AI & Automation Specialist

This is a full-time, entry-level position within Howell’s AI Technology Group, reporting to Howells Chief Technology Officer, IT Lead, and Chief Revenue Officer. The role is based in-office in Denver, CO, with compensation ranging from $65,000 to $75,000 annually, commensurate with experience.

The AI & Automation Specialist will be Howell’s first dedicated resource for identifying, building, and implementing AI-driven workflows and automations across the business, beginning with the areas of greatest immediate need, Estimating and Project Management, before extending into Business Development and other functions. This person will partner closely with department leaders to understand existing processes, learn where automation and AI tools add the most value, and build practical solutions using approved platforms.

This is a hands‑on, entry-level role for a recent computer science graduate who is curious, adaptable, and eager to make a visible impact.

This is also a ground‑up role. There is little existing infrastructure or precedent to build from, so the right candidate will enjoy the challenge of learning about how our business functions to create processes and systems from scratch rather than maintaining something already in place.

Over time, this role has a defined path toward growing into a leadership position within Howell’s IT function, for the right person who demonstrates strong technical judgment, initiative, and business impact.

• Partner with the Estimating, Project Management, and Business Development teams, in that order of priority, to map current workflows and identify high-value opportunities for automation.
• Create Howell’s MCP server and incorporate data from Howell’s ERP, Project Management platform and other data sources using an SDK that is best for Howell.
• Work with various team members to learn what they do and what they need to design, build, and deploy AI-assisted workflows and automations that reduce manual effort and improve accuracy and speed.
• Evaluate and pilot AI tools and platforms in coordination with company leadership, providing recommendations based on hands‑on testing.
• Once tools and platforms are selected, provide ongoing support and maintenance to keep them running reliably as business needs evolve; this becomes a growing share of the role over time.
• Apply security and data-privacy best practices when building AI solutions, ensuring sensitive company and client information is handled responsibly.
• Document new workflows and train staff on how to use and maintain them.
• Serve as an internal resource for questions about AI capabilities, best practices, and responsible use across the company.
• Track the impact of implemented automations and report results to executive leadership.
• Expand automation efforts to additional business functions, prioritizing accounting and field operations before HR and other areas, as the program matures.
• Support broader IT initiatives as needed, building toward an expanded role within the IT function over time.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field (recent graduates welcome and encouraged to apply).
• Strong foundational programming and problem‑solving skills.
• Hands‑on experience with modern AI platforms is required, such as large language models (e.g., Claude), agentic AI, or workflow‑oriented automation tools.
• Familiarity with workflow automation concepts; experience with tools such as Power Automate, Zapier, or similar is a plus but not required.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for non‑technical colleagues.
• Self‑starter mindset with strong curiosity, adaptability, and a bias toward practical, working solutions.
• A team player who demonstrates a strong service mindset, bringing a helpful, solutions‑oriented attitude to every team they support. At Howell, that means collaborating at all levels and doing right by colleagues, consistent with our core values.
• Comfortable working on‑site in a collaborative, in‑office environment in Denver, CO. Partial remote work could be a…