AI Engineer

Acklen Avenue is a trusted partner in outsourced development. We help ambitious companies accelerate software delivery by providing complete agile development teams as well as staff augmentation.

Acklen Avenue offers more than talent. Our dedicated teams offer a mature product development process, staffed with experienced, full-time experts. And our staff augmentation offering delivers fully vetted and Acklen approved individual developers to add the right skills when and where you need them.

WHO YOU ARE

You’re a highly skilled engineer with a strong foundation in artificial intelligence and a passion for turning complex problems into practical, scalable solutions. You thrive in hands-on environments where you can design, build, and deploy production-ready AI systems that make a measurable impact. You enjoy collaborating with cross-functional teams, communicating clearly, and aligning technical innovation with business goals. You are driven by curiosity, continuous learning, and a desire to deliver high-quality, maintainable solutions that stand the test of time.

POSITION ACCOUNTABILITIES

AI Development & Implementation (40%)

• Design and develop AI-powered applications, tools, and automation solutions using modern frameworks and programming languages.
• Build custom integrations between AI services and existing business systems.
• Create proofs of concept and prototypes to validate AI use cases before full implementation.
• Implement machine learning models, natural language processing solutions, and other AI techniques for business applications.
• Develop APIs, microservices, and service layers that enable AI capabilities across the organization.

Production Systems & Maintenance (30%)

• Deploy AI solutions into production environments with appropriate monitoring, observability, and logging.
• Establish and enforce best practices for code quality, testing, version control, and documentation to minimize technical debt.
• Maintain, troubleshoot, and optimize existing AI systems for performance, scalability, and reliability.
• Implement CI/CD pipelines and automation workflows to support continuous delivery of AI applications.
• Create comprehensive technical documentation to support knowledge transfer and long-term maintainability.

Cross-Functional Collaboration (20%)

• Partner with business units to identify high-value AI opportunities, gather requirements, and define success criteria.
• Translate business needs into actionable technical AI solutions with measurable ROI.
• Provide expert guidance on AI capabilities, limitations, and responsible use considerations.
• Collaborate with IT and engineering teams to ensure seamless integration with existing infrastructure and security standards.
• Support change management efforts by demonstrating AI value through prototypes, use case demos, and stakeholder education.

Innovation & Research (10%)

• Evaluate emerging AI technologies, tools, and methodologies for potential business adoption.
• Conduct ongoing research to stay current with industry trends, best practices, and advancements in AI and machine learning.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of the organization’s AI strategy, roadmap, and governance framework.
• Participate in AI Committee initiatives, working groups, and knowledge-sharing sessions.
• Identify opportunities to scale successful AI solutions across departments and business units.

Core Abilities

• Strong programming skills with the ability to write clean, maintainable, production-quality code.
• Practical problem-solving mindset focused on delivering measurable business value through technology.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Self-directed learner who adapts quickly to new technologies, frameworks, and methodologies.
• Collaborative team player with the ability to work effectively across departments and disciplines.
• Quality-focused approach that balances rapid iteration with long-term maintainability and stability.

Other Duties

• This job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

POSITION SKILLS & REQUIREMENTS

Must have

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Software Engineering, or related field; equivalent experience considered.
• 3-5 years of software development experience with demonstrated AI/ML project involvement.
• Proficiency in Python and experience with AI frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Langchain, etc.)
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerization technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver production applications from concept to deployment.
• Experience with API development, database design, and system integration.
• Strong understanding of software development best practices, including version control, testing, and documentation.

Nice to have

• Experience implementing AI solutions in enterprise environments.
• Familiarity with MLOps practices and tools.
• Knowledge of data engineering and ETL processes.
• Experience with web development frameworks and front-end technologies.
• Understanding of cybersecurity best practices for AI systems.

CORE VALUES

At Acklen, we are committed to creating a place for people to grow and improve their lives. We really care about growing people. We are not Messing Around.

• Committed to Personal Growth
• Seek First to Understand
• Bring Out the Best in Others
• Solutions-Oriented