What are the responsibilities and job description for the Lead AI Engineer position at Vaco by Highspring?
Lead AI Engineer
Overview:
We are seeking a Lead AI Engineer to architect and implement advanced AI solutions that transform business operations and customer experiences. This role combines technical leadership with hands-on development, guiding the roadmap, building prototypes, and deploying production-grade AI applications. The ideal candidate will have strong engineering expertise, a product-focused mindset, and the ability to mentor teams in AI best practices.
Key Responsibilities:
- Define priorities and deliver early wins for a newly established AI-focused team.
- Develop AI-driven features across web, mobile, and enterprise platforms.
- Design and deploy LLM-powered applications, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines, and scalable APIs.
- Integrate AI capabilities into client-facing and internal systems in collaboration with product engineering teams.
- Act as a technical liaison between data engineering, software development, and product management.
- Establish AI governance, ethics, and transparency standards in partnership with security and compliance teams.
- Mentor engineers and foster AI fluency across the technology organization.
- Serve as the organization's AI subject matter expert and advisor to business leaders.
Qualifications:
- 5 years in software engineering or AI product development (experience in financial services or fintech is a plus).
- Proven track record delivering production-grade AI projects.
- Hands-on experience with:
- Generative AI / LLM solutions (e.g., GPT, Claude, Llama).
- Frameworks such as LangChain, Hugging Face, LlamaIndex.
- RAG architectures and vector database integration.
- Strong proficiency in:
- AWS services (Bedrock, Lambda, S3, etc.).
- Full-stack development (React, Node.js, Python, or similar).
- SQL / NoSQL data platforms.
- RESTful API design and development.
- Familiarity with conversational UX, generative AI design principles, MLOps, and CI/CD pipelines.
- Understanding of responsible AI principles.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical outcomes into business value.
- Entrepreneurial mindset and ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
- BS in Computer Science or related field.
Work Location:
Hybrid role requiring on-site presence 3 days per week at the designated office.
Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.
Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@vaco.com .
Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.
By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.
- California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
- Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
- Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
- Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
- Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here.
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:
- the individual's skill sets, experience and training;
- licensure and certification requirements;
- office location and other geographic considerations;
- other business and organizational needs.
With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.