addition, having excellent collaboration and troubleshooting skills to build mission-critical systems is essential, along with a tenacious mindset towards solving complex technical challenges.

Cohere prides itself on fostering an open and inclusive culture where every team member contributes uniquely. As a Staff Software Engineer in ML Ops and Infrastructure, you’ll collaborate with a diverse group of experts who are passionate about their crafts. Teamwork is highly valued, and knowledge sharing occurs actively to enhance personal development and collective success. We're committed to creating a workplace that embraces diversity and promotes a sense of belonging.

Yes, Cohere supports a remote-flexible work environment, allowing you to thrive whether you are based in Toronto, New York, San Francisco, London, or anywhere else. We also provide a co-working stipend, making it easier to stay productive while enjoying the benefits of a hybrid workspace arrangement.

Staff Software Engineers at Cohere enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including full health and dental coverage, a weekly lunch stipend, and a budget for mental health resources. We provide generous parental leave and personal enrichment benefits, as well as a healthy work-life balance with six weeks of vacation. Our culture promotes inclusiveness and support for personal growth.

In preparing for this question, think about specific projects you've worked on involving Kubernetes. Discuss how you utilized its capabilities to automate deployments, manage container orchestration, and optimize resource allocation, ensuring high availability and scalability. Highlight any unique challenges you faced and how you overcame them using Kubernetes tools and strategies.

When addressing this question, consider mentioning different methods and tools you rely on for diagnostics, like logs, monitoring tools, and system performance metrics. Provide real examples of challenges you've tackled, detailing how you identified the root causes of issues and subsequently deployed solutions to enhance system reliability.

Discuss your approach to fostering collaboration, such as utilizing Agile methodologies, regular stand-ups, and code reviews. Emphasize the importance of open communication, leveraging collaborative tools, and how you foster a supportive environment where team members feel valued and encouraged to share ideas.

Describe your programming background, including languages and frameworks you are proficient in, particularly focusing on practical applications in your projects. Explain how your coding experience enhances your understanding of system architecture, allows you to create efficient solutions, and aids in mentoring other team members.

Be prepared to discuss your direct experience with these platforms, specifically detailing projects where you deployed or scaled applications. Talk about the services you've used (e.g., storage, database, serverless functions) and how you optimized costs while ensuring high performance and security.

For this question, explain methodologies you employ to track and meet SLOs, using concrete metrics and performance indicators. Discuss the importance of proactive monitoring, scheduled maintenance, and incident response strategies to maintain operational integrity in production infrastructure.

Prepare a compelling story about a specific technical obstacle, explaining the context, your thought process, the actions you took, and the outcome. Focus on demonstrating your problem-solving skills, resilience, and how you ensured that systems continued to operate smoothly for end users.

Discuss the resources you use to stay current with industry trends, such as conferences, webinars, online courses, or tech blogs. Mention how you actively apply what you learn to your work and share insights with your team to drive innovation.

Reflect on the significance of diverse perspectives in technology. Share your thoughts on how a diverse and inclusive culture enhances problem-solving and innovation. Discuss personal experiences where inclusivity improved team dynamics or project outcomes.

For this question, emphasize what excites you about working at Cohere, such as the mission, values, or the opportunity to be at the forefront of AI technology. Share specific skills or experiences you can bring to the team and how you envision making a positive impact on Cohere’s projects and culture.