AI Engineer at Hiya | Seattle, US

Join Our TeamAt Lightning AI, we are the creators of PyTorch Lightning. Established in 2019, we have developed a comprehensive platform for crafting, training, and deploying AI systems, designed to seamlessly transition ideas from research to production.Our merger with Voltage Park, an innovative neocloud and AI Factory, enhances Lightning AI by integrating developer-first software with cost-effective, large-scale computing solutions. Our platform empowers teams to perform experimentation, training, and production inference while incorporating security, observability, and control.We cater to solo researchers, startups, and large enterprises alike. With a global presence that includes offices in New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and London, we are supported by esteemed investors such as Coatue, Index Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and Firstminute.Our Core ValuesMove Fast: We prioritize speed and precision by breaking down large challenges into manageable tasks.Focus: Our team collaborates to deliver precise features by concentrating on one goal at a time.Balance: We uphold a healthy work-life balance, ensuring sustained performance through adequate rest and recovery.Craftsmanship: Innovation stems from excellence, and we take pride in our attention to detail and mastery of our craft.Minimal: We drive innovation through simplicity, eliminating complexity and focusing on what truly matters.Your RoleWe are seeking a Fullstack Engineer to contribute to the development and scaling of the Lightning AI platform, encompassing frontend, CLI, API, billing, security, and integrations.We desire a proactive individual who can take ownership of key features and lead development from conception to release while collaborating with a highly skilled team of engineers, product managers, and designers. In this role, you will focus on delivering high-quality solutions quickly and iteratively.This is your chance to create groundbreaking technology that will revolutionize the machine learning ecosystem!This position is hybrid, based in our Redmond, Washington office, requiring in-office attendance two days per week. The salary range for this role is $120,000 - $250,000.

Who We AreLightning AI is the innovative force behind PyTorch Lightning. Established in 2019, we offer a comprehensive platform designed for the seamless development, training, and deployment of AI systems, transforming ideas from research into production with minimal friction.Following our merger with Voltage Park, a cutting-edge neocloud and AI Factory, we combine developer-centric software with cost-effective, large-scale computing capabilities. Our tools empower teams to explore, train, and conduct production inferences while ensuring built-in security, observability, and control.We cater to solo researchers, startups, and large enterprises alike. With a global presence that includes offices in New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and London, we are supported by leading investors such as Coatue, Index Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and Firstminute.Our ValuesMove Fast: We act swiftly and with precision, breaking down significant challenges into manageable steps.Focus: We tackle one objective at a time, working collaboratively to deliver features with meticulous attention to detail.Balance: We recognize that sustained performance is rooted in rest and recovery, promoting a healthy work-life balance to keep our team thriving.Craftsmanship: Innovation is driven by excellence. We take pride in mastering our craft, ensuring every detail is significant.Minimal: Simplicity fuels our innovation. We strive to eliminate complexity through discipline, honing in on what genuinely matters.What We're Looking ForWe seek a talented Backend Engineer to enhance and scale the Lightning AI platform, working across frontend, CLI, API, billing, security, and integrations. The ideal candidate will take ownership of critical features and lead development from inception to completion while collaborating with a skilled team of engineers, product managers, and designers. You will move from proof of concept to release, emphasizing speed, quality, and iterative improvement.This is an exciting opportunity to create transformative technology that will revolutionize the machine-learning landscape!This is a hybrid role based in our Redmond office with an in-office requirement of 2 days per week. The salary for this position ranges from $120,000 to $250,000.

About UsAt Lightning AI, we are pioneers in AI development, known for our flagship product, PyTorch Lightning. Established in 2019, our mission is to streamline the journey from AI research to production, providing a robust platform for developing, training, and deploying AI systems.Following our merger with Voltage Park, we have enhanced our capabilities to offer developer-centric software coupled with scalable computing resources. Our tools empower researchers, startups, and large enterprises to innovate efficiently, ensuring security, observability, and control are integrated into every step.With a global presence in cities like New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and London, and support from leading investors including Coatue and Bain Capital Ventures, we are dedicated to transforming how AI is built and deployed worldwide.Our Core ValuesAct with Speed: We tackle challenges efficiently, translating complex tasks into manageable steps.Precision Focus: We prioritize tasks, collaborating as a cohesive team to deliver high-quality features.Work-Life Harmony: We advocate for a balanced lifestyle to sustain peak performance.Commitment to Quality: We believe in excellence, paying attention to every detail in our work.Simplicity in Innovation: We strive for innovation by minimizing complexity and concentrating on what truly matters.Position OverviewWe are on the lookout for a talented Frontend Engineer to enhance and scale our platform's UI and frontend architecture. In this role, you will own pivotal features and oversee their development from conception to launch, collaborating with a team of exceptional engineers, product managers, and designers. Your work will directly influence how over 10,000 organizations utilize Lightning AI to deploy AI solutions.This is a hybrid position based in our Seattle office, requiring in-office attendance twice a week. The salary range for this role is $120,000 - $250,000.

Read AI develops tools that add intelligence to team collaboration, helping groups stay productive across meetings, messaging, and email. The platform connects with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Slack, making it easier for teams to coordinate and move projects ahead from anywhere. With $81 million in backing from Smash Capital, Madrona, and Goodwater Capital, Read AI is expanding its impact on AI-powered teamwork. Role overview This Senior Fullstack Software Engineer position is based at Read AI’s Seattle headquarters. The role involves both hands-on feature development and shaping the technical direction of the product. The engineer will design scalable systems, establish coding standards, and help define the technical roadmap. The work spans complex backend logic and building responsive, reliable user experiences. Read AI values engineers who are comfortable with ambiguity, mentor others, and focus on building systems that stand the test of time. What you will do Architectural leadership: Design and implement scalable web applications and distributed systems across the stack. Technical excellence: Maintain high code quality through code reviews, automated tests, and clear documentation. System ownership: Take responsibility for major product areas from initial design through deployment and ongoing improvement. Cross-functional strategy: Collaborate with Product and Design to shape the roadmap, balancing technical feasibility and scalability. Performance and reliability: Address issues affecting application speed, database performance, and frontend rendering. Mentorship: Support mid-level and junior engineers, encouraging best practices and ongoing learning. DevOps culture: Improve CI/CD pipelines, observability, and infrastructure-as-code. Location This role is on-site at Read AI’s Seattle HQ. Learn more Find additional information at https://www.read.ai/.

Join Read AI:At Read AI, we are transforming teamwork by infusing intelligence into every conversation. Our innovative platform enhances productivity across meetings, messages, and emails, enabling teams to work more efficiently and with greater concentration. We integrate seamlessly with leading tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Slack, and others, ensuring teams remain synchronized, whether in the same location or separated by time zones.With a solid backing of $81 million from prestigious investors including Smash Capital, Madrona, and Goodwater Capital, Read AI is on an exciting growth trajectory. If you are passionate about shaping the future of AI-driven collaboration and eager to make a significant impact at a rapidly evolving startup, we want to hear from you!Your Role:We are looking for a Fullstack Software Engineer to join our dynamic team at Read AI. In this position, you will design, build, and maintain scalable web and desktop applications, handling both frontend and backend systems. You will work closely with product managers, designers, and fellow engineers to create top-notch user experiences and robust backend services that power our AI-based platform.

About Sobek AISobek AI is at the forefront of creating a secure infrastructure for life sciences innovation and intergovernmental emergency response. With backing of over $10M in grants and funding, we collaborate with internationally recognized organizations to enhance mission-critical, distributed workflows using AI, all while safeguarding intellectual property and sensitive public health data.The RoleWe are seeking a talented Full-Stack Engineer to take ownership of product surfaces from start to finish. This role is high-impact and allows for significant ownership, focusing on transforming complex generative AI workflows into reliable software solutions.What You’ll DoOwn features across the stack: Bring ideas to life from conception to production, including UX flows, React/TypeScript UI, well-defined Python/TypeScript APIs/services, and oversee production rollout and performance measurements.Build intuitive, data-rich interfaces: Create tables, complex forms, document views, and comparisons that are accessible and responsive, tailored for modern generative AI workflows.Design and operate services: Develop clear REST/gRPC/streaming endpoints, model data using SQL/NoSQL and vector stores, implement queues/caches as necessary, and enhance with tracing and metrics.AI orchestration: Improve orchestration to effectively manage multi-LLM workflows with appropriate controls for cost, latency, and security/auditability.Ship quickly and iterate: Prototype, launch behind feature flags, gather feedback and telemetry, and refine based on user input.Collaborate deeply: Work alongside engineers across the stack to translate real-world needs into dependable software solutions.Be a force multiplier: Facilitate reviews and architectural decision records across frontend and backend to establish scalable patterns.About You3+ years of full-time software engineering experience.You have successfully owned and delivered full-stack software in production—from UI (experience with React/TypeScript is a plus) to backend services (experience with Python or Node.js is a plus)—and are familiar with deployment pipelines in product environments where both quality and speed are crucial.You are comfortable designing API contracts (paging, errors, retries) and debugging end-to-end with logs and traces.You can reason about concurrency and understand how to ensure reliability in distributed systems.

About BRINC:BRINC is at the forefront of transforming public safety through groundbreaking technology and a suite of life-saving tools. Our journey began with the innovation of drones and ruggedized throw phones, enabling access to hazardous areas and facilitating communication to de-escalate critical situations. We have since evolved to create and implement 911 response networks, deploying drones to emergency calls to provide vital real-time visual data, thereby enhancing safety measures and enabling effective responses. Our advanced solutions are trusted by over 600 public safety agencies across the United States, and we have successfully raised over $150 million from prominent investors, including Index Ventures, Motorola Solutions, and industry leaders like Sam Altman and Dylan Field. At BRINC, we are dedicated to attracting top-tier talent to support our mission of empowering first responders to save lives.About this Role:We are looking for Senior or Principal Fullstack Software Engineers to join our team and spearhead the development and implementation of innovative technologies that enhance public safety. In this role, you will have the opportunity to define new products, guide them through to customer deployment, and continuously improve them based on user feedback. Your work will involve collaboration with various engineering disciplines within BRINC to create market-leading products. Our flagship LiveOps product is central to BRINC’s mission and our Drone as First Responder (DFR) initiative, aiming to revolutionize public safety with high-performance software designed for critical, high-stakes environments. As a Cloud Native team, we develop a comprehensive suite of web applications and tools that empower our pilots to deploy and manage their drone fleets from anywhere.We pride ourselves on being a close-knit team, seeking driven and collaborative engineers who possess a Founder’s mindset. Engaging our customers in an iterative development loop is crucial, making a strong focus on product development essential.

As a Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) at Palona AI, you will serve as a crucial link between our innovative product and engineering teams and our valued customers. Your role involves embedding directly with users to understand their unique challenges and translating those insights into cutting-edge technical solutions. You'll be responsible for deploying production-grade AI systems, managing deployment complexities, influencing product development, and spearheading impactful customer-facing initiatives.Key Responsibilities Collaborate with customers to define, design, and implement AI systems that solve real-world business challenges. Build and integrate production-ready AI applications tailored to customer infrastructures. Create and present engaging demonstrations and prototypes that highlight the capabilities of our AI technology. Ensure the reliability, safety, and performance of AI agents once deployed in production settings. Gather customer feedback and insights to inform continuous product and agent enhancements.

About Us:Read AI is at the forefront of productivity-enhancing AI solutions, dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations to streamline their workflows across meetings, messaging, and email communication. Our seamless integration with leading platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, Slack, Hubspot, and Salesforce transforms how teams collaborate, providing an AI copilot that enhances productivity wherever work happens.Having recently secured $50 million in Series B funding led by Smash Capital, along with ongoing support from existing investors Madrona and Goodwater Capital, our total funding now stands at $81 million, marking an exciting phase of growth just six months post-Series A. If you are passionate about developing impactful solutions and eager to contribute to a rapidly growing company, we invite you to be part of our journey!The Role:As a Senior Software Engineer at Read AI, you will play a critical role in shaping the architecture and performance of our product. You will oversee the data flows and machine learning infrastructure, which encompasses real-time audio and video processing, interactions with third-party LLM providers, data processing orchestration, database management, data APIs, inferencing services, and transcription services.Responsibilities:Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and develop scalable and reliable backend services and APIs that power our platform.Take ownership of key system components from conception through deployment and maintenance.Implement quality assurance best practices, including unit and integration testing.Optimize data processing pipelines and storage solutions for efficiency.Seamlessly integrate third-party services and data sources into our platform.Monitor and troubleshoot infrastructure and operational issues to ensure maximum uptime and reliability.Continuously assess and adopt best practices, tools, and technologies to improve system scalability, reliability, and maintainability.

About UsAt Hiya, we are dedicated to transforming voice communication into a safe, valuable, and human experience once more.In a world where voice has become one of the least trusted forms of communication due to spam, scams, and AI manipulation, we are on a mission to restore its integrity.Every month, our advanced AI voice technology processes over 28 billion calls, safeguarding more than 550 million users and supporting over 800 businesses worldwide. We collaborate with a growing network of global partners, including AT&T, Samsung, British Telecom EE, Rogers, MasOrange, Bell Canada, MasMovil, and Virgin Media O2. Our work not only thwarts malicious actors but also empowers individuals to confidently answer their phones again.As we navigate a pivotal moment in voice technology, the demand for reliable communication is skyrocketing. Hiya is experiencing over 40% annual growth, expanding our reach globally, and redefining the future of voice.Join our team to not only contribute to the present of voice but to shape its future: more intelligent, secure, and genuinely worthy of answering.About the RoleAs an AI Engineer, you will play a critical role in developing and integrating AI solutions into Hiya’s product offerings. Your focus will be on rapid iteration, prompt engineering, and practical applications. You'll optimize foundational models, design complex multi-agent systems, and innovate solutions that will drive the next generation of voice intelligence.Key ResponsibilitiesIntegrate AI solutions into our current products and workflows.Collaborate with cross-functional teams to comprehend business needs and convert them into technical solutions.Conduct evaluations and fine-tuning of large language models (LLMs) through prompt engineering.Manage and implement AI orchestration, including agent-based systems.Contribute to the design and development of AI-driven applications and interfaces.Help define the technical direction and best practices for LLM application development.Stay updated with the latest AI research and apply cutting-edge techniques.Qualifications for SuccessStrong programming skills in languages such as Python, JavaScript, or TypeScript.Experience with foundational models and AI orchestration.Familiarity with model evaluations and prompt engineering methodologies.

About Read AIAt Read AI, we are revolutionizing team collaboration by infusing intelligence into every interaction. Our innovative platform enhances productivity across meetings, messages, and emails, enabling work to be completed more efficiently and with greater focus. We seamlessly integrate with popular tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Slack, ensuring that teams remain aligned and productive, regardless of their location.Supported by $81 million in funding from esteemed investors including Smash Capital, Madrona, and Goodwater Capital, Read AI is on an exciting growth trajectory. If you are eager to shape the future of AI-driven collaboration and make a significant impact at a dynamic startup, we are excited to hear from you.The RoleAs a Software Engineering Manager at Read AI, you will spearhead a team dedicated to crafting the core product experiences that our users rely on daily. This is a hands-on leadership role ideal for someone with extensive React.js expertise and a solid foundation in UI/UX design. You will set high standards for quality, performance, accessibility, and design collaboration while guiding the team to deliver impactful features rapidly and consistently.You will collaborate closely with Product Design, Product Management, and cross-functional engineering teams to create intuitive, aesthetically pleasing, and scalable user experiences that empower millions of users. We particularly value leaders who leverage data, metrics, and experimentation to inform decisions, assess outcomes, and iterate swiftly.What You’ll DoLead and nurture a frontend engineering team through hiring, coaching, performance evaluations, and career development.Establish the technical direction for React.js architecture, performance, accessibility, and overall quality.Collaborate with Design and Product teams to create cohesive and elegant user experiences.Develop and refine a component and design system to enhance speed and consistency of delivery.Utilize metrics and user feedback to prioritize initiatives and continuously enhance the product.Promote an experimentation culture (A/B testing, feature flags, iterative feedback loops) to enhance user experience and engagement.Oversee execution from planning to launch, balancing speed with engineering excellence.Establish and reinforce best practices including testing, code reviews, observability, and reliable release processes.What We’re Looking ForProven experience in leading frontend engineering teams.Deep understanding of React.js and frontend technologies.Strong background in UI/UX design principles.Ability to use data to drive decisions and improvements.

Join our dynamic team at Plaid as a Senior Fullstack Software Engineer, where you will contribute to innovative projects and help shape the future of financial technology. You will be responsible for developing and implementing scalable software solutions that enhance user experience and drive company growth.

Join Valorem Reply, a distinguished leader in digital transformation, where we leverage data-driven insights to enhance enterprise operations, modernize IT infrastructures, elevate customer experiences, and innovate product development. Our team excels in harnessing Microsoft technologies to deliver scalable and agile digital solutions that redefine how businesses operate and engage with their customers. Through our strategic business models and design-led methodologies, we ensure secure and rapid transformations for our clients.As a Senior AI Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in aligning AI capabilities with business goals, driving the execution of projects as part of a collaborative team. This hands-on position encompasses consulting, leadership, coding, and the deployment of advanced AI solutions. Your responsibilities will range from facilitating workshops to overseeing large-scale enterprise implementations.

Join Aircall, a leading unicorn in AI-powered customer communication solutions, trusted by over 22,000 businesses globally to enhance revenue, accelerate issue resolution, and scale customer-facing teams. We are revolutionizing customer interactions by integrating voice, SMS, WhatsApp, and AI into a unified platform.Our growth is driven by a core principle: empower teams to work smarter, not harder. With innovations like our AI Voice Agent for automating routine calls, AI Assist for optimizing post-call tasks, and AI Assist Pro for providing real-time support, we enable teams to achieve higher revenue and faster resolutions confidently.Headquartered in Paris, with a strong North American hub in Seattle, Aircall also has teams in Madrid, London, Berlin, San Francisco, New York City, Sydney, and Mexico City. We have developed a beloved product and a high-growth business, supported by top-tier investors and driven by rapid advancements in AI across various product lines.At Aircall, you'll be part of a dynamic and ambitious organization. We prioritize product excellence and execution, allowing for quick decision-making and significant impact.Our Work Culture: We are deeply customer-focused, data-informed, and committed to delivering valuable results. We value ownership, continuous learning, and thoughtful agility. If you excel in a collaborative, fast-paced environment where trust and impact are paramount, you're in the right place.We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to develop intelligent systems that automate workflows across various internal departments at Aircall. This position merges advanced software engineering expertise with a passion for understanding and automating the workflows of stakeholders in Marketing, Sales, Customer Support, Customer Success, Finance, HR, Legal, Engineering, Product, and other functional areas utilizing AI agents. Ideal candidates should possess curiosity, an affinity for solving complex challenges, and practical experience deploying LLMs in production.

About UsAt LangChain, we are dedicated to making intelligent agents a common feature in our daily lives. Our platform empowers developers to transition from simple prototypes to production-ready AI agents that organizations can trust. Initially, we gained recognition through our open-source tools, and we have since evolved to provide a robust platform for the development, evaluation, deployment, and management of AI agents at scale.Our products, including LangChain, LangGraph, LangSmith, and Agent Builder, are utilized by teams from startups to Fortune 500 companies, such as Replit, Clay, Coinbase, Workday, Lyft, Cloudflare, Harvey, Rippling, Vanta, and many others. Millions of developers count on LangChain to enhance their AI capabilities.With $125M raised in Series B funding from leading investors like IVP, Sequoia, Benchmark, CapitalG, and Sapphire Ventures, we are in a phase of rapid product development and growth, where every team member has a significant role in shaping our technology and collaborative work environment.About the TeamThe Deployed Engineering team collaborates directly with businesses to design and implement AI agents in operational settings, transforming concepts and prototypes into reliable systems.This technically proficient team engages closely with customer engineers throughout the entire lifecycle, from pre-sales consultations to post-deployment support. Our primary goal is to achieve technical excellence, co-design agent architectures, and assist clients in managing their agents efficiently using the LangChain suite.About the RoleAs a Deployed Engineer, you will tackle some of the most challenging issues in applied AI—focusing on real-world systems that teams depend on rather than mere demonstrations or research. The rapid feedback loop ensures that your contributions are visible and impactful, directly influencing the construction of AI agents in practical applications.What You’ll DoCollaborate to design and develop production-level AI agents with customer teams.Engage with clients to ensure successful implementation and operation of AI solutions.

At StubHub, we are dedicated to revolutionizing the live event experience worldwide. Whether it's an individual's first concert or their hundredth game, we aim to provide unparalleled satisfaction from the moment they begin their ticket search until they enter the venue. We also prioritize our sellers, from fans listing a single ticket to promoters managing global stadium tours, ensuring that StubHub remains the most secure and user-friendly platform for offering tickets to millions of fans globally.We are on the lookout for talented Senior Software Engineers to innovate and develop cutting-edge technologies and sophisticated features that enhance how millions of users discover, engage with, and participate in live events globally. As a Senior Software Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the team’s commercial and product strategy. Your focus will be equally divided between understanding user needs and applying solid commercial judgment alongside technical expertise. Our Senior Software Engineers are vital to our success, so we expect you to take initiative and show enthusiasm in tackling challenges. StubHub is committed to fostering an inclusive and outstanding workplace where you will also act as a mentor and advocate for your teammates, exemplifying leadership qualities. Location: Hybrid (3 days in office/2 days remote) – Aliso Viejo, CA or New York, NY or Seattle, WA About the Team:The Supply team is dedicated to simplifying the experience for our large-ticket sellers by facilitating effortless onboarding and management of their inventory throughout the entire event lifecycle. We empower sellers to minimize operational burdens and maximize revenue through intelligent automation, streamlined workflows, and reliable, fast experiences. Our work includes designing and managing enterprise-grade, high-throughput systems that support core seller operations and handle extensive, dynamic datasets at scale. Our responsibilities cover various layers of the technology stack, from robust back-end services to high-performance, user-oriented interfaces, guaranteeing that sellers can depend on a reliable end-to-end platform for their business operations.What You Will Do:Engage in the design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance of impactful enhancements across both frontend and backend systems that support all of StubHub's platforms.

Senior Backend Software EngineerJoin Read AI's innovative Backend team as a Senior Software Engineer. In this pivotal role, you will be instrumental in designing, developing, and optimizing robust backend systems that fuel our AI-driven productivity platform. Engage in a dynamic, collaborative setting where you’ll deploy code weekly and make a substantial impact on millions of users.Complete your application with a Provn skills assessment.

Join our dynamic team at DigitalOcean as a Senior Full-Stack Engineer II, specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. In this role, you will leverage cutting-edge technologies to design, develop, and deploy robust applications that enhance our platform's capabilities. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative solutions that empower developers and businesses worldwide.

At Palona, we are pioneering the integration of cutting-edge generative and multimodal AI into the hospitality sector. Our dynamic engineering team drives innovation at a rapid pace, utilizing generative AI models to create products that continually adapt and improve. In this fast-evolving landscape, traditional software excellence needs to evolve to accommodate the unique nature of AI outputs, which differ significantly from conventional software failures. This position is crucial in establishing an engineering discipline that identifies potential issues before they impact our customers.In this role, you will engage with evaluation pipelines, observability, cloud infrastructure, and CI/CD processes to enhance Palona's AI agent platform. You will blend DevOps and AI reliability, overseeing production infrastructure while developing tools that ensure optimal AI agent performance.ResponsibilitiesAs an AI Reliability Engineer, your key responsibilities will include:Creating and implementing observability systems to identify quality degradation, latency issues, and system anomalies in production, including the development of instrumentation, dashboards, and alerting mechanisms.Writing and maintaining automated tests to assess agent output quality, incorporating deterministic checks and LLM-as-judge evaluations.Developing automated release and validation systems to streamline deployments across different environments and enforce quality gates for AI-driven products.Building and refining platform infrastructure using infrastructure as code, with a strong emphasis on reliability, scalability, and cost efficiency.Enhancing evaluation pipelines that gauge AI agent conversation quality, accuracy, and safety, collaborating with product and engineering teams to refine evaluation criteria.Designing and developing internal tools and services that bolster AI reliability, evaluation, and operational workflows.Architecting new systems to tackle emerging reliability and quality challenges within the AI agent platform.Producing production-grade code for reliability and evaluation infrastructure, contributing as a software engineer rather than merely an operator.