Associate AI Engineer

About the Role

Rakuten’s America AI & Data Division (AIDD) is seeking an Associate AI Engineer to develop generative AI applications that transform customer service experiences. This role involves dynamic projects in conversational AI orchestration, semantic knowledge retrieval, AI reasoning, action frameworks, retrieval evaluation, and automated testing to impact millions of users across Rakuten’s platforms.

• AI Product Development – Design, build, and maintain AI‑driven applications and services for both front‑end and back‑end. Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to integrate AI features into customer‑facing products.
• GenAI & Voice AI Integration – Develop and integrate AI frameworks using tools such as Lang Chain, Llama Index, and Open Chat’s Chat Completion API. Experiment with speech‑to‑text, text‑to‑speech, real‑time transcription, and voice synthesis to create next‑gen conversational experiences. Leverage LLMs and voice models for natural, multimodal interactions.
• API & Data Management – Build secure, scalable RESTful APIs and data pipelines for enterprise‑grade AI workloads. Work with relational and No
  
  SQL databases to support real‑time and batch AI applications.
• Testing & Optimization – Write unit and integration tests, debug, optimize, and ensure high system reliability and scalability.
• Collaboration & Continuous Learning – Work closely with product managers, UX designers, and engineers in the US, Japan, and globally. Stay current on AI/LLM/Voice AI research and trends; propose and implement innovative ideas.

• AI/GenAI – Experience with generative AI, LLMs (OpenAI, Google, open‑source models), or frameworks such as Lang Chain, Llama Index, or Agent SDK. Academic or project experience in building, fine‑tuning, or deploying LLMs.
• Voice & Voice AI (Strong Plus) – Familiarity with STT, TTS, or voice SDKs (e.g., Whisper, Deepgram, Eleven Labs, Google Speech, Live Kit, WebRTC). Understanding of latency, streaming, and real‑time system challenges for conversational AI.
• Mindset & Collaboration – Ownership mentality with a bias for action and results. Demonstrated ability to work in multicultural environments, including collaboration with Japanese teams. Strong communication skills and openness to feedback.
• Other Plus Factors – Contributions to open‑source projects, Kaggle competitions, or AI hackathons. Internship or project experience in conversational AI, customer service AI, or similar domains.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, AI/ML, or a closely related field.
• Experience:
  
  AI‑related internship with a global organization strongly preferred.
• Programming
  
  Skills:
  
  Proficiency in Python, JavaScript/Type Script, Java, or similar languages.
• Full‑Stack Exposure:
  Familiarity with front‑end frameworks (React, Angular, Vue) and back‑end development.
• Database Knowledge:
  Hands‑on experience with SQL and/or No
  
  SQL databases.
• Cloud Exposure:
  Coursework, projects, or internship experience in cloud environments (AWS, GCP, or Azure).

Base compensation is within the range USD $72,600.00–$ annually, based on skills, qualifications, and experience. The successful candidate will be eligible for discretionary bonus, health, vision, dental insurance, 401(k) matching, paid time off, volunteer time off, and other benefits as implemented by the company.

Rakuten provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. Rakuten considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, provincial or local laws.