Director or Principal Engineer _Applied AI

Net Connect; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 8,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Net Connect is seeking a Director/Principal Engineer Applied AI in Bengaluru to lead enterprise AI/ML initiatives. You will architect scalable AI systems, champion MLOps, and drive adoption of Generative and Agentic AI across the organisation.

You will mentor engineers, define roadmaps, and translate research into production-ready frameworks while collaborating with cross-functional teams to achieve business goals.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in Software Engineering, Data Science, or Analytics.
• Minimum 5+ years of hands-on AI/ML engineering experience.
• Proven track record designing scalable, production-grade AI/ML platforms.
• Deep understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs) and training/fine-tuning.
• Hands-on with Generative AI and Agentic AI frameworks (LangGraph, LangChain, CrewAI).
• Familiarity with MCP and A2A protocols.
• Strong skills in Python or similar languages; DevOps/CI-CD knowledge (Git, Jenkins, Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience building enterprise-grade AI solutions with scalability, security, and maintainability.

Responsibilities

• Act as hands-on architect and code reviewer for AI/ML systems.
• Define AI/ML roadmaps, standards, and adoption strategies.
• Research and implement advanced prompt and context engineering techniques.
• Translate research into reusable engineering frameworks and production solutions.
• Architect scalable data pipelines for model training and finetuning.
• Lead MLOps for deploying and managing ML models and LLMs in production.
• Transform front-end and back-end apps into agentic systems.
• Collaborate with product and tech teams to integrate AI capabilities.
• Mentor engineers on advanced AI techniques and best practices.
• Identify new technologies and drive enterprise AI innovations.

Skills

Senior Software Eng

AI/ML Architect

LLMs

Python

DevOps/CI/CD

MLOps

Education

Bachelor's degree

PhD preferred

Tools

LangGraph

LangChain

CrewAI

Strands SDK

Google ADK

MCP/A2A

Job description

Role Overview : We are looking for a Director / Principal Engineer Applied AI to serve as a deep technical expert and hands-on architect for enterprise AI/ML initiatives. The role will focus on Generative AI, Agentic AI, LLMs, AI/ML platforms, MLOps, and advanced AI engineering, while defining technology roadmaps, engineering standards, and scalable AI solutions across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the hands-on architect and primary code-level reviewer for complex AI/ML systems.
• Define and drive AI/ML technology roadmaps, standards, best practices, and adoption strategies.
• Research and implement advanced context engineering and prompt engineering techniques.
• Translate AI research into reusable engineering frameworks and production solutions.
• Architect and maintain scalable data pipelines and processing workflows for model training and finetuning.
• Implement and champion MLOps practices for deploying and managing ML models and LLMs in production.
• Lead the transformation of existing front-end and back-end applications into agentic systems.
• Integrate agentic AI solutions using MCP and A2A protocols.
• Collaborate with product, engineering, business, and technology teams to integrate AI/ML capabilities.
• Mentor and coach engineers on advanced AI/ML techniques, architecture, and engineering best practices.
• Identify emerging technologies and incorporate relevant innovations into enterprise AI solutions.

Technical Requirements:

• 12+ years of experience in Software Engineering, Data Science, or Analytics.
• Minimum 5+ years of hands-on experience in AI/ML engineering or related fields.
• Proven experience designing and implementing scalable, production-grade AI/ML platforms and systems.
• Deep understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs), including training and fine-tuning.
• Hands-on experience with Generative AI and Agentic AI frameworks, including:
• LangGraph
• LangChain
• CrewAI
• Strands SDK
• Google ADK
• Familiarity with MCP and A2A protocols.
• Strong knowledge of AI/ML techniques including:
• Deep Learning
• Natural Language Processing
• Reinforcement Learning
• Large Language Models
• Strong programming experience in Python, R, or similar languages.
• Experience with DevOps and CI/CD, including Git, Jenkins, Docker, and Kubernetes.
• Experience building enterprise-grade AI solutions with scalability, reliability, security, and maintainability in mind.

Preferred Skills:

• PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related field.
• Experience establishing and enforcing AI/ML engineering standards, best practices, governance, and ethics.
• Experience working within banking or financial services.
• Understanding of financial products, enterprise technology environments, and regulatory requirements.
• Experience leading organisation-wide AI/ML transformation initiatives.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management:

• Serve as a principal technical authority and AI/ML thought leader.
• Influence senior technology and business stakeholders on strategic technical decisions.
• Lead complex, cross-functional and organisation-wide technical initiatives.
• Provide mentorship and technical direction to junior, mid-level, and senior engineers.
• Communicate complex AI/ML concepts effectively to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Align AI/ML architecture and engineering decisions with long-term business objectives.
• Identify new technologies, methodologies, and opportunities for AI-driven innovation.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related discipline.
• PhD is preferred but not mandatory