Machine Learning Engineer - Fall Co-op

Who We Are

Metal production accounts for 10% of all human generated greenhouse gases. One of the most effective paths to reducing those emissions is by maximizing our recovery of metals through recycling, which requires a fraction of the energy compared to mining.

VALIS’ mission is to lead a circular economy powered by data that protects the planet, its resources, and its inhabitants. We are a B2B SaaS company that provides next generation technology to metal recyclers enabling them to optimize their operations by making data-driven decisions. We’re focused on integrating and improving processes along the entire recycling chain, so the materials of yesterday are properly recovered to meet the demands of tomorrow. We’re an early-stage company, backed by leading climate-tech VC’s, looking to bring on new team members that can help us build VALIS and transform the industry. We lead with authenticity, boldness, passion, and empathy focused on creating a more sustainable future. A career at VALIS is one where you’ll be empowered to expand your technical and leadership abilities while having a positive impact on the world.

Role Overview

Summer Session:

40 Hours/Week

Approximate Start Date - September 1, 2025 (flexible)

Approximate End Date - December 31, 2025 (flexible)

This internship/co-op, supported by the MassCEC Clean Energy Internship program, will provide exposure to the metal recycling industry, real-world experience in tackling data science and computer vision problems, and the opportunity to lead project R&D execution. You'll work on a multidisciplinary team of materials and software engineers to apply your knowledge, build new technical and interpersonal skills, and gain exposure to a multitude of fields encompassed in a fast-moving SaaS startup solving problems in metals recycling and recovery. This position is well suited for computer/data science students looking to get practical project-based experience building data solutions for sustainability-centered innovation.

This role is primarily remote, but will require some in-person work at our Leominster, MA facility - you must be able to provide your own transportation. Additionally you must be able to work a consistent schedule each week until the end of the program - exact number of hours and schedule can be discussed further.

Key Responsibilities

• Clean, preprocess, and structure raw data from various sources

• Perform exploratory data analysis and statistical analysis in Python and SQL

• Lead the improvement of data management workflows, including data collection, cleaning, labeling, and storage

• Lead buildout of object detection, segmentation, and classification model solutions for the VALI-Sample product

• Implement proof-of-concept models and algorithms, build case studies for analytical solutions, and contribute to new feature development for the VALI-Sample product

• Work independently to identify, scope, and solve technical challenges with minimal supervision

• Collaborate with the software and product team to ideate and iterate upon building practical analytical solutions to solve problems in the metals recycling domain

Requirements

Required Attributes & Skills

• Live, or be a full time student at a University, in MA

  • Completed first year or 24 credits

• Pursuing a degree in computer, data, or mathematical sciences, or a related field

• Computer Science Fundamentals - strong understanding of data structures and algorithms

• Problem-Solving > Tool Usage - strong proficiency in Python with ability to architect solutions using data science libraries

• Autonomy with Uncleaned Data - proven ability to work with unclean data from various sources

• Machine Learning Fundamentals - understanding of basic machine learning algorithms and model evaluation techniques

• Clear Communication - ability to clearly communicate technical concepts

Advantageous Attributes & Skills

• Experience working with image data or computer vision tasks

• Background or knowledge in statistics, probability, and/or mathematics

• Experience with SQL and database systems

• Git version control experience

Benefits

• Paid internship/co-op position