Software Engineer - AI Applications

Expected compensation: 102.73 USD Per Hour HireArt is helping an on-demand, autonomous ride-hailing company find a Software Engineer to design and build production-grade AI applications, agents, and conversational systems. In this role, you’ll develop AI-powered products that support complex task execution, decision-making, and customer interactions. You’ll evaluate and integrate large language models, build Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems, and partner with cross-functional teams to deliver scalable, reliable AI solutions. The ideal candidate is an experienced software engineer with a strong Python and machine learning background, hands-on experience building AI applications, and a practical understanding of how to balance model accuracy, latency, cost, and user experience. As a Software Engineer, You'll Design and develop AI agents and autonomous systems capable of complex task execution and decision-making. Build conversational AI applications, including chatbots and voice-based customer service systems. Develop AI-powered integrations across applications, platforms, and services. Design and optimize Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems using vector databases, embeddings, retrieval strategies, and prompt engineering. Develop, implement, and optimize machine learning models using PyTorch. Evaluate and select large language models based on accuracy, latency, cost, capabilities, and user experience. Translate business requirements into scalable technical AI solutions in partnership with cross-functional teams. Architect, deploy, and maintain production-grade AI systems with a focus on reliability, scalability, security, and performance. Monitor AI system performance and improve model quality, response accuracy, and operational efficiency. Requirements 6+ years of experience developing AI/ML applications using Python and PyTorch, including integrating AI capabilities into production applicationsExperience designing or implementing AI agents for real-world applicationsExperience developing chatbots, voice-based applications, or other conversational AI systemsKnowledge of Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems, including vector databases, embeddings, retrieval strategies, and prompt engineeringFamiliarity with leading large language model providers, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, or similar platformsAbility to evaluate model trade-offs involving performance, latency, cost, accuracy, and capabilitiesUnderstanding of transformer architectures and attention mechanismsStrong software architecture, problem-solving, and cross-functional communication skills Bonus Qualifications Proficiency with KotlinFull-stack development experience across backend and frontend technologiesExperience developing cloud-based software and microservicesExperience with REST APIs, gRPC, Kafka, or other service communication and event-driven technologiesExperience deploying AI applications on AWS, Google Cloud Platform, or Microsoft AzureFamiliarity with Docker, Kubernetes, or other containerization and orchestration technologiesExperience with AI development frameworks such as LangChain, LlamaIndex, AutoGen, or similar toolsFamiliarity with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices Benefits Pre-tax commuter benefits Employer (HireArt) subsidized healthcare benefits (eligibility begins on the first of the month following 60 days of service)Flexible Spending Account for healthcare-related costsHireArt covers all costs for short- and long-term disability and life insurance401k package Commitment: This is a full-time, ongoing contract position staffed via HireArt. It will be onsite and available to candidates who are local to the San Diego, CA area. HireArt values diversity and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. Unfortunately, we are not able to sponsor visas or employ corp-to-corp.