NYC AI careers guide · Roles refreshed September 27, 2026
Modal careers: 39 open roles right now
The serverless GPU cloud quadrupled to a $4.65B valuation in eight months — and careers searches for it grew 665% in a year, the fastest of any NYC AI company we track. 25 of the current openings are in New York. Roles below are pulled daily from Modal’s own job board; every link goes to their application page, not ours.
What you’d be joining
Modal makes GPUs feel like serverless functions: AI teams deploy training and inference workloads in seconds without managing clusters, which is why it became infrastructure of choice for a generation of AI startups. The trajectory is the story — a $1.1B valuation in September 2025 became $4.65B by May 2026, when General Catalyst and Redpoint led a $355M Series C.
This is systems engineering close to the metal: schedulers, container runtimes, GPU utilization, storage, and the developer experience that hides all of it behind a Python decorator. Founded by Erik Bernhardsson — who built Spotify’s early ML infrastructure and the open-source tools Luigi and Annoy — it runs engineering hubs in New York, San Francisco, and Stockholm.
Headquarters: 233 Spring St, Hudson Square — see it on the NYC AI map. Founded 2021; 120+ people across New York, San Francisco, and Stockholm as of May 2026; valuation $4.65B as of May 2026 (General Catalyst/Redpoint Series C).
Open roles at Modal
Fetched September 27, 2026 from Modal’s public job board — engineering and New York roles ranked first.
- Forward Deployed Engineer - MLNew York
Posted Feb 23, 2026$180k–$250kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
SGLangvLLM
Posted Apr 21, 2026$200k–$350kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
CUDAPyTorchTensorRTvLLM
- Customer EngineerNew York
Posted Sep 23, 2025$150k–$220kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
Posted Sep 23, 2025$180k–$240kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
AWSAzureGCPKubernetes
Posted Jan 19, 2026$220k–$300kfull time
Responsibilities include: - Identifying architectural changes to improve reliability and performance. - Fostering a culture of reliability across Modal’s engineering organization. - Defining and implementing operational processes such as deployments, upgrades, etc. - Operating systems like Kubernetes, Postgres, Redis, etc. - Participating in on-call rotations, and responding to production incidents.
AWSKubernetes
- Systems Engineering ManagerNew York
Posted Feb 3, 2026$275k–$330kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
JavaRust
- Infrastructure Security EngineerNew York
Posted Apr 21, 2026$150k–$270kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
AWSGCPKubernetes
Posted Jul 5, 2026$150k–$350kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
ElasticsearchPythonSGLang
Posted Jul 5, 2026$150k–$350kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
Elasticsearch
- ML Research InternNew York
Posted Jul 28, 2026full time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
- Detection and Response EngineerNew York
Posted Aug 17, 2026$150k–$270kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
KubernetesSQL
- Analytics EngineerNew York
Posted Sep 23, 2026$150k–$250kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
PythonSQLSnowflakedbt
- Documentation EngineerNew York
Posted Sep 21, 2026$200k–$275kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
Posted Oct 23, 2024$220k–$300kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
Rust
- Business Operations ManagerNew York
Posted Jan 29, 2026$140k–$190kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
Posted Aug 22, 2025$150k–$350kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
GoPythonRustTypeScript
- Account Executive - EnterpriseNew York
Posted Sep 23, 2025full time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
- Member of Design Staff - BrandNew York
Posted Sep 2, 2026$160k–$225kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
Posted Jan 9, 2026$150k–$300kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
PythonTypeScript
Posted Apr 14, 2026$200k–$300kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
Posted May 18, 2026$150k–$300kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
SnowflakeTypeScript
- People Operations GeneralistNew York
Posted Jun 17, 2026$115k–$145kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
- Regional DirectorNew York
Posted Jul 30, 2026full time
AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
- Talent Programs ManagerNew York
Posted Sep 15, 2026$140k–$165kfull time
The Role As Talent Programs Manager, you will own Modal's talent events, our intern program, and our presence at career fairs, end-to-end. This is a build-from-the-ground-up role for someone who wants full ownership rather than an existing playbook to execute.
Posted Sep 22, 2026$270k–$330kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
- Developer Relations EngineerSan Francisco
Posted Sep 4, 2025$175k–$275kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
- Forward Deployed Engineer - SystemsStockholm
Posted Jan 12, 2026full time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
AWSAzureGCPKubernetesSQL
- Solutions ArchitectSan Francisco
Posted Feb 20, 2026$200k–$280kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
AWSAzureGCPKubernetesPython
- Forward Deployed Engineer - MLStockholm
Posted Mar 3, 2026full time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
SGLangvLLM
- Systems Engineering ManagerStockholm
Posted May 19, 2026$175k–$250kfull time
ABOUT US: AI needs a new infrastructure layer. We're building it at Modal. Every era of computing brought new workloads that previous infrastructure couldn't support: mainframes, databases, and the cloud. Each time, the company that rebuilt the layer underneath defined the decade. AI is no different, except it touches everything instead of one slice, and the window to build the layer underneath it is open right now.
JavaRust
What Modal’s board tells you
Every open role on Modal’s board, read as a set rather than a list. These counts come from the same feed as the roles above, on September 27, 2026 — they move as the board moves.
39
open roles
25
in New York · 64% of the board
11
posted in the last 30 days
What they’re hiring for. Engineering at 64%, GTM at 10%, and Research at 8%. Engineering leads the board, which is the ordinary shape for a company still building product.
At what level. Mid 38%, Staff/Principal 38%, Manager 10%. Entry-level openings are scarce here — this board rewards people with production experience already behind them.
Where the work sits. 1 of 39 roles is listed fully remote (3%), against 25 tied to New York. The centre of gravity is still the New York office.
What the postings name. Tools mentioned most often across the descriptions: Rust (7), Kubernetes (6), Python (6), AWS (5), GCP (4), Azure (3). Naming the overlap with your own experience, in those words, is the cheapest edit you can make to a résumé before applying here.
Whether they publish pay. 32 of 39 postings carry a base range, spanning $115k–$350k across all levels and functions. That is the company’s own number, not an estimate — use it to anchor, and read the negotiation guide before you answer the first compensation question.
Board freshness: the median open role was posted 131 days ago — old enough that some of these are evergreen reqs rather than active searches, so treat a long-dated posting as a pipeline, not an opening.
What it pays
Modal doesn’t publish salary bands for most roles, so calibrate against the market it hires in: US AI and ML engineers run roughly $150k–220k base at mid-level and $220k–300k senior, and New York offers typically land 15–25% above those national bands — before equity, which at a company of Modal’s stage is a real part of the conversation. Infrastructure companies at Modal’s stage compete directly with big-tech systems teams for talent, so senior systems roles often price above the standard AI-engineer bands.
Full breakdowns by role and seniority: the AI engineer salary guide and the NYC-specific numbers. When the offer lands, the salary negotiation guide covers what to ask about the equity — including at Modal’s stage.
How to stand out
We vet AI engineers for a living, and companies hiring at Modal’s level screen for the same signals we do: production ownership (a system running today, and what broke first), evaluation discipline (how you knew it worked before users did), and cost awareness (what it cost to run, and what you did about it). Polished side-projects lose to one honest production story every time.
Modal’s founder built beloved open-source tools, and the company’s product is developer experience — public systems work (an OSS contribution, a performance write-up, a scheduler war story with numbers) is worth more here than almost anywhere. Know your GPU-utilization math cold.
Full preparation guide: the AI engineer interview questions companies actually ask.
Or let companies come to you
Modal is one of a hundred NYC AI companies competing for the same engineers. Join our vetted network and get matched with scoped contract work and placements across the ecosystem — including roles that never hit a public board.
Frequently asked questions
What roles is Modal hiring for?+
Mostly deep systems and product engineering — schedulers, runtimes, GPU infrastructure, storage, and developer tooling — plus go-to-market roles as it scales past the $4.65B Series C. The live list above pulls from Modal’s own board daily; engineering hubs are New York, San Francisco, and Stockholm.
What does Modal pay engineers?+
No public bands. Market context: US AI/ML engineers run $150k–220k mid-level and $220k–300k senior base with NYC 15–25% above — and serverless-infrastructure companies at this stage typically price senior systems engineers above those bands because they compete with big-tech infra teams for the same people.
Is Modal a good place for AI engineers?+
It depends which kind: Modal builds the infrastructure AI teams run on, so the work is distributed systems, performance, and developer experience rather than model development. For engineers who love making computers fast and APIs delightful, it is one of the strongest brands in the ecosystem — and its 665% year-over-year growth in careers searches suggests the market agrees.
Who founded Modal?+
Erik Bernhardsson, previously at Spotify where he built early ML infrastructure including the open-source workflow tool Luigi and the vector-search library Annoy. That open-source DNA shows in the product and in what the company values in candidates.
Neuronify is not affiliated with Modal. Role data comes from Modal’s public job-board API and refreshes roughly daily; apply through their official pages linked above. Company figures are sourced and dated in our NYC AI 100 research.