Full-Stack AI Engineering Lead - AITDS

Cognizant; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking a hands-on Full-Stack AI Engineering Lead in Hyderabad to drive end-to-end backend design for AI platforms. You will architect and implement APIs using Python FastAPI, mentor engineers, and collaborate with frontend teams to deliver modular, scalable microservices in a cloud-native environment.

You will lead CI/CD, observability, and performance optimizations across Azure/AWS/GCP while guiding data design, LLM integration, and backend/frontend alignment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in software engineering with scalable backend focus
• Hands-on Python (FastAPI) and RESTful API development
• Experience with LLMs/agentic frameworks; cloud-native design

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end backend development for AI platforms
• Design and deploy backend services and APIs with Python FastAPI
• Implement microservices and event-driven architecture
• Collaborate with frontend teams to integrate APIs
• Mentor developers on coding best practices
• Own CI/CD pipelines and observability
• Ensure scalable, performant, maintainable systems
• Guide cloud infrastructure on Azure/AWS/GCP and containerization

Skills

Backend engineering

Python FastAPI

REST APIs

Microservices

Cloud platforms

Docker

Kubernetes

CI/CD

LLMs GenAI

Frontend collaboration

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Job Description:

Full-Stack AI Engineering Lead

Role Overview

A hands-on technical lead and senior developer responsible for the end-to-end backend stack—from LLM orchestration and data design to scalable API design—ensuring seamless integration with frontend applications.

Key Responsibilities

• Build & Deploy AI Solution
• Design and develop backend services and APIs using Python (FastAPI).
• Implement microservices and event-driven architectures where appropriate.
• Ensure the platform is scalable, performant, and maintainable.
• Mentor junior developers on coding best practices, patterns, and technical problem solving.
• Collaborate with UI engineers (React/Angular) to integrate backend APIs and support delivery of modular, maintainable micro-frontends.
• Experience developing in React is a plus.
• Oversee Implementation on Cloud Infrastructure
• Collaborate with infra team for required services on Azure, AWS, or GCP.
• Implement serverless, containerized, and microservices-based architectures.
• Guide integration of databases (SQL and NoSQL) with backend and frontend services.
• Implement Modern Software Engineering Practices
• Provide hands-on guidance for backend and oversee frontend development.
• Implement CI/CD pipelines and observability for the platform.
• Optimize application performance, reliability, and maintainability.

Required Capabilities / Skills / Experience

• 8+ years of software engineering experience with a focus on building scalable backend systems. Proven track record of shipping AI/GenAI Solutions.
• Hands-on experience in Python (FastAPI), RESTful APIs, microservices, SQL/NoSQL/Vector databases.
• Experience developing with LLMs and agentic frameworks such as MAF/Autogen/ADK.
• Experience collaborating with frontend teams developing in React or Angular.
• Strong experience in one or more cloud platform (Azure/AWS/GCP) and cloud-native application design.
• Practical knowledge of containerization (Docker), orchestration (Kubernetes), and CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong problem-solving, coding, and system design skills focused on scalable, maintainable solutions.