Senior AI Platform Developer

Role: Senior AI Platform Developer Location: Houston, TX (Onsite) Duration: Long Term Job Summary: We are seeking an experienced Senior AI Platform Developer to take ownership of our enterprise-grade conversational AI system that powers multiple specialized bots for different business functions. This is a hands-on technical role that combines cutting-edge AI/ML development with enterprise integration and business stakeholder engagement. Technology Stack: • Backend: Python 3.10+, FastAPI, Async/Await patterns • AI/ML: Azure OpenAI (GPT-5), prompt engineering, RAG patterns • Frontend: Vanilla JavaScript, MSAL.js authentication, Server-Sent Events • Databases: Snowflake, SQL Server, Azure Cosmos DB • Search: Azure AI Search with semantic ranking • Infrastructure: Ubuntu Linux, Nginx, Docker, Systemd • Cloud: Azure (OpenAI, Cosmos DB, Blob Storage, AI Search) • Auth: Azure AD with OAuth 2.0/OIDC Key Responsibilities 1. Platform Development & Maintenance • Maintain and enhance the existing AI platform • Implement bug fixes and performance optimizations • Ensure 99.9% uptime for production services • Manage streaming responses, conversation history, and document exports • Handle natural language to SQL generation for database queries • Maintain authentication flow with Azure AD and token management 1. New Bot Development • Work with business stakeholders to identify AI automation opportunities • Design and implement new specialized bots following established patterns • Create intelligent system prompts with context injection • Integrate with enterprise data sources (databases, APIs, documents) • Implement RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) patterns • Build natural language interfaces for complex business queries 3.Business Partnership • Meet with department heads to understand pain points • Translate business requirements into technical solutions • Demo capabilities and gather feedback • Create documentation for end users • Provide training and support for new features • Measure and report on bot usage and value delivered 1. Technical Excellence • Optimize Azure OpenAI token usage and costs • Improve response accuracy and relevance • Enhance error handling and user experience • Document code changes and architectural decisions Senior AI Platform Developer • Participate in code reviews and knowledge sharing • Stay current with AI/ML best practices Required Technical Skills Must-Have Experience • 5+ years of Python development with strong async/await experience • 2+ years working with LLMs (GPT-4, Claude, etc.) and prompt engineering • Production experience with FastAPI or similar async frameworks • SQL expertise including complex queries and database design • Cloud platforms - Azure preferred, AWS/GCP acceptable • Linux/Unix administration and shell scripting • Git version control and collaborative development Required Knowledge Areas • Natural Language Processing: Understanding of embeddings, RAG, semantic search • Streaming architectures: SSE, WebSockets, async generators • Authentication: OAuth 2.0, JWT tokens, session management • Database systems: Both SQL and NoSQL paradigms • RESTful APIs: Design, implementation, and consumption • Infrastructure as Code: Docker, systemd services, nginx configuration Preferred Technologies • Snowflake or similar cloud data warehouse • Azure AI Search or Elasticsearch • Cosmos DB or similar NoSQL databases • MSAL.js or similar authentication libraries • Markdown processing and rendering • Document generation (PDF, DOCX, XLSX) Required Soft Skills Business Acumen • Ability to understand business processes and identify automation opportunities • Experience translating technical capabilities into business value • Strong presentation skills for stakeholder meetings • Comfort working with non-technical users Problem-Solving Approach • Systematic debugging of complex async/streaming issues • Creative solutions for natural language understanding challenges • Ability to optimize for both accuracy and performance • Experience with incremental improvement methodologies Communication Style • Clear technical documentation writing • Patient explanation of AI capabilities and limitations • Proactive communication about risks and timelines • Collaborative approach to requirement gathering Nice-to-Have Qualifications • Experience with ChromaDB or vector databases • Knowledge of HSE (Health, Safety, Environment) regulations • Financial services or energy sector experience Senior AI Platform Developer • Contributions to open-source AI/ML projects • Experience with multi-modal AI (images, documents) • Background in building conversational AI systems