We’re at a pivotal moment for AI and energy. Demand for compute is skyrocketing, but power constraints are becoming a critical bottleneck. Emerald AI sits at the intersection of these two worlds, enabling AI data centers to scale without overwhelming the grid.
Our Emerald Conductor software platform makes data centers flexible and responsive, allowing them to adjust power usage dynamically. This unlocks massive AI growth without major new infrastructure, while also strengthening the grid and supporting the expansion of renewable energy.
We’re a team of experts across AI, cloud, software, and energy—on a mission to scale AI sustainably. We’re backed by leading investors and partners including Radical Ventures and NVIDIA.
Learn more about our vision, team, and backers at https://www.emeraldai.co/.
About the RoleIn this role, you will design real-time telemetry pipelines, integrate with datacenter power and compute systems, and implement control and optimization logic that dynamically adjusts workloads based on grid and infrastructure conditions. This role bridges IT and OT environments - turning raw operational data into safe, reliable, production-grade control systems.
As an early engineering hire, you’ll shape system architecture, own projects end-to-end, and work closely across teams to translate real-world constraints into scalable software.
Key ResponsibilitiesBuild software modules that interact with datacenters, on-site industrial power systems and the electrical grid
Architect and implement data ingest pipelines that collect, normalize, and persist high-frequency telemetry from power meters, PDUs, UPS systems, cooling infrastructure, and compute hardware.
Design fault-tolerant integration layers between IT systems (cloud APIs, databases, orchestration platforms) and OT systems, handling protocol translation and data model definition and mapping.
Ensure high safety, reliability, and correctness when interacting with real-world energy assets and critical facilities — including behavior in degraded, disconnected, or split-brain network states.
Collaborate across teams to deliver end-to-end solutions from edge device to control plane.
7+ years of software engineering experience, with strong proficiency in Python and/or Rust, Go or C/C++
Hands-on experience building telemetry ingest pipelines or distributed systems that handle high-volume, time-series data.
Familiarity with at least one async messaging system: Kafka, RabbitMQ or equivalent
Exposure to IT or OT systems (SCADA, EMS, BMS, DCIM) and understanding of how data flows between them.
Direct experience with industrial telemetry protocols: Modbus TCP/RTU, DNP3, OPC-UA, BACnet, or SNMP.
Familiarity with time-series databases (InfluxDB, TimescaleDB, Prometheus) or industrial historian platforms (AVEVA PI / OSIsoft, Ignition).
Experience with Kubernetes, containerized deployments, or HPC job scheduling in datacenter environments.
Background in power systems, energy markets, microgrids, or datacenter infrastructure (power distribution, cooling, UPS, PDUs).
Understanding of control system design patterns: PID loops, state machines, setpoint control, or demand response logic.
Experience with edge compute runtimes or constrained environments where low-latency, reliable local execution matters independent of cloud connectivity.
Familiarity with optimization algorithms or energy management strategies (load shifting, peak shaving, curtailment) a plus
Make an impact. Solve the AI power bottleneck and shape how data centers scale sustainably.
Join a world-class team of AI, cloud, software, and energy experts in a collaborative, low-ego environment.
Build from 0→1. Influence strategy, GTM, org design, and customer/investor engagement from day one.
Competitive pay + equity. Stock options let you share in the value you help create.
Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k) matching.
Flexible location. Work from D.C., Boston, or the Bay Area, with 1 WFH day/week.
Backed by top investors, including Radical Ventures and NVIDIA.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, and any other protected ground of discrimination under applicable human rights legislation.
Emerald AI strives to respect the dignity and independence of people with disabilities and is committed to giving them the same opportunity to succeed as all other employees.
Inclusiveness is core to our culture at Emerald AI, and we strive to ensure you get the most from your interview experience. Emerald AI makes reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please reach out to the Talent team.
Skills Required
- 7+ years of software engineering experience
- Background in Python, Rust, Java, or similar
- Experience building software for datacenter or industrial power/controls environments
- Practical experience integrating with OT or telemetry protocols
- Proficiency with time-series data and telemetry pipelines using TSDBs
- Experience with IT power and compute telemetry
- Familiarity with compute orchestration tools
- Understanding of power systems or energy management
- Familiarity with demand response programs or energy market interfaces
- Experience with constraint modeling
Emerald AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Emerald AI and has not been reviewed or approved by Emerald AI.
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Healthcare Strength — Benefit descriptions consistently emphasize medical, dental, and vision coverage as part of the standard package. This signals a baseline level of health coverage that is positioned as comprehensive for roles being advertised.
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Retirement Support — Benefit language repeatedly includes 401(k) matching as part of the rewards package. This indicates retirement support is explicitly incorporated rather than left unspecified.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Compensation positioning includes equity via stock options alongside pay. This frames ownership participation as a meaningful component of the overall rewards approach.
Emerald AI Insights
What We Do
Emerald AI transforms energy-intensive data centers into AI-powered grid allies. The Emerald AI Conductor platform enables AI data centers to flexibly adjust their power consumption from the electricity grid on demand, orchestrating the computing loads of inference, training, and fine-tuning AI models across a network of data centers to bolster the power grid’s reliability while meeting strict compute performance standards. Flexibility could unlock up to 100 GW, or more than a decade of U.S. AI data center growth and trillions in AI investment, without enormous investments in electric grids or power plants—advancing innovation and competitiveness, ensuring power affordability for communities across the country, and bolstering the reliability of the electric power system.
