AI Research Scientist/Engineer

Who is Sonar
Sonar is driving the future of agent-centric software development. As the leader in AI code verification and governance, we solve a critical problem: ensuring that software generated by AI-assisted developers or autonomous agents is reliable, secure, and maintainable.
Integrating seamlessly with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini, and Devin, we help over 75% of the Fortune 100 build trusted, reliable, compliant software. Customers who use Sonar are 44% less likely to report an outage due to AI-generated code.
We believe code verification is the critical missing link in the Agent-Centric Development Cycle (AC/DC). Industry giants like Nvidia, ServiceNow,Booking.com, Goldman Sachs, AstraZeneca, and Ford Motor Company count on us to provide independent, explainable, consistent review and governance of their AI-generated code via products like:
SonarQube: The world's leading AI code review and verification platform.
SonarQube Foundation Agent: Currently topping the leaderboards for agentic software repair.
SonarSweep & Sonar Context Augmentation: Providing the enterprise-grade context and constraints agents need to be truly effective.
Our team operates across global hubs in Austin, Bochum, Dubai, Geneva, London, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington D.C. We move with a mindset we call CODE:
Committed to our customers and community.
Obsessed with quality.
Deliberate in our decisions.
Effective as one team.
With over $400M in revenue and profitable, fast-paced growth, we are building the backbone of the AI software revolution. If you're hungry to have an impact, want to build at a fast pace, and ready to work at the forefront of AI, we want to hear from you.
Position description
At Sonar, we are seeking an innovative Machine Learning Scientist to join our Data & AI team and pioneer the next generation of our code analysis engine. You will be at the forefront of applying cutting-edge AI and Large Language Model (LLM) techniques to the complex domain of source code. Your work will directly shape our products, pushing the boundaries of static analysis to help millions of developers write better, more secure code. If you are driven to solve real-world problems by turning state-of-the-art research into practical, high-impact solutions, this is the role for you.
What You Will Do
Spearhead Research & Innovation: Stay on the cutting edge of ML, Deep Learning, and LLMs, specifically their application to the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), and identify novel opportunities to enhance our products.
Develop Advanced AI Models: Design, prototype, and validate novel ML models that identify and resolve complex bugs, vulnerabilities, and code smells, going beyond the capabilities of traditional static analysis.
Build LLM-Powered Features: Develop and implement advanced LLM-based solutions, including Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) for contextual code analysis, fine-tuning models on proprietary codebases, and exploring agentic systems for automated code remediation.
Engineer Data Pipelines: Build and manage robust data pipelines to gather, process, and version massive code-centric datasets required for training and evaluating specialized models at scale.
Translate Prototypes to Products: Collaborate closely with engineering and product teams to integrate successful ML prototypes into Sonar's cutting-edge products, ensuring they meet the needs of our global user base.
Communicate and Evangelize: Clearly articulate and document complex technical concepts and research findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Experience And Qualifications
An advanced academic background (Master's or PhD) in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or a related quantitative field.
Strong industry experience in machine learning, with a solid understanding of modern software engineering practices and tools.
Solid programming skills in Python and hands-on experience with core ML/DL frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, Hugging Face). Familiarity with Java is a plus.
Proven experience in applied Machine Learning, with a strong focus on Natural Language Processing (NLP) or, ideally, Programming Language Processing (PLP).
Hands-on experience with modern LLM architectures and techniques, such as Fine-tuning strategies (e.g., LoRA, QLoRA), advanced prompt engineering, building and optimizing Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines and working with vector databases and semantic search
Experience with large-scale data processing frameworks and cloud infrastructure (e.g. AWS).
Experience of driving research projects from initial ideation to a demonstrable prototype with a high degree of autonomy.
Excellent communication skills in English and a talent for explaining complex scientific topics clearly and concisely.
In-office culture
We're intentional about this. We believe the best teams are built in the room together. Three anchor days — Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays — create the collaboration rhythm that makes a hub office worth having.
Candidates need to be genuinely based in the location the role is posted — if that's not where you are today, we're happy to support relocation for the right person.
We value diversity, equity, and inclusion
At Sonar, we believe that our diversity is our strength. We are a global company that values and respects different backgrounds, perspectives, and cultures. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their best. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome all qualified applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
If you need any accommodation, please reach out to us at (email protected) .
All offers of employment at Sonar are contingent upon the results of a comprehensive background check and reference verification conducted before the start date.
Applications that are submitted through agencies or third party recruiters will not be considered.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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AI Research Scientist/Engineer

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