Infrastructure Engineer (AI product) | Full-remote work | #208

Company Overview

Born out of Hokkaido University’s “Harmonious Systems Engineering Laboratory,”  this company is an officially recognized university spin-off. They offer end-to-end AI services, from engine development (Vision, Tabular, and NLP) to strategic consulting. Leveraging over 150 successful implementations and cutting-edge academic insights, they empower industries like manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare to overcome complex business hurdles through AI.

Job Overview

■ Role of the AI Integration Group

The AI Integration Group is the core organization driving development, operations, technical standardization, and organizational growth within our AI contract development and AI product business units.

Acting as a “cross-functional hub,” our group bridges internal and external resources by collaborating closely with the AI Technology Development, Sales, and Design teams to maximize business value. We serve as the critical intersection where “Technology meets Business,” playing a vital role in shaping the future of our company.

Currently, our activities are focused on the following five key areas:

■ Key Functions of the Group

1. Contract AI System Development

   • Project planning and execution support covering the entire system lifecycle (from development to operations).

   • Process improvement through PM standardization. Depending on the project, group members participate directly as PMs/PLs to lead management.

   • Driving Web application development (primarily FastAPI / Next.js), cloud infrastructure setup, operations, and designing for scalability and security.

2. AI Product Planning & Development

   • Leading technical strategy, architectural design, development, and technical validation for products leveraging Generative AI.

3. Technical Collaboration with Stakeholders

   • Driving business initiatives to maximize customer value in coordination with clients, sales, technical departments, and Customer Success.

4. AI Infrastructure Construction

   • Designing, building, and standardizing technical foundations—including AI inference platforms, API gateways, logging infrastructure, and CI/CD—to support growing systems and products.

5. Internal Technical Standardization & Service Management

   • Leading the standardization of internal technologies to improve operational efficiency. Managing internal services such as Cloud platforms, GitHub, and various other tools.

 

Job Responsibilities: Infrastructure Engineer

As a Infrastructure Engineer within their R&D Department, you will hold significant autonomy—from technology selection to project execution—driving business growth through technical leadership. Collaborating with the Head/Deputy Head of R&D and other Group Managers, you will play a pivotal role in balancing organizational technical standardization with the success of high-impact projects.

■ Architecture Design & Technical Strategy

• System Design: Deeply understand client requirements to personally design and propose optimal system architectures.

• Strategic Alignment: Move beyond simple tool selection to craft technical strategies that directly realize business goals and long-term scalability.

■ Project Leadership & Quality Assurance

• Technical Lead: Partner with Project Managers to drive the technical direction and execution of various initiatives.

• End-to-End Quality: Take ownership of both contract development and internal product development, from defining quality standards to leading the actual implementation.

■ Cross-Functional Value Creation

• Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with Sales and Marketing teams to maximize customer satisfaction through technical excellence.

• Technical Bridge: Act as a cross-functional liaison between stakeholders, ensuring seamless technical communication across the entire organization.

Tech Stack

• Infrastructure: AWS, GCP, Azure

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Terraform

• Languages: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript

• Frameworks: FastAPI, Next.js

• Tools & Others: Docker, GitHub, Coding Agent

 

[Scope of Changes in Duties]

At time of hire: As described above.

Scope of change: Duties as determined by the company.

 

Required Qualifications

• Product & Service Management: experience in managing SaaS products or Web services.

• SDLC Expertise: Deep understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) from planning to maintenance.

• Cloud Infrastructure Knowledge: Solid proficiency in cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure.

• System Operations: Hands-on experience operating systems in a production environment (both On-premise and Cloud experience are welcome).

• Leadership & Orchestration: Strong leadership and coordination skills to ensure smooth team collaboration and project progression.

• Japanese Language Skills: N2-level proficiency.

 

Preferred Qualifications

We welcome candidates who meet several of the following criteria:

■ Cloud & Specialized Certifications

• Cloud Solutions Architecture: Advanced cloud certifications, such as:

  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

  • GCP Professional Cloud Architect

  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert

• Cloud Proficiency: Professional certifications for AWS, GCP, or Azure.

■ AI & Technical Expertise

• AI System Development: Experience developing AI-integrated systems (Inference API development, MLOps).

• LLM Expertise: Knowledge or development experience with Large Language Models, including:

  • Platforms: Amazon Bedrock, Vertex AI, Azure OpenAI Service.

  • Frameworks/Techniques: LangChain, RAG construction, Prompt Tuning, LLMOps.

• DevOps: Experience building and managing CI/CD pipelines.

• Infrastructure Knowledge: Deep understanding of servers, networking, and security.

■ Leadership & Professional Background

• Professional Background: Experience working in both large-scale enterprises and startup environments.

• Organization Management: Experience managing teams (Guideline: 3+ years managing a team of 5 or more subordinates).

• Mentorship: Experience in engineer training, coaching, and talent development.

• Collaboration: Proven track record of delivering results while collaborating with members from diverse backgrounds.

• Global Communication: Ability to communicate in English with non-native Japanese speakers (Guideline: TOEIC 700+ or equivalent).

Ideal Candidate Profile

■ Personal Traits

• Growth-Oriented: Proactive in taking on new challenges and stepping outside your comfort zone.

• Operational Mindset: Highly interested in driving organization-wide efficiency and workflow optimization.

• Culture Builder: Enthusiastic about team building and contributing to a positive, collaborative organizational culture.

• Vision-Driven: Strongly aligned with our mission to build a future where AI is seamlessly integrated into every aspect of society.

■ Core Values & Mindset

• Continuous Learner: Willing to face unfamiliar or challenging areas with a positive attitude and a commitment to lifelong learning.

• Adaptability & Resilience: Capable of maintaining a “make it happen” attitude with the flexibility and initiative required in the fast-paced AI industry.

• Passion for Innovation: Truly enjoys the profound shifts in eras and industrial structures driven by cutting-edge technology.

• Integrative Thinker: Able to bridge the gap between logical analysis and creative thinking to co-create value through meaningful dialogue.

Salary and Compensation

• Annual Salary: JPY 7,000,000 – 9,000,000

  • Includes fixed overtime allowance (Covers up to 25 hours per month).

  • Additional overtime exceeding 25 hours will be paid separately in full.

• Incentives: Trust-type Paid Stock Option system available.

 

Work Location

Full Remote Work Available (Open to residents anywhere within Japan)

• Sapporo Headquarters: Sapporo, Hokkaido (Entire building is non-smoking)

• Tokyo Branch Office: Tokyo (Entire building is non-smoking)

[Scope of Changes in Work Location]

• At time of hire: Company business locations (Sapporo or Tokyo) and any remote work locations defined by the company (including the employee’s residence).

• Scope of change: Locations as determined by the company.

 

Employment Terms & Benefits

■ Employment Status

• Type: Regular Full-time Employee

• Probationary Period: 3 months

■ Working Hours & Style

• Work System: Full Flextime (No core hours)

• Standard Working Hours: 8 hours per day (60-minute break)

• Overtime: Yes (Monthly average: 15 hours)

• Remote Work: Full remote work available (Open to residents anywhere within Japan)

• Remote Work Allowance: Monthly allowance provided for home office expenses.

■ Holidays & Leave

• Annual Holidays: 125 days

• Weekends/Holidays: Fully managed 5-day work week (Saturdays, Sundays, and National Holidays)

• Seasonal Holidays: Summer leave, Year-end/New Year holidays

• Paid Leave: * Statutory Paid Leave

  • Sick Leave (14 days per year)

  • Special Joining Leave (5 days provided upon joining)

■ Compensation & Perks

• Incentives: Trust-type Paid Stock Option system available

• Performance Review: Twice a year

• Transportation: Reimbursement of actual expenses

• Equipment: Choose between Windows or Mac laptop

• Professional Development: * Certification support system

  • Book purchase subsidy

• Company Culture: * Social gathering subsidy (Networking events)

  • Referral hiring bonus system

  • Side jobs/Second jobs permitted

■ Health & Support

• Social Insurance: Fully covered (Health, Welfare Pension, Workers’ Comp, Unemployment)

• Life Balance: * Workation system

  • Maternity/Childcare support

  • Shortened working hours (Consultation required)

• Intellectual Property: Employee invention handling regulations in place

 

Hiring Process

• Number of interviews: 2-3

  Note: The number of interviews may vary depending on the situation.

• Application documents required:

  • Resume / CV

• Interview language: Japanese(/English)