AI Developer Student Assistant - Digital Research and Transformation Hub

WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 19,286 - 27,552; Part time

Job summary

WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY is seeking a part-time Student Assistant to support the AI Developer team in the Digital Research Transformation Hub. The role involves hands-on work with AI technologies and offers an opportunity to learn industry best practices.

The ideal candidate will assist in developing AI applications, containerized solutions using Docker, and must have excellent communication skills. The position requires a high school diploma and a commitment to work at least 20 hours a week.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a team environment.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking abilities.
• Basic understanding of AI, ML, and cybersecurity.

Responsibilities

• Assist in developing and testing RAG-based chatbot solutions.
• Support deployment and maintenance of containerized applications using Docker.
• Participate in code reviews and documentation of technical solutions.

Skills

Communication skills

Self-motivation

Problem-solving

Organizational skills

Programming in Python

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree

Tools

Docker

Git/Gitlab

PostgreSQL

Job description

Department

Digital Research Transformation Hub

Campus Location

Wichita, KS - WSU Main Campus

Hire Type

Part Time

Pay

$14 - 20 per hour

Work Schedule

Based on class schedule

Export Compliance Requirement

This position requires access to EAR or ITAR controlled technologies. Applicants are required to be eligible for employment under U.S. export control laws and must meet the requirement of being a “U.S. Citizen”.

Job Story

The AI Developer Student Assistant will work directly with the research development team to support the design, development, and deployment of AI/ML applications and infrastructure. This role offers hands‑on experience with modern AI technologies including Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) systems, cloud infrastructure, and containerized applications. The ideal candidate will contribute to real production systems while learning industry best practices in AI development, DevOps, and cybersecurity.

Job Summary

A student assistant will carry out administrative and technical tasks requested by a supervisor. Depending on the area the student assistant is employed in, they may assist and mentor other students or provide support throughout the campus in various forms.

Job Duties

• Assist in developing and testing RAG-based chatbot solutions and AI applications
• Support deployment and maintenance of containerized applications using Docker and orchestration tools
• Help implement CI/CD pipelines and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices
• Assist with data pipeline development and database operations (PostgreSQL, vector databases)
• Support integration of AI models and APIs into production systems
• Participate in code reviews and documentation of technical solutions
• Assist with monitoring, logging, and optimization of AI application performance

Required Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Additional Requirements

• Pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a team environment
• Self‑motivated with ability to learn new technologies quickly with minimal supervision
• Ability to work with and understand complex systems.
• Basic understanding of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Cyber Security and an interest in it as a potential career.
• Strong organizational and time‑management skills.
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical thinking abilities
• Enthusiastic and willing to learn from a variety of specialists in the fields of AI/ML, IoT, and intelligent manufacturing.
• Working knowledge of general‑purpose programming languages such as Python.
• Basic understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs) and natural language processing concepts
• Experience with version control systems (Git/Gitlab)
• Must be able to work a minimum of 20 hours a week.

Preferred Qualifications

• Completion of at least one AI/ML course (e.g. Intro to Machine Learning).
• Experience building a personal computer and/or administering a network.
• Basic understanding of RESTful APIs and web services
• Experience with SQL or other database management systems
• General understanding of cybersecurity practices
• General knowledge of networking
• Experience in containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)

Physical Requirements

• Ability to remain in a stationary position.
• Ability to operate a computer and other office equipment including but not limited to phone, printers, copiers, and calculators.
• Ability to communicate with others and accurately exchange information.