Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) Engineer

About Presto Presto is the leading Voice AI company for restaurant drive-thrus, operating at scale in complex, noisy, customer-facing environments.

As the AI partner to more than a dozen of the most iconic American restaurant brands, Presto is building one of the most impactful real-world applications of AI that directly impacts revenue, labor efficiency, and a magical guest experience for millions of people.

AI is not a feature at Presto—it is the foundation of how we build, evaluate, and evolve our products.

We operate at lightning speed iteration cycles and are solving some of the hardest problems in Voice AI.

We are backed by Remus Capital, were a Y Combinator company, and are headquartered in Silicon Valley.

This may not be the right fit for you, if you are looking for a traditional 9-to-5 environment.

We move at the pace of AI.

Change is constant, and roadmaps evolve quickly.

Presto is for builders, experimenters, and problem-solvers who thrive in ambiguity, learn continuously, and are excited to shape the future of real-world AI alongside a high-performance team.

The Role We are looking for an ASR Engineer, Speech & Voice AI to lead the development of state-of-the-art automatic speech recognition (ASR) technologies and integrate cutting-edge research into Presto’s production Voice AI systems.

This is a highly impactful, hands-on technical leadership role at the intersection of AI research, real-world deployment, and product innovation.

You will help define the future of Presto’s Voice AI platform—owning core ASR capabilities, influencing product roadmap decisions, and continuously pushing the boundaries of what voice systems can do in complex, real-world environments.

Success in this role requires an AI-first mindset, comfort experimenting with new models and techniques, and the ability to rapidly translate research breakthroughs into scalable, customer-facing solutions.

What You’ll Do • Lead the design, development, and customization of high-performance, production-grade ASR systems optimized for real-world restaurant environments

D. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field • Experience with near-field and far-field speech signal processing

Change is rapid, experimentation is expected, and roles evolve alongside the technology.

This is not a highly prescriptive environment—success requires curiosity, adaptability, and a desire to continuously learn and push boundaries.

You’ll work on real-world AI systems at meaningful scale, with direct customer impact and ownership over foundational voice technologies powering the future of restaurant automation.

Compensation & Benefits The U.

S. base salary range for this position is approximately $140,000– $165,000 annually, plus equity and benefits.

Compensation is determined by role, level, location, and individual experience.

Presto’s compensation philosophy rewards high performers and aligns incentives with long-term value creation.

Benefits for U.

S.-based employees include medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) program, and paid time off (PTO).

Learn more at www.presto.com.

Our Commitment We value people from all walks of life and are committed to building an inclusive, equitable work environment.

We strongly encourage candidates from historically underrepresented backgrounds to apply.

Presto Phoenix, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.

If you need an accommodation to access the application or interview process, please contact [email protected].