Senior AI Engineer - Israel

Sefaria, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building the future of Torah in an open and participatory way, is in search of a full-time Senior AI Engineer. The Senior AI Engineer must be based in Israel and will report directly to the Head of the Research Team. This is a remote-first position, requiring occasional attendance at the office in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, and flexible availability for US hours, at least 2 evenings a week.

Our Research Engineering team is responsible for developing and maintaining Sefaria’s data infrastructure, including Elasticsearch, vector search, data modeling, AI model tuning, research, and model deployment. Over the last decade, the team has transformed the world of Torah learning through a commitment to excellence in design, user experience, engineering, open data, and collaboration.

Position Overview

We seek an experienced AI Engineer with a proven history of contributing to complex software and AI projects. Prior experience in machine learning and overseeing complex engineering projects is essential, as is knowledge of Judaic texts and fluency in both Hebrew and English.

As a Senior AI Engineer in a growing team, you will play an active role in developing our research department and take part in planning and developing the next generation of Torah software. You are expected to have solid engineering, project management, and self-management skills.

We are a dynamic team committed to continuous growth, exploring cutting-edge technologies in both data science and full-stack development. Our technology stack is centered on Python, Django, and Celery for server-side operations; React for client-side development; and React Native for mobile development. We use MongoDB and Postgres databases. Our DevOps includes GPU deployments and model optimizations. Our infrastructure is supported by Kubernetes, and proficiency in these technologies, along with expertise in Git for code management and a solid understanding of SCRUM, will be highly beneficial. Although familiarity with these full-stack technologies will be helpful, this role will be primarily focused on data science, ML, MLOps, and AI.

If you meet more than 60% of the qualifications, we encourage you to apply.

In This Position, You Will Do The Following

• Understand, refine, extend, and maintain complex software systems
• Break down complex projects into discrete components and successfully implement them
• Design and maintain infrastructure for deploying ML models at scale, including GPU resource management, model serving optimization, and performance monitoring
• Bridge the gap between research and production by translating experimental AI implementations into robust, maintainable systems
• Develop methods to extract insights from our datasets
• Develop and maintain our open source APIs and ML models
  
  

Attributes We’re Looking For Include

• Strategic, analytical, and highly autonomous problem-solving skills
• Ability to lead and achieve stretch goals in an innovative and fast-paced environment
• Commitment to both personal and professional excellence
• Commitment to direct, clear, professional, and thoughtful communication
• Ability to proactively share knowledge and feedback, ask questions, and learn
• Demonstrated success in working independently in a remote-first setting
• Willingness and ability to adapt to change
• Passion and enthusiasm for the work Sefaria does, and dedication to supporting Sefaria’s mission
  
  

Requirements

Experience, Qualifications, and Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science or Engineering, or equivalent practical experience

At least 5 years of relevant work experience in data science and software development

Proven expertise in ML and AI

Core technical expertise in more than one of the following:

• Understanding of emerging AI/ML technologies and techniques
• Knowledge of AI and embedding vector databases
• Python
• Systems architecture
• Software architecture
• Structured (SQL) and semi-structured (NoSQL) databases
• Knowledge of Judaic texts (e.g., Torah, Talmud, Kabbalistic works, halakhic works, commentaries, etc.)
• Understanding of written Hebrew
• Excellent English proficiency (written and spoken) in order to work closely with US-based team members
• Ability to work in a remote environment using G-Suite, Slack, Zoom, Shortcut, and Monday.com
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, 2-3 days per week, to sufficiently overlap with colleagues in the US
  
  

Beneficial

• Experience with Sefaria API
• Experience with Kubernetes
  
  

Benefits

• Generous paid time off, including: 15 vacation days; 18 sick days; approximately 16 Jewish holidays and full closure for Passover.
• Standard Israeli taxes and benefits plus Keren Hishtalmut.
• Home utility reimbursements.
• Fully paid parental leave ranging from 8 to 13 weeks, depending on circumstances.
  
  

Location:

The Senior AI Engineer may be based anywhere in Israel, with the ability to arrive at the Jerusalem office at least once a week and the Tel Aviv office occasionally.

How To Apply

Click below to apply; you’ll be invited to include your resume and a cover letter in English.

In your cover letter, please indicate why you are interested in working at Sefaria and your experience with emerging AI technologies (Langchain, Langsmith, OpenAI, etc).

Applications without these will not be considered.

Sefaria does not accept solicitations of any kind from job placement services or phone calls from prospective candidates.

Additional Considerations

• If you meet more than 60% of the qualifications listed in this description, we encourage you to apply.
• If you have a disability and require accommodation or assistance with our application process, please send an email to hiring[@]sefaria.org.
  
  

About Sefaria

Sefaria is a non-profit organization dedicated to building the future of Torah in an open and participatory way. We are assembling a free, digital library of Jewish texts and translations and developing digital tools, educational resources, and engagement opportunities that enable people to deepen their study. Sefaria was founded in 2013 and has since become a mainstay of Jewish learning and education with more than 4 million users annually. Sefaria’s API powers nearly 80 independent projects and dozens of Torah-focused websites. Sefaria's team of nearly 30 full-time staff is remote, with employees based in several US cities and in Israel.

Sefaria provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Nothing in this job description or advertisement postings guarantees employment.