Applied AI Scientist (Hybrid)

Job summary

Drive the development and deployment of LLMs and applied AI systems to solve critical business problems for small businesses. Collaborate cross-functionally to move models from experimentation to production while tracking customer impact metrics.

Job details

Hi, Future Homie! At Homebase, you’ll join a team that’s bold, fast-moving, and obsessed with helping small businesses thrive. We build with empathy, act with urgency, and take big swings that drive real-world impact. Here, every Homie shows up to raise the bar, support one another, and celebrate wins as a team. We’re not just building an app—we’re building unstoppable teams. So what do you say, are you in? 📍Your Impact Starts Here We’re looking for an Applied AI Scientist who’s passionate about building intelligent systems that directly impact real-world customers. You’ll work at the intersection of AI, product, and engineering—bringing cutting-edge models into production to power meaningful experiences for small business teams. This is a unique opportunity to shape how AI transforms team management, from automation to decision-making, in a fast-moving, AI-first company. You’ll collaborate across teams to deliver high-impact solutions and continuously raise the bar on what’s possible with modern AI. These are the key ways you’ll contribute and create impact in this role: Drive advancements in LLMs and applied AI systems, rapidly experimenting and iterating in a fast-evolving landscape Leverage, fine-tune, and deploy models—owning the lifecycle from experimentation to production, scaling, and monitoring Build AI-powered features that solve critical business problems across product domains Develop and track metrics that measure real customer impact, ensuring alignment with business outcomes Partner cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, and Data teams to deliver production-ready solutions Communicate insights and experiment results clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders Support leadership and teams with data-driven decision-making Continuously improve workflows using AI tools and automation to increase velocity and impact 🚀 The Foundation for Success - These are the experiences and strengths that will set you up for success in this role: Strong foundation in machine learning principles and applied modeling Deep experience working with LLMs or frontier AI models (industry or academia) Demonstrated ability to productionize ML systems (real-time, batch, or streaming) Proficiency in Python and SQL for data manipulation and model development Experience evaluating models using both technical metrics and business impact Ability to break down complex problems into structured, solvable components Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across functions Adaptability and curiosity to evolve alongside rapidly changing AI capabilities Experience improving workflows using AI tools and measuring impact (AI fluency expectation) 🤝 The Homie Way - These principles guide everything we do—from how we work and make decisions to how we show up for each other. 💡 Be Customer Obsessed – Solve problems with empathy and creativity. ⚡ Move Fast, Learn Fast – Experiment, take action, and grow every day. 🎯 Own Your Impact – Think big, focus on what matters, and make decisions you stand behind. 🏆 Master Your Craft – Excellence fuels impact—show up, step up, and make your mark. 🏅 Win Together – Put goals over roles, lead with trust, and connect to our mission and each other. What We Offer 💰 Ownership & Savings: Stock options + TFSA/RRSP with 4% company match 🏥 Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision for you and your dependents ⏰ Paid Time Off: Flexible PTO + company holidays + designated focus periods 🤖 AI access, for real: We invest in builders and believe that curiosity shouldn't have a paywall. That means you'll have access to paid AI tools with minimal restrictions, so you can build, experiment, and level up your craft. 👶 Family Support: Maternity/Parental Leave EI top-up support offered (after 6 months of service) 🌟 Work Your Way: Work From Anywhere Month + meeting-free weeks yearly 🛡️ Protection Plans: Life insurance + short/long-term disability coverage 🍽️ Workspace Perks: Meals provided, team offsites, and Customer Days 💼 Our Hybrid Rhythm: We believe collaboration drives impact. That’s why Tuesday and Wednesday are our required in-office days—a time to move faster as a team, build deeper connections, make better decisions, and build together. What to Expect During the Interview Process Meet the Talent Acquisition team, Mavel W. Meet the Hiring Manager, Ted N. Participate in Technical Interviews (Onsite) Meet our Director of Data & AI Background Check + Offer Stage Welcome to the team, Homie 🎉 💜 Belonging at Homebase - We're committed to fostering a welcoming space where every Homie can be their full self. Experience comes in many forms—so if you're excited about this role, even if you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications, we encourage you to apply! Homebase will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. 👋 Hey, We’re Homebase Homebase is the everything app for hourly teams—built to simplify the day-to-day and superpower local businesses. With tools for scheduling, time clocks, payroll, communication, HR, and more, we help teams stay connected and in control. Today, over 150,000 small (but mighty) businesses rely on us to make work radically easier. Together, we’ve tracked over a billion hours for 2M+ workers—and we’re just getting started. At Homebase, we celebrate diversity and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all candidates and do not discriminate based on any legally protected status. If you need accommodations during the hiring process, please let us know—we’re committed to ensuring fair and equitable access for all.

What you’ll do

Drive the development and deployment of LLMs and applied AI systems to solve critical business problems for small businesses. Collaborate cross-functionally to move models from experimentation to production while tracking customer impact metrics.

Requirements

Requires a strong foundation in machine learning principles and deep experience with frontier AI models and Python/SQL. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to productionize ML systems and communicate technical insights to non-technical stakeholders.

Benefits

• Stock options • TFSA/RRSP with 4% company match • Comprehensive medical insurance • Dental insurance • Vision insurance • Flexible PTO • Company holidays • Designated focus periods • Paid AI tools access • Maternity/Parental Leave EI top-up support • Work From Anywhere Month • Meeting-free weeks • Life insurance • Short-term disability coverage • Long-term disability coverage • Provided meals • Team offsites • Customer Days

Listed skills

• Production · Preferred
• Technical · Preferred
• Teams · Preferred
• Decision Making · Preferred
• Process · Preferred
• Machine learning · Preferred
• Communication · Preferred
• Development · Preferred
• Time · Preferred
• Tracking · Preferred
• Flexible · Preferred
• Customer · Preferred

Other relevant skills

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Machine Learning
• Large Language Models
• Python
• SQL
• Model Deployment
• Model Fine-tuning
• Data Manipulation
• MLOps
• Model Evaluation
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• AI Automation
• Problem Solving

Job areas

• Technology
• Software
• Engineering
• Data & Analytics
• Science & Research