AI-Powered Educational Assistant Developer (Part-Time)

Colorado State University; Fort Collins, Northern (CO, KY); Hybrid; USD 21,000 - 25,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedule

Conference publications opportunity

Job summary

Colorado State University seeks a motivated Non-Student Hourly Employee to assist in building an AI-powered educational assistant for programming and cybersecurity courses. You will work with AI frameworks, FAISS/ChromaDB, and web interfaces to enable semantic search and robust tools for students.

You will ingest materials, implement embeddings, and ensure privacy and security. The role involves collaboration with faculty and potential conference publications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, Software Engineering, or closely related field.
• Strong Python programming skills.
• Experience with APIs, databases, and object-oriented programming.
• Familiarity with ML, NLP, or LLMs.
• Experience with AI frameworks such as LangChain, LlamaIndex, FAISS, ChromaDB, or similar.
• Experience with web application development (Flask, FastAPI, Gradio, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with Firebase, SQLite, PostgreSQL, or similar databases.
• Knowledge of prompt engineering and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG).
• Experience deploying apps with Docker and Google Cloud Platform is desirable.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance an AI-powered educational assistant using Python and modern AI frameworks.
• Process and ingest course materials for semantic search and retrieval.
• Implement and maintain vector databases and embedding pipelines (e.g., FAISS, ChromaDB).
• Develop and improve user interfaces using Gradio, Flask, or similar tools.
• Build and maintain logging, analytics, and confidence-based evaluation using Firebase.
• Integrate the system with Canvas LMS and CSU authentication services.
• Test, debug, document, and maintain software throughout development.
• Ensure compliance with data privacy, security, and academic integrity requirements.
• Fine-tune open-source LLMs using course-specific datasets.
• Develop hybrid AI architectures with local models and cloud LLMs.
• Apply prompt engineering to improve routing, responses, and costs.
• Deploy and maintain AI services using Google Cloud Run, Compute Engine, Docker, and Firebase.
• Collaborate with faculty on feature development, evaluation, and improvement.

Skills

Python

APIs

Databases

OOP

ML/NLP

LangChain

FAISS

Gradio

Flask

Web development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Firebase

SQLite

PostgreSQL

Docker

Google Cloud Platform

FAISS/ChromaDB

Job description

Job Description Position Summary

The Department of Computer Information Systems at Colorado State University is seeking a motivated and technically skilled Non-Student Hourly Employee to support the development of an AI-powered educational assistant for programming and cybersecurity courses. This position provides an opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI technologies, including large language models (LLMs), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), semantic search, cloud deployment, and learning management system integration. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with faculty to design, implement, test, and maintain secure and privacy-aware AI systems that enhance student learning while supporting academic integrity.

Appointment Details

Hours: 8 hours per week

Anticipated Start Date: September 15, 2026

End Date: December 31, 2026

Work Schedule: Flexible, coordinated with the project supervisor

Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance an AI-powered educational assistant using Python and modern AI frameworks.
• Process and ingest course materials (lecture slides, textbooks, PDFs, assignments, and programming examples) for semantic search and retrieval.
• Implement and maintain vector databases and embedding pipelines (e.g., FAISS, ChromaDB).
• Develop and improve user interfaces using Gradio, Flask, or other web technologies.
• Build and maintain logging, analytics, and confidence-based response evaluation using Firebase.
• Integrate the system with Canvas LMS and CSU authentication services.
• Test, debug, document, and maintain the software throughout development.
• Ensure compliance with data privacy, security, and academic integrity requirements.
• Fine-tune open-source LLMs (e.g., Llama, Mistral, Gemma) using course-specific datasets.
• Develop hybrid AI architectures combining locally hosted models with cloud-based LLMs.
• Apply prompt engineering techniques to improve routing, response quality, and operational cost.
• Deploy and maintain AI services using Google Cloud Run, Compute Engine, Docker, and Firebase.
• Collaborate with faculty on feature development, evaluation, and continuous system improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, Software Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Strong Python programming skills.
• Experience with software development, APIs, databases, and object-oriented programming.
• Familiarity with machine learning, natural language processing, or large language models.
• Experience with AI frameworks such as LangChain, LlamaIndex, FAISS, ChromaDB, or similar technologies.
• Experience with web application development (Flask, FastAPI, Gradio, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with Firebase, SQLite, PostgreSQL, or similar database systems.
• Knowledge of prompt engineering and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG).
• Experience deploying applications using Docker and Google Cloud Platform is highly desirable.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and documentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple development tasks.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with one or more of the following is highly desirable: Fine-tuning LLMs using LoRA or QLoRA Google Cloud Platform (Cloud Run, Compute Engine, Firebase) Git/GitHub collaborative development Cybersecurity concepts and secure software development Educational technology or learning management systems

Benefits

• Work on an innovative AI project with real-world educational impact.
• Gain hands-on experience with modern AI technologies and cloud platforms.
• Collaborate directly with faculty on applied AI research.
• Flexible work schedule (8 hours per week).
• Opportunity to contribute to conference papers and scholarly publications.
• Build valuable experience in AI engineering, software architecture, and educational technology.

Salary Range

$15.16-$18.00

Background Check Policy Statement

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

EEO

Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Employee Benefits

Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.