AI Engineer 1 // Mid-Level

Rygen Technologies; Greenville (SC); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology firm in South Carolina is looking for a Mid-Senior AI Engineer 1 to develop and maintain AI systems. You will participate in AI governance and implement software engineering best practices. The ideal candidate has a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and 2-4 years' experience in AI or software engineering. Proficiency in Python and familiarity with AI tools and frameworks are essential. This full-time position offers opportunities to work collaboratively in a growing team.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of professional experience in AI engineering or software engineering.
• Experience building AI‑powered applications.
• Demonstrated ability to work on production software systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain agentic AI systems under moderate supervision.
• Participate in AI Governance processes and ensure compliance with standards.
• Write clean, maintainable, and well-tested code following software engineering principles.

Skills

Python

Java

TypeScript

AI/ML Concepts

REST APIs

SQL

NoSQL

Docker

Git

Cloud Platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or Data Science

Tools

Jira

GitLab

Job description

The AI Engineer 1 is a mid‑level technical position responsible for developing and maintaining modern agentic AI systems. This role requires both AI engineering and software engineering proficiency, with the ability to work collaboratively on complex problems while contributing to technical discussions and supporting junior team members. The engineer works within the organization’s AI Management System and participates in AI Governance processes. The position reports to the Principal AI Engineer.

Key Responsibilities

Development & Implementation

• Develop and maintain agentic AI systems and applications with moderate oversight
• Build AI integrations with APIs, third‑party services, and internal systems
• Implement prompt engineering strategies and AI workflow orchestration
• Contribute to code reviews and ensure adherence to coding standards and best practices
• Work on AI features and capabilities from specification to implementation
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues in AI systems
• Implement AI Management System requirements for responsible AI practices
• Optimize AI system performance, reliability, and cost efficiency

AI Governance & Compliance

• Participate in AI Governance processes
• Document AI system design decisions and technical implementations
• Ensure AI implementations comply with organizational policies and standards
• Support risk assessments and impact analyses for AI systems
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of AI practices and standards

Research & Analysis

• Research and evaluate AI techniques, tools, and technologies
• Experiment with different AI approaches to solve technical problems
• Analyze system performance and identify opportunities for improvement
• Document findings and share results with team members
• Stay current with AI industry trends and emerging technologies
• Work collaboratively with diverse cross‑functional teams including product, engineering, and business stakeholders
• Participate in technical planning sessions and design discussions
• Provide technical guidance and support to junior engineers
• Contribute to technical documentation and knowledge sharing
• Support the implementation and monitoring of AI systems in production

Software Engineering

• Write clean, maintainable, and well‑tested code following software engineering principles
• Implement testing strategies for AI systems
• Contribute to CI/CD pipelines for AI application deployment
• Participate in infrastructure and tooling improvements
• Balance technical considerations with practical delivery timelines

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or Data Science
• Strong foundation in software engineering and AI/ML concepts

Experience

• 2–4 years of professional experience in AI engineering, software engineering, or related roles
• Experience building AI‑powered applications and systems
• Experience working in cross‑functional teams and collaborating with diverse stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to work on production software systems

Technical Skills

• Programming: Strong proficiency in Python; working knowledge of Java and TypeScript
• AI Tools: Experience with LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) and AI frameworks
• Software Engineering: Strong understanding of OOP, design patterns, testing, and system architecture
• Version Control: Proficient with Git and collaborative development workflows (GitLab preferred)
• Project Management: Experience with Jira or similar project management tools (preferred)
• Cloud Platforms: Experience with AWS, GCP, or Azure
• Containerization: Working knowledge of Docker
• Databases: Proficiency with SQL and NoSQL databases
• APIs: Experience building and integrating with REST APIs and web services

Core Competencies

• Understanding of AI/ML concepts
• Familiarity with LLMs and generative AI capabilities and limitations
• Experience with API integrations and system orchestration
• Solid foundation in algorithms, data structures, and software design
• Ability to debug complex systems spanning multiple services and technologies
• Strong communication skills with ability to explain technical concepts to varied audiences
• Proven ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment

Preferred Qualifications

Technical Experience

• Experience with AI agent frameworks (LangChain, LlamaIndex, AutoGPT, etc.)
• Knowledge of prompt engineering and optimization techniques
• Familiarity with RAG (Retrieval‑Augmented Generation) systems
• Experience with vector databases and semantic search
• Background in building conversational AI or chatbot systems
• Experience with API design and microservices architecture
• Familiarity with event‑driven architectures and message queues
• Understanding of AI safety, alignment, and testing strategies
• Experience with Jira or similar agile project management tools
• Experience with GitLab CI/CD or similar platforms
• Track record of contributing to team technical initiatives
• Experience with technical documentation and knowledge sharing
• Contributions to open‑source AI projects

Domain Knowledge

• Experience with NLP applications or conversational AI
• Understanding of AI governance frameworks and compliance requirements
• Familiarity with responsible AI practices

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work at a computer workstation for extended periods
• Occasional travel may be required
• On‑call rotation responsibilities for production system support
• Standard business hours with flexibility for collaboration across time zones

Location: Greenville, SC

Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level

Employment type: Full‑time

Job function: Engineering and Information Technology

Industry: Software Development