Principal Machine Learning Engineer, Distributed vLLM

At Red Hat we believe the future of AI is open and we are on a mission to bring the power of open-source LLMs and vLLM to every enterprise. The Red Hat AI Inference Engineering team accelerates AI for the enterprise and brings operational simplicity to GenAI deployments. As leading developers, maintainers of the vLLM and LLM-D projects, and inventors of state-of-the-art techniques for model quantization and sparsification, our team provides a stable platform for enterprises to build, optimize, and scale LLM deployments.

As a Machine Learning Engineer focused on distributed vLLM infrastructure in the llm-d project, you will be at the forefront of innovation, collaborating with our team to tackle the most pressing challenges in scalable inference systems and Kubernetes-native deployments. Your work with machine learning, distributed systems, high performance computing, and cloud infrastructure will directly impact the development of our cutting-edge software platform, helping to shape the future of AI deployment and utilization. If you want to solve cutting edge problems at the intersection of deep learning, distributed systems, and cloud-native infrastructure the open-source way, this is the role for you.

Join us in shaping the future of AI!

• Architect and lead implementation of new features and solutions for Red Hat AI Inference

• Lead and foster a healthy upstream open source community

• Design, develop, and maintain distributed inference infrastructure leveraging Kubernetes APIs, operators, and the Gateway Inference Extension API for scalable LLM deployments.

• Design, develop, and maintain system components in Go and/or Rust to integrate with the vLLM project and manage distributed inference workloads.

• Design, develop, and maintain KV cache-aware routing and scoring algorithms to optimize memory utilization and request distribution in large-scale inference deployments.

• Enhance the resource utilization, fault tolerance, and stability of the inference stack.

• Design, develop, and test various inference optimization algorithms.

• Actively lead and facilitate technical design discussions and propose innovative solutions to complex challenges for high impact projects

• Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement by sharing recommendations and technical knowledge with team members

• Collaborate with product management, other engineering and cross-functional teams to analyze and clarify business requirements

• Communicate effectively to stakeholders and team members to ensure proper visibility of development efforts

• Mentor, influence, and coach a distributed team of engineers

• Provide timely and constructive code reviews

• Represent RHAI in external engagements including industry events, customer meetings, and open source communities

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• Strong proficiency in Python, GoLang and at least one of the following: Rust, C, or C++.

• Strong experience with cloud-native Kubernetes service mesh technologies/stacks such as Istio, Cilium, Envoy (WASM filters), and CNI.

• A solid understanding of Layer 7 networking, HTTP/2, gRPC, and the fundamentals of API gateways and reverse proxies.

• Knowledge of serving runtime technologies for hosting LLMs, such as vLLM, SGLang, TensorRT-LLM, etc. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of interacting effectively with both technical and non-technical team members.

• Experience providing technical leadership in a global team and delivering on a vision

• Autonomous work ethic and the ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment

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• Knowledge of high-performance networking protocols and technologies including UCX, RoCE, InfiniBand, and RDMA is a plus.

• Deep experience with the Kubernetes ecosystem, including core concepts, custom APIs, operators, and the Gateway API inference extension for GenAI workloads.

• Experience with GPU performance benchmarking and profiling tools like NVIDIA Nsight or distributed tracing libraries/techniques like OpenTelemetry.

• Experience in writing high performance code for GPUs and deep knowledge of GPU hardware

• Strong understanding of computer architecture, parallel processing, and distributed computing concepts

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field is an advantage, though we prioritize hands-on experience

• Active engagement in the ML research community (publications, conference participation, or open source contributions) is a significant advantage

#LI-MD2

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Pay Transparency

Red Hat determines compensation based on several factors including but not limited to job location, experience, applicable skills and training, external market value, and internal pay equity. Annual salary is one component of Red Hat’s compensation package. This position may also be eligible for bonus, commission, and/or equity. For positions with Remote-US locations, the actual salary range for the position may differ based on location but will be commensurate with job duties and relevant work experience. 

About Red Hat

Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to deliver high-performing Linux, cloud, container, and Kubernetes technologies. Spread across 40+ countries, our associates work flexibly across work environments, from in-office, to office-flex, to fully remote, depending on the requirements of their role. Red Hatters are encouraged to bring their best ideas, no matter their title or tenure. We're a leader in open source because of our open and inclusive environment. We hire creative, passionate people ready to contribute their ideas, help solve complex problems, and make an impact.

Benefits
●    Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
●    Flexible Spending Account - healthcare and dependent care
●    Health Savings Account - high deductible medical plan
●    Retirement 401(k) with employer match
●    Paid time off and holidays
●    Paid parental leave plans for all new parents
●    Leave benefits including disability, paid family medical leave, and paid military leave
●    Additional benefits including employee stock purchase plan, family planning reimbursement, tuition reimbursement, transportation expense account, employee assistance program, and more! 

Note: These benefits are only applicable to full time, permanent associates at Red Hat located in the United States. 

Inclusion at Red Hat
Red Hat’s culture is built on the open source principles of transparency, collaboration, and inclusion, where the best ideas can come from anywhere and anyone. When this is realized, it empowers people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to come together to share ideas, challenge the status quo, and drive innovation. Our aspiration is that everyone experiences this culture with equal opportunity and access, and that all voices are not only heard but also celebrated. We hope you will join our celebration, and we welcome and encourage applicants from all the beautiful dimensions that compose our global village.

Equal Opportunity Policy (EEO)
Red Hat is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. We review applications for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, veteran status, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, or any other basis prohibited by law.