GenAI Platform Architect & Engineering Manager

Zs Associates; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Job summary

ZS Associates in New York, NY seeks an AI Engineering Manager to own architecture and delivery of GenAI-enabled systems. You will lead multi-tier, distributed applications across API, service, data, and AI layers while driving design reviews and production readiness.

You will partner with Product, AI/ML, DevOps, Data Engineering, and Consulting teams to translate complex business needs into scalable solutions, mentoring engineers and promoting technical excellence.

Qualifications

• Deep software engineering experience with strong foundations in core computer science, data structures, algorithms, and system design.
• Engineering management or technical leadership experience with proven ability to lead teams while remaining technically credible and hands-on.
• Experience building and scaling large-scale, distributed, multi-tier applications across backend, services, data, and AI layers.
• Strong backend engineering skills, with Python preferred, and familiarity with frameworks such as FastAPI, Flask, or similar technologies.
• Strong understanding of distributed systems, microservices, API design, service-oriented architecture, data modeling, and storage systems.
• Hands-on experience building production-grade GenAI or LLM systems, including prompt pipelines, model integrations, and agentic or workflow-based AI systems.
• Fluency in English, a client-first mentality, collaborative spirit, strong problem-solving approach, and ability to communicate technical trade-offs clearly to stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture and system design for large-scale, distributed, multi-tier systems spanning frontend, APIs, services, data, and AI layers.
• Define engineering standards, design patterns, service boundaries, API approaches, data models, and platform architecture decisions.
• Architect and build production-grade GenAI-enabled systems using LLMs, prompt pipelines, model APIs, and agentic or workflow-based approaches.
• Guide engineers through design reviews, code reviews, technical debt resolution, and scalable implementation practices.
• Own delivery across high-impact, parallel workstreams by driving planning, prioritization, risk identification, and execution discipline.
• Ensure systems are observable, reliable, debuggable, production-ready, and aligned with cloud-native and CI/CD practices.
• Partner with Product, AI/ML, Data Engineering, DevOps, and Consulting teams to translate complex business needs into scalable technical solutions.
• Ability to build engineering culture through coaching, hiring, structured development, and clear expectations for technical excellence.
• Ability to balance short-term delivery with long-term platform evolution, reuse, standardization, and maintainability.
• Experience supporting complex platform or AI solution discussions with internal stakeholders and/or clients is preferred.

Job description

ZS Associates in New York, NY seeks an AI Engineering Manager to own architecture and delivery of GenAI-enabled systems. You will lead multi-tier, distributed applications across API, service, data, and AI layers while driving design reviews and production readiness.

You will partner with Product, AI/ML, DevOps, Data Engineering, and Consulting teams to translate complex business needs into scalable solutions, mentoring engineers and promoting technical excellence.