Machine Learning Engineer

Horizontal Talent; Pleasanton (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Horizontal Talent is seeking a hands-on AI engineer for a six-month contract in Pleasanton, CA. You will design, optimize, and scale AI agents that improve planning, allocation, forecasting, pricing, and operational workflows using LLMs and cloud services.

You will build backend services with Python, integrate APIs, and work with GCP BigQuery to enable AI-driven insights while focusing on cost-efficient agent performance and production readiness.

Qualifications

• Strong Python development experience.
• Hands-on experience building or supporting AI agents and agentic workflows.
• Experience working with LLMs and generative AI technologies.
• Familiarity with AI SDKs such as OpenAI, Anthropic, or similar platforms.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and enhance AI agents that support business workflows and decision-making.
• Build and maintain agentic workflows that automate processes and improve operational efficiency.
• Integrate large language models and generative AI services into production-ready solutions.
• Create backend services and API integrations using Python.
• Support AI solutions in Google Cloud Platform environments, including BigQuery and related cloud-native tools.
• Work with unstructured data to enable AI-driven insights and workflows.
• Improve agent performance, token usage, and overall cost efficiency.
• Partner with business stakeholders to translate real-world needs into scalable AI solutions.
• Support deployment, monitoring, and ongoing optimization of AI-powered systems.

Skills

Python

AI agents

LLMs

AI SDKs

APIs

GCP

Unstructured data

Agent optimization

Independent problem-solving

Tools

Docker

Job description

Join a dynamic AI engineering initiative where you'll help design, optimize, and scale next-generation AI agents that improve planning, allocation, forecasting, pricing, and operational workflows. This six-month contract opportunity is ideal for a hands-on engineer who enjoys building practical AI solutions with LLMs, agentic workflows, and cloud-based services in a fast-moving environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and enhance AI agents that support business workflows and decision-making
• Build and maintain agentic workflows that automate processes and improve operational efficiency
• Integrate large language models and generative AI services into production-ready solutions
• Create backend services and API integrations using Python
• Support AI solutions in Google Cloud Platform environments, including BigQuery and related cloud-native tools
• Work with unstructured data to enable AI-driven insights and workflows
• Improve agent performance, token usage, and overall cost efficiency
• Partner with business stakeholders to translate real-world needs into scalable AI solutions
• Support deployment, monitoring, and ongoing optimization of AI-powered systems

Skills

• Strong Python development experience
• Hands-on experience building or supporting AI agents and agentic workflows
• Experience working with LLMs and generative AI technologies
• Familiarity with AI SDKs such as OpenAI, Anthropic, or similar platforms
• Experience integrating APIs into AI-enabled solutions
• Google Cloud Platform experience, including BigQuery and cloud-native services
• Experience working with unstructured data
• Understanding of AI agent optimization, deployment, and operational performance
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently on assigned use cases

Preferred Skills

• Background in AI Engineering, Software Engineering, Machine Learning Engineering, or Data Engineering
• Experience deploying containerized applications with Docker
• Exposure to CI/CD processes and automation pipelines
• Experience working in multi-cloud environments, with GCP preferred and Azure exposure helpful
• Retail, supply chain, planning, forecasting, or allocation experience
• Working knowledge of SQL and/or R
• Familiarity with agent orchestration frameworks such as LangChain, LangGraph, or Google Agent Development Kit (ADK)

Horizontal is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where every team member can contribute and thrive. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences who are excited to build innovative AI solutions in a collaborative environment.

• competitive compensation and benefits including medical, dental, vision, and retirement.

The pay range for this role is $30 - $62 per hour based on qualifications and experience.