Lead AI Engineer

One of our clients at Schaumburg, IL seeking a highly skilled Lead AI Engineer with expertise in Agentic AI, Generative AI, and Machine Learning to lead the design, development, and modernization of AI-driven solutions. The ideal candidate will possess hands-on experience building and deploying AI applications leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs), Agentic AI frameworks, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), Semantic Search, and traditional Machine Learning techniques.

This role requires a strong technical leader who can drive AI innovation, mentor engineers, collaborate with business stakeholders, and lead the migration of AI platforms to Google Cloud Platform (GCP). The successful candidate will be passionate about emerging AI technologies and capable of transforming business requirements into scalable, production-ready AI solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the design, development, and deployment of enterprise-grade AI applications leveraging Generative AI, Agentic AI, and Machine Learning technologies.

Architect and implement intelligent agent-based systems utilizing modern frameworks, tools, and orchestration patterns.

Develop and enhance applications powered by LLMs, RAG, Semantic Search, MCP, Vector Databases, and Agentic RAG architectures.

Drive the migration and modernization of existing AI/ML applications and agent-based solutions to Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

Collaborate with business and technology stakeholders to translate requirements into scalable AI architectures and technical solutions.

Evaluate emerging AI technologies, frameworks, and industry trends, conducting proof-of-concepts and experimentation to drive innovation.

Design and develop backend services using Python and frontend applications using React.

Build scalable APIs, AI workflows, and orchestration services for AI-powered applications.

Perform data analysis, transformation, and optimization using SQL across relational databases including MS SQL Server, MySQL, and Google Cloud SQL.

Define best practices for AI solution development, testing, deployment, monitoring, and operational support.

Estimate infrastructure and AI service consumption costs within GCP and recommend optimization strategies.

Ensure AI applications meet functional and non-functional requirements, including scalability, reliability, security, and performance.

Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership across AI initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or a related field.
• 7+ years of software engineering experience with at least 3+ years focused on AI/ML and Generative AI solutions.
• Strong hands-on experience with Python for AI, Machine Learning, and backend development.
• Proven expertise in:
  • Large Language Models (LLMs)
  • Generative AI
  • Agentic AI Systems
  • Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
  • Agentic RAG
  • Semantic Search
  • Model Context Protocol (MCP)
  • Vector Databases and Embedding Models
• Experience building and deploying AI agents using modern AI orchestration frameworks.
• Strong frontend development experience with React.
• Expertise in SQL and relational databases including MS SQL Server, MySQL, and Google Cloud SQL.
• Hands-on experience with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services including:
  • BigQuery
  • Cloud SQL
  • Vertex AI
  • GCP APIs and AI Services
• Experience taking ownership of and enhancing existing AI/ML applications developed by other teams.
• Ability to rapidly learn new technologies and adapt to evolving AI ecosystems.
• Experience operationalizing AI/ML solutions in production environments, including monitoring, testing, governance, and performance optimization.
• Strong communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.