Lead AI Engineer (LLMs & Agents)

Elixirr Digital; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading AI solutions provider in Cape Town is seeking a Lead AI Engineer to architect and develop innovative AI systems. The role involves guiding cross-functional teams in creating impactful solutions for various industries, focusing on leveraging LLMs. Ideal candidates will have hands-on experience with AI frameworks and a passion for driving transformation through technology. Join us to shape the future of AI!

Benefits

Performance bonus

Employee Stock Options Grant

Flexible working hours

Health benefits plan

Growth and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience working with LLMs, building and deploying agentic solutions.
• Solid background in programming and machine learning; understanding of deep learning or reinforcement learning.
• Ability to design AI solutions while contributing to development.

Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and develop advanced AI systems transforming enterprise workflows.
• Lead teams, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate on AI-driven innovations.
• Develop and maintain production-ready AI solutions ensuring scalability and performance.

Skills

Experience with LLMs

Technical Expertise

Strategic Thinking

Outcome Focus

Effective Collaboration

Innovation-Driven

Tools

LangChain

AutoGen

Crew

Swarm

Job description

Are you passionate about leveraging AI to transform global industries? Do you have a proven track record of working with LLMs and building agentic solutions?

Join Elixirr Digital as a Lead AI Engineer, where you will drive innovation and help shape the future of intelligent systems for clients across industries like banking, insurance, healthcare, telecommunications, consumer goods, and more. We're looking for proactive self-starters who are constantly reading research, applying it, and using AI to improve their processes, fully embracing the technology.

At Elixirr Digital, we’ve been on the cutting edge of generative AI from the beginning, developing our own platforms and deploying transformative solutions to global clients for several years. Our expertise spans working with early models like BERT to today’s leading foundation and open-source models and leading frameworks like LangChain, AutoGen, Swarm, and Crew.ai to build innovative, agentic solutions. From underwriting agents that empower financial professionals to knowledge agents streamlining customer workflows, our solutions are revolutionizing industries by embedding AI at their core.

If you’re excited to work at the forefront of generative AI, helping enterprises transform from the inside out, we want to hear from you. Let’s build the future of AI together!

What will you be doing as a Lead AI Engineer at Elixirr Digital?

1. Design and Implement Solutions: Architect, design, and develop advanced AI systems with a focus on LLMs and agentic solutions that transform enterprise workflows.
2. Lead and Collaborate: Lead teams, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate with cross-functional experts to deliver AI-driven innovations.
3. Drive Innovation: Work on a mix of internal R&D projects and enterprise-level solutions, building and optimizing tools for both internal and client use.
4. Deploy at Scale: Develop and maintain production-ready AI solutions, ensuring scalability, performance, and reliability.
5. End-to-End Lifecycle: Own and contribute to the entire AI development lifecycle—from research and prototyping to deployment and monitoring.
6. Deliver Tangible Outcomes: Help global enterprises achieve measurable impact through solutions like underwriting agents, airport assistants, pharmacy workflow optimizers, and customer due diligence systems.

Competencies and skillset we expect you to have to successfully perform your job:

• Experience with LLMs: Hands-on experience working with LLMs, with demonstrated expertise in building and deploying agentic solutions using frameworks such as LangChain, AutoGen, Crew, or Swarm.
• Technical Expertise: Solid background in programming and past experience in machine learning, with a deep understanding of at least one area such as deep learning, reinforcement learning, fine-tuning, or model development.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to design and lead AI solutions while also contributing directly to development. Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills, with a proficiency in applying mathematical principles to analyze, model, and solve complex problems.
• Outcome Focus: Passion for transforming businesses and delivering measurable results through AI.
• Effective Collaboration: Experience working in cross-functional teams, balancing R&D and production-level work.
• Innovation-Driven: Stay ahead of AI trends, continuously innovate by building and refining tools for internal and client use, and actively apply cutting-edge research to improve processes and develop scalable, impactful solutions.

Bonus points if you have:

• Proven track record of leading AI projects from concept to deployment.
• Deep expertise in at least one part of the AI development lifecycle.
• Examples of deployed AI systems demonstrating agentic capabilities.

We could be a perfect fit if you are:

• Passionate about technology, capable of recognizing and resolving technical problems using specialized tools.
• Independent, self-motivated, and capable of managing multiple responsibilities.
• Creative problem-solver who thinks outside the box.
• Effective communicator with strong verbal and written skills in English.

Why join Elixirr Digital?

• Global Impact: Work with top-tier clients solving real-world challenges with AI.
• Cutting-Edge Innovation: Develop and deploy transformative AI tools and platforms.
• Collaborative Culture: Join a passionate team in an inclusive environment.
• Diverse Projects: Engage in a wide range of AI applications across various industries.

Why is Elixirr Digital the right next step for you?

We support your growth while you build impactful solutions for global clients. Your work will matter here.

Compensation & Equity:

• Performance bonus
• Employee Stock Options Grant
• Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP)
• Competitive compensation

Health & Wellbeing:

• Health benefits plan
• Flexible working hours
• Pension plan

Projects & Tools:

• Modern equipment
• Big clients and interesting projects
• Cutting-edge technologies

Learning & Growth:

• Growth and development opportunities
• Internal LMS & knowledge hubs

We don’t just offer a job — we create space for you to grow, thrive, and be recognized.

Intrigued? Apply now!