Lead AI Engineer

Payabli’s mission is to enable any software company to become a payments company through its payment infrastructure and monetization platform. With Payabli, software companies can make payments a core part of their business model to drive revenue, enhance customer lifetime value, and boost enterprise value. Our co-founders are serial entrepreneurs who have built and scaled successful technology companies like RevoPay (acquired), Seamless.com (IPO),  and ServiceTitan. We are backed by top venture capital investors Fika Ventures, Bling Capital, and TTV Capital.

About the role:

We're hiring our first Lead AI Engineer to architect and deploy machine learning and AI systems across our payments platform. You'll work on critical applications, from fraud detection and underwriting to merchant risk scoring and operational automation, combining traditional ML with cutting-edge LLM techniques to build enterprise-grade risk controls. You'll also lead the development of our AI agent suite, spanning voice assistants, business intelligence chatbots, and more, all in service of empowering software companies to become payments companies. 

This is a foundational role for someone who's equally comfortable building and deploying models as they are shaping AI strategy and data architecture.

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of AI/ML models - partnering with product, engineering, and risk teams to define high-impact AI use cases
• Work with structured and unstructured data across payments, onboarding, and identity systems
• Build and maintain production-grade ML pipelines, model monitoring, and reliable AI agent systems for internal and external use
• Mentor and develop junior AI engineers as the team grows
• Lay the foundation for AI best practices, model governance, and performance benchmarks

• 6+ years of experience building AI/ML systems in production
• Strong Python skills and experience with frameworks like PyTorch, TensorFlow, or Scikit-learn
• Proven ability to deploy ML models to production (CI/CD, model versioning, monitoring, etc.)
• Experience with LLM frameworks and techniques (LangChain, Hugging Face, vector databases, RAG, prompt engineering)
• Strong communication and leadership skills with proven ability to partner across engineering and business teams

• Experience with C#
• Experience in fintech, payments, or fraud/risk modeling
• Exposure to identity verification systems, onboarding automation, or embedded finance
• Experience with Model Context Protocol (MCP) or similar agent integration frameworks
• Experience building voice AI or conversational agents for customer-facing applications

• Ownership mentality: you run through walls to deliver results.
• Work ethic: willing to push hard (including nights and weekends when necessary).
• Truth seeker: data-driven, ego-free decision-making.
• Calm under pressure: runs toward problems, not away.
• Scrappy and resourceful: “small giant” mindset, making big things happen with limited resources.
• Kind and inspiring: earns respect while holding people accountable.
• Customer-obsessed: the end goal is simple, customers write us love letters.

• Competitive base + performance-based bonus
• Meaningful equity package
• 100% remote (US-based)
• Medical, dental, and vision (50–80% company-covered)
• 401(k) program (eligible after 3 months)
• Unlimited PTO

Payabli is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We prohibit 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.

Principals only. No external agency submissions. Candidates must apply directly; We will not accept submissions from third-party recruiters or staffing agencies.