Senior AI Engineer

Senior AI Engineer

Our client is seeking a Senior AI Engineer to lead the design, development, and deployment of end-to-end AI systems, with a focus on building solutions from the ground up and guiding the organization’s long-term AI strategy. This role requires a strong technical leader who can operate independently, manage multiple work streams, and serve as an internal advisor on tools, frameworks, and best practices.

The ideal candidate has deep hands‑on experience training models, architecting retrieval and agentic workflows, and delivering production‑grade intelligent systems in fast‑moving environments.

This role is fully remote.

• Design, build, and deploy advanced AI solutions, including LLM-based applications, intelligent agents, and autonomous workflows.
• Architect retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems, vector databases, and knowledge‑retrieval pipelines from scratch.
• Train, fine‑tune, and evaluate models to support various business use cases and ensure high‑quality performance.
• Lead the development of backend services, APIs, and infrastructure that power AI‑driven applications at scale.
• Serve as an internal authority on AI technologies, providing guidance on tooling, architecture decisions, and best practices.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally to define requirements, prioritize initiatives, and drive execution across multiple departments.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to building a high‑performing AI engineering function.
• Utilize AWS and containerized environments for scalable, reliable deployment.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent experience).
• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience, with at least 2–3 years focused specifically on AI, machine learning, or LLM‑based systems.
• Proven experience designing and delivering AI systems from scratch, including training models, building RAG pipelines, and deploying agent‑based solutions.
• Strong proficiency in Python required; familiarity with Golang or willingness to learn it preferred.
• Deep understanding of LLM orchestration frameworks such as Lang Chain, Llama Index, or similar tools.
• Experience architecting agentic systems, integrating APIs, and building retrieval‑based workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently, manage multiple concurrent work streams, and thrive in an agile, ambiguous environment.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to partner across engineering, product, and business teams.

• Start‑up experience or experience in fast‑paced, high‑growth environments.
• Exposure to Genkit (Go version a plus).
• Experience with AWS infrastructure, microservices, and modern deployment practices.
• Contributions to open‑source AI or developer tooling.

As an eligible contract employee with Vander Houwen, you'll have access to a full suite of benefits designed with your well‑being in mind. Our comprehensive package includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short‑and long‑term disability, and a matching 401(k) to help secure your future.

Vander Houwen is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E‑Verify. Vander Houwen does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state, or federal civil rights laws.