Lead Python AI Engineer

EPAM Systems; Seattle (WA); Remote; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance (

Health Savings Account

Flexible Spending Accounts

Paid Time Off

401(k) matching

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Bonus program eligibility

Long-Term Incentive program

Life and AD&D Insurance

Employee Discounts

Pet Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Unlimited LinkedIn learning access

Job summary

EPAM Systems is seeking a Lead Python AI Engineer to build robust AI-powered API services and agentic workflows. You will bridge traditional backends with language models, focusing on secure and scalable LLM interactions with internal systems, vector databases, and external tools via orchestration frameworks.

The role emphasizes production-grade AI integration, API reliability, and comprehensive observability across distributed systems. Remote position with competitive compensation.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of Backend engineering with a focus on microservices and distributed systems.
• Proven experience with Python for high-performance backend services and cloud-native APIs.
• Hands-on experience with AWS, Docker, ECS/EKS, and RESTful APIs.
• Security-first practices and strong auth/authz fundamentals.
• Practical experience with LangChain, LlamaIndex, or LangGraph.
• Experience integrating AI SDKs (OpenAI, Anthropic/Claude, AWS Bedrock) in production.
• Familiarity with AI evaluation tooling or real-time APM platforms (LangSmith, Langfuse, Arize).
• Experience with vector databases and retrieval systems (Kendra, OpenSearch)

Responsibilities

• Own API contracts and service reliability end-to-end; graceful handling of AI edge cases.
• Integrate LLMs with strong engineering foundations: observability, fallback handling, cost awareness.
• Build reusable orchestration frameworks for downstream developers.
• Design and build scalable backend API services and LLM orchestration layers.
• Maintain complex RAG pipelines: ingestion, chunking, embedding, retrieval optimization.
• Develop and connect agent tools using LangChain, LangGraph, MCP.
• Ensure security, privacy, observability, and test coverage across backend workflows.
• Contribute to architecture decisions and engineering standards.
• Collaborate with frontend, data, and infrastructure teams.

Skills

Python

Distributed systems

APIs

LangChain

LlamaIndex

RAG

Security

Observability

Cost awareness

Backend engineering

Tools

AWS

Docker

ECS/EKS

REST APIs

OpenAI SDKs

LangGraph

Job description

We are looking for a Lead Python AI Engineer to build robust, AI-powered API services and agentic workflows. In this role, you will bridge the gap between traditional backend systems and modern language models, focusing on secure and scalable LLM interactions with internal systems, vector databases, and external tools via orchestration frameworks.

We treat LLMs not as magic, but as components in a secure, scalable distributed system. If you take pride in API reliability, graceful failure handling, and production-grade AI integration, we’d love to talk to you.

Req# 1109260679

Responsibilities

• End-to-End Ownership: Own API contracts and service reliability end-to-end. AI edge cases must fail gracefully without compromising system integrity

• Rigorous Systems Engineering: Integrate LLMs with a strong engineering foundation—baking in evaluation, comprehensive observability, robust fallback handling, and cost awareness

• Reusable Frameworks: Build reliable, reusable orchestration frameworks and logic designed for downstream developer consumption

• Design and build scalable backend API services and advanced LLM orchestration layers

• Implement and maintain complex RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) pipelines, covering document ingestion, chunking, embedding, and retrieval optimization

• Develop and connect agent tools using LangChain, LangGraph, and potentially MCP (Model Context Protocol)

• Ensure top-tier security, privacy, enterprise-grade observability, and comprehensive test coverage across all backend workflows

• Contribute actively to architecture decisions and engineering standards within your pod

• Collaborate cross-functionally with frontend engineers, data engineers, and infrastructure teams

Requirements

• Backend Experience: 7+ years of backend engineering with a heavy focus on microservices and distributed systems, using Python for high-performance backend services and cloud-native APIs

• Cloud & Infrastructure: Hands-on experience with AWS, Docker, ECS/EKS, and RESTful APIs

• Security First: Proven experience with secure coding practices and strong authentication/authorization (auth/authz) fundamentals

• Agentic Frameworks: Practical, hands-on experience with frameworks such as LangChain, LlamaIndex, or LangGraph

• AI SDK Integration: 1–2+ years of hands-on experience integrating AI SDKs (OpenAI, Anthropic/Claude, AWS Bedrock, or equivalent) in production environments

• AI Observability & Evaluation: Familiarity with AI evaluation tooling or real-time APM platforms (e.g., LangSmith, Langfuse, Arize)

• RAG Pipelines: Practical experience working with vector databases (e.g., Amazon Kendra, OpenSearch), advanced embedding strategies, and retrieval systems

Nice to have

• Frontend Fluency: 1–2+ years of experience with React and TypeScript

• Scale & Deployment: Experience deploying applications to EKS environments at scale

• Interoperability & Security: Knowledge of agent interoperability patterns (MCP) and identity/security domain models (IAM, CIAM)

• Secondary Languages: Professional proficiency in Java, Node.js, or Go

We offer

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance (Subsidized)

• Health Savings Account

• Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care, Commuter)

• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability (Company Provided)

• Life and AD&D Insurance (Company Provided)

• Employee Assistance Program

• Unlimited access to LinkedIn learning solutions

• Matched 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan

• Paid Time Off – the employee will be eligible to accrue 15-25 paid days, depending on specific level and tenure with EPAM (accrual eligibility may change over time)

• Paid Holidays - nine (9) total per year

• Legal Plan and Identity Theft Protection

• Accident Insurance

• Employee Discounts

• Pet Insurance

• Employee Stock Purchase Program

• If otherwise eligible, participation in the discretionary annual bonus program

• If otherwise eligible and hired into a qualifying level, participation in the discretionary Long-Term Incentive (LTI) Program

This Remote Position Cannot be Performed in New York City.

This posting includes a good faith range of the salary EPAM would reasonably expect to pay the selected candidate. The range provided reflects base salary only. Individual compensation offers within the range are based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: geographic location, experience, credentials, education, training; the demand for the role; and overall business and labor market considerations. Most candidates are hired at a salary within the range disclosed. Salary range: $130,000 - $160,000. In addition, the details highlighted in this job posting above are a general description of all other expected benefits and compensation for the position.

In accordance with the LA County Fair Chance Ordinance, you may find a copy of the Notice containing a summary of the Ordinance’s key provisions here: Concept FCO Posting 8 27 24 (lacounty.gov)

EPAM Systems, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We recognize the value of diversity and inclusion in creating success for our customers, business partners, shareholders, employees and communities. We are committed to recruiting, hiring, developing and promoting employees without discrimination. As a global employer, this commitment includes complying with all laws in the countries in which we operate. Nevertheless, we believe equal employment practices should not be limited to what the law requires. Equal opportunity and inclusion are essential to motivate, empower and recognize the best in everyone.

At EPAM, employment actions are based on individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, pregnancy status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital or familial status, national origin, ancestry, genetics, age, disability status, veteran status, citizenship status when otherwise legally able to work, or any other characteristic protected by law.