AI Engineer (Trading Analytics & Data Engineering)

Responsibilities Kforce has a client in Houston, TX that is seeking an AI Engineer (Trading Analytics & Data Engineering). This is a hybrid role in Houston and will require 2 days onsite. Summary: This role requires a strong data engineering foundation and excellent communication skills-ideally with commodity or financial trading experience. The AI Engineer will partner with traders and trading analysts to rapidly build AI powered analytics over market pricing and fundamentals data, using Databricks and Spark to deliver value at speed. Roles and Responsibilities: • Design and ship AI driven analytics for front office use (seasonality, correlation, regression, forecasting, scenario modelling) • Build reusable and scalable data pipelines in Databricks (PySpark/Spark, Delta/Unity Catalog), optimizing cost, reliability, and performance • Run statistical/econometric analyses on large datasets (e.g., market & fundamental time series data) • Collaborate directly with traders/analysts-translate ambiguous questions into shippable solutions; Communicate insights clearly • Implement LLM/agentic workflows: prompt engineering, LangGraph orchestration, MCP integrations, tool calling, retrieval, and guardrails • Productionize solutions with testing, observability, versioning, and documentation Requirements • Hands-on Databricks + Spark expertise (PySpark, SQL, Delta, Unity Catalog) • Proven data engineering skills (ingestion, modelling, orchestration, performance tuning • Strong statistics/economics/data science fundamentals for market time series • Experience building LLM solutions (prompting, retrieval, agent flows; LangGraph, MCP) and integrating with trading data/services • Experience with CI/CD, Terraform, MLflow/feature stores, vector DBs, and governance (PII handling, data lineage) • Excellent stakeholder skills; Able to work on desk with traders/analysts and deliver fast • Background in commodity or financial trading • Familiarity with market microstructure, supply demand fundamentals, risk management The pay range is the lowest to highest compensation we reasonably in good faith believe we would pay at posting for this role. We may ultimately pay more or less than this range. Employee pay is based on factors like relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, location, performance, union contract and business needs. This range may be modified in the future. We offer comprehensive benefits including medical/dental/vision insurance, HSA, FSA, 401(k), and life, disability & ADD insurance to eligible employees. Salaried personnel receive paid time off. Hourly employees are not eligible for paid time off unless required by law. Hourly employees on a Service Contract Act project are eligible for paid sick leave. Note: Pay is not considered compensation until it is earned, vested and determinable. The amount and availability of any compensation remains in Kforce's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified in its discretion consistent with the law. This job is not eligible for bonuses, incentives or commissions. Kforce is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status. By clicking “Apply Today” you agree to receive calls, AI-generated calls, text messages or emails from Kforce and its affiliates, and service providers. Note that if you choose to communicate with Kforce via text messaging the frequency may vary, and message and data rates may apply. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. You will always have the right to cease communicating via text by using key words such as STOP.