Machine Learning Scientist (AI for Code)
Bochum
Product Development – Data & AI /
Employee / Full-Time /
On-site
Why should I Apply:
At Sonar, we’re a group of brilliant, motivated, and driven professionals working hard to help organizations build responsible, secure, high-quality code quickly and systematically. We build solutions that don’t just solve symptoms of problems – we fix problems at the source – source code, to be specific.
We have a dynamic culture with employees worldwide and hub offices in the USA, Switzerland, the UK, Singapore, and Germany. We believe team members should have the opportunity to come to work every day, work on a product they are proud of, love what they do, and feel energized by their peers. With our roots deep in the open source community, we’re all about the mission: provide solutions that deliver Clean Code.
The impact you will have
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 daily
- 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.
The experience that you need
- 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.
Why you will love it here:
• Our culture and mission set us apart. We have a dynamic work culture that values respect and kindness – and embraces the right to fail (and get right back up again!). We believe that the best idea wins and everyone has a voice.
• We believe that great people make a great company. We value people skills as much as technical skills and strive to keep things friendly and laid-back while still being passionate leaders in our domains. Our 550+ SonarSourcers from 33 different nationalities can relate!
• We embrace work-life balance. It is important to maintain a healthy work-life balance. This is why we have a flexible work policy that includes remote and in-office hybrid work (minimum three days a week in the office - Monday/Tuesday/Thursday).
• We have a growth mindset. We love to learn and believe that continuous education is critical to our success. In an ever-changing industry, new skills are a must, and we're happy to help our team acquire them.
We prioritize Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
At Sonar, we are a global workforce and recognize the value of different backgrounds, and global cultures.
We are committed to creating a diverse work environment and are proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
All offers of employment at Sonar are contingent upon the clear results of a comprehensive background check conducted prior to the start date.
Please note that applications submitted through agencies or third-party recruiters will not be considered.
