Applied AI Engineer

ABOUT TENEX
Tenex is where builders, operators, and problem-solvers come together to help the world’s most ambitious companies go from AI-absent to AI-native. We work at the intersection of strategy and engineering, embedding elite AI SWAT teams directly into organizations to turn complex, high-stakes problems into real, measurable outcomes. We don’t do slide decks and hand-offs; we sit in the trenches alongside our clients to build & drive real transformation.

We operate with the speed of a startup and the rigor of a storied institution. Our culture is built on intellectual curiosity, radical ownership, and a belief that exceptional work comes from diverse teams who are empowered to challenge assumptions, move fast, and hold each other to a higher standard. If you want to work on projects that actually matter, alongside people who push you to be your best, Tenex is the place to do it.

THE ROLE
This role sits at the intersection of engineering and storytelling. You’ll ship production AI systems — walking into client codebases and delivering working AI workflows that change how organizations operate — while documenting the work publicly. You’ll build with frontier AI tools (Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Cursor), own features end-to-end from architecture through deployment and client relationships, and turn what you learn into educational content for operators and founders. You’ll lead customer workshops ranging from hackathons to function-specific training, and report directly to co-founder Alex Lieberman.

The emphasis is on production systems that run independently and on content that moves audiences from observers to operators.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
BUILD
• Ship real software and internal tools while documenting the process
• Walk into client codebases and deliver working AI workflows
• Design reliable, auditable agent systems with humans in the loop
• Ramp quickly into unfamiliar technology stacks
• Leverage agentic coding tools (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.) and iterate on systems as they scale in production

CREATE & TEACH
• Produce videos, posts, threads, and playbooks explaining your builds
• Translate AI capabilities into actionable language for non-technical audiences
• Lead workshops and hackathons (minimum 2x/month) that move participants from observers to operators
• Test new models and tools as they release, with informed opinions
• Establish a repeating cycle of building, content creation, and workshops
• Share learnings across engagements to compound team impact

QUALIFICATIONS
• 3+ years shipping production software end-to-end, using AI coding tools in production
• Demonstrated ability to turn complex problems into scalable systems
• Regular use of AI coding tools in your workflow, with deep knowledge of the current AI landscape
• Ability to teach technical concepts, including to non-technical audiences
• Creator’s instinct for identifying shareable moments and producing content end-to-end
• Strong operational discipline managing multiple projects and client workstreams
• Intellectual curiosity about the evolving AI landscape
• High ownership with a collaborative approach to raising team standards

BONUS
• Public work artifacts—open source, side projects, talks or writing on applied AI
• Experience shipping production agentic systems (not POCs)
• Experience creating content online
• A small, but mighty following online

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
• $240,000–$320,000 OTE
• Medical (PPO/HSA), dental, and vision coverage
• 100% employer-paid life insurance and disability coverage
• Commuter benefits
• Flexible PTO