Digital Solutions Engineer

AFL; Duncan (SC); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible time off policy

401K Company match (up to 4%)

Professional development and training programs

Job summary

AFL is seeking a Digital Solutions Engineer to join their team in Duncan, South Carolina. This role involves designing and delivering innovative prototypes that validate emerging technologies in AI, automation, and system integration.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree and 3+ years of experience in software development. Responsibilities include collaborating with teams, conducting technical evaluations, and building rapid prototypes to assess new technologies.

A hybrid work schedule is available along with a flexible time off policy and strong professional development opportunities.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of hands-on software development or solutions engineering experience.
• Proficiency in modern programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, Java, or C#.
• Experience building web applications, APIs, or system integrations.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver innovative prototypes that validate emerging technologies.
• Collaborate with teams to drive business impact through innovative solutions.
• Conduct hands-on technical evaluations of platforms, APIs, and tools.

Skills

Python

JavaScript

Software Development

AI/ML Technologies

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Azure

AWS

Power Automate

Job description

AFL manufactures industry-leading fiber optic cable, connectivity and accessories and provides engineering and installation services for some of the largest telecom customers in the world. Our company was founded in 1984 with a single fiber optic cable and today, we manufacture thousands of products, generate an excess of $2B in revenue, and employ approximately 11,000 associates worldwide. At AFL, we recognize that our employees are our greatest asset. We hire and train each individual, investing in them to ensure success in their careers. With a commitment to professional development and growth, let us connect you to your next career opportunity.

What We Offer

• A hybrid in office schedule for qualifying employees
• Flexible time off policy
• 401K Company match (up to 4% - dollar for dollar)
• Professional development, training, and tuition reimbursement programs
• Excellent medical, dental, vision, and life insurance policy options
• Opportunities for career advancement with an industry leading company!

AFL is seeking Digital Solutions Engineer to design and deliver innovative prototypes that validate emerging technologies in AI, automation, and system integration. This role combines hands‑on development with solution design, requiring strong technical skills. The Digital Solutions Engineer will collaborate with teams to deliver innovative solutions that drive business impact.

Prototype Development

• Build rapid prototypes and proof-of-concepts to validate emerging technology solutions across AI, automation, and integration domains
• Develop functional demonstrations that prove or disprove technical and business hypotheses within tight timeframes
• Create working integrations between systems to assess feasibility and implementation complexity
• Construct interactive demos and user interfaces that help stakeholders visualize and test potential solutions
• Write clean, well-documented code that can be handed off to production teams for successful pilots
• Develop automation workflows using low-code platforms, scripting, and integration tools

Collaboration with Teams

• Partner with Solutions Architects to translate solution designs into working prototypes
• Work closely with the BI/Data team to integrate analytics, AI/ML models, and data pipelines into applications
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand requirements, gather feedback, and refine prototypes iteratively
• Engage with enterprise IT and platform teams to understand technical constraints, security requirements, and integration patterns
• Coordinate handoffs to production teams, including documentation, knowledge transfer, and transition support
• Facilitate collaboration between BI/Data team and business units on data-driven proof-of-concepts

Technology Evaluation & Validation

• Conduct hands-on technical evaluations of emerging platforms, APIs, and tools
• Contribute to proof-of-concept projects, demonstrating practical experience in rapid prototyping and software engineering
• Assess integration complexity, performance characteristics, and scalability considerations
• Identify technical risks, constraints, and requirements for potential implementations
• Test vendor solutions and provide honest, data-driven assessments of capabilities versus claims
• Validate technical feasibility through working demonstrations rather than theoretical analysis

Continuous Learning

• Stay current with the latest advancements in AI, automation, and emerging technologies
• Research and experiment with new tools, platforms, and approaches worth exploring
• Conduct thorough testing and validation to ensure the reliability and accuracy of prototypes and recommendations
• Attend conferences, webinars, and training to build expertise in emerging technology domains
• Share knowledge and learnings with the broader organization through documentation and presentations

Required Qualifications

Technical Skills & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 3+ years of hands-on software development, technical implementation, or solutions engineering experience
• Proficiency in modern programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, Java, or C#
• Experience building web applications, APIs, REST services, or system integrations
• Working knowledge of databases (SQL and NoSQL), cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or GCP), and API development
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn and work with new technologies and platforms
• Strong problem-solving skills with ability to debug, troubleshoot, and work through ambiguity

AI & Automation Experience (Preferred)

• Hands‑on experience with AI/ML technologies, LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Azure AI), or integrating pre-built models
• Ability to work with data scientists and understand how to integrate models into applications
• Familiarity with automation platforms such as Power Automate, Zapier, n8n, or RPA tools
• Experience with low-code/no-code platforms (Power Platform, Salesforce, ServiceNow, etc.)
• Understanding of prompt engineering, AI agent development, or generative AI applications
• Experience consuming and visualizing data from analytics platforms and APIs

Mindset & Approach

• Balanced builder mentality: Comfortable with rapid prototyping while also maintaining production-quality solutions
• Experimental mindset: Willing to try, fail, learn, and iterate rapidly within time‑boxed constraints
• Business orientation: Focused on outcomes and business impact, not just technical elegance
• Collaborative team player who values partnership and knowledge sharing
• Strong time management with ability to balance multiple priorities

Decision-Making Autonomy: Moderate - Autonomy in technical implementation choices with guidance from Senior Engineers and Solutions Architects on complex decisions

Complexity of Role: High - Managing diverse prototype projects with emerging technologies and coordinating across multiple teams