Founding AI Engineer

Founding AI Engineer

Hybrid: 3 days in office/ 2 days work from home

Location: Greater Phoenix Area, Arizona

Salary: $110,000 - $130,000 base Bonus

A fast-growing, tech-forward real estate and operations company is expanding its engineering organization and launching a new AI Engineering function. They’re modernizing core internal applications and building AI-enabled products that directly support business operations across multiple markets. If you enjoy working with modern tech, solving real operational challenges, and building products end-to-end, this is a great opportunity to make a visible impact.

About the Role

This team is building AI-enabled internal applications on a modern platform, leveraging GenAI and emerging technologies to improve workflows, automate manual processes, and evolve complex business systems. This is a full-stack engineering role where you’ll design, build, and ship production applications, not just prototypes.

You’ll work closely with engineering teams, business stakeholders, and platform specialists to rebuild and enhance a business-critical application using a new AI-driven architecture. Projects typically run 6–8 months and offer a chance to own development end-to-end.

What You’ll Do

• Build full-stack applications that leverage GenAI capabilities to optimize and automate business processes
• Develop APIs, backend services, and UI components using Python or Node.js/TypeScript
• Work across a modern platform stack that includes a knowledge layer, RAG tooling, and cloud infrastructure
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners in engineering, data, operations, and product to understand needs and translate them into technical solutions
• Learn and adopt new tools (including platform-specific technologies) to accelerate development
• Participate in architecture discussions, technical problem-solving, and shaping how the company uses AI internally
• Contribute to migrating a key internal application from a legacy system to a new AI-enabled platform

What They’re Looking For

• Strong full-stack engineering background
• Proficiency in Python and experience building backend applications
• Experience with APIs, web applications, and cloud-based development
• Exposure to GenAI, RAG concepts, or AI-enabled application development (professional or side projects)
• Familiarity with databases (SQL or NoSQL)
• Ability to work with ambiguity, learn new tools quickly, and contribute ideas
• Excellent communication skills and comfort working cross-functionally
• Ability to influence, push back respectfully, and collaborate with business stakeholders

Nice to Have

• Node.js/TypeScript
• AWS experience
• Prior exposure to RAG platforms or ontology-driven architectures
• Experience with internal business applications or workflow automation

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

• Join a newly forming AI Engineering group with significant visibility
• Work with a modern tech stack and emerging AI tools
• Build real, production AI applications
• A supportive, learning-oriented environment with opportunities to grow
• Meaningful problems to solve across an operationally complex business

If your experience aligns well with the job requirements and you are interested in the opportunity, please apply and send your resume in an email to Emma at emmaspagnola@harnham.com. Thank you in advance!