Applied AI Engineer

Job Description Applied AI Engineer Location: Cincinnati, OH (On-site, Remote) Demographics Job Description Summary The Applied AI Engineer is a hands-on builder who designs, prototypes, and operationalizes AI and analytics solutions to automate work, sharpen decision-making, and improve performance. This role works directly with operational leaders, building end-to-end proofs of concept, and partners with data engineering to scale solutions for production. Responsibilities • AI Solution Development: Design, build, and iterate on AI/ML solutions (forecasting, classification, anomaly detection, NLP, gen AI/LLM workflows) to solve operational problems. • Rapid Prototyping & Proof of Concept: Independently build end-to-end POCs, including data, modeling, and lightweight infrastructure. • Path to Production: Partner with data engineering to harden, scale, and operationalize solutions. • Evaluation & Measurement: Define success metrics, design evaluations, and build feedback loops for drift and regression detection. • Operational Analytics & Insight: Analyze operational data to identify AI/automation opportunities and actionable insights. • Embedded Business Partnership: Work with leadership and frontline operators to translate problems into AI solutions. • Data Preparation & Feature Engineering: Prepare datasets and engineer features, including retrieval strategies for LLM systems. • Building on Databricks: Develop solutions within Databricks Lakehouse, applying software engineering practices. • Adoption, Change & Continuous Improvement: Pilot, refine, and drive adoption of AI tools with user feedback. • Responsible AI Practice: Address model limitations, bias, privacy, and human-in-the-loop design. Basic Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in Analytics, Data Science, Computer Science, or related field • 4-7 years of experience in analytics, data science, or AI/ML engineering (2+ years deploying ML/AI solutions) • Strong proficiency in Python and SQL • Hands-on experience building applied AI/ML solutions (predictive models, NLP, LLM-based applications) • Ability to build end-to-end POCs independently • Experience partnering with data engineering for production deployment • Experience with large datasets on Databricks • Ability to translate operational problems into analytical/AI approaches • Strong communication skills with non-technical stakeholders Preferred Qualifications • Production experience with generative AI, LLM APIs (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic), RAG systems, or agentic workflows • Familiarity with MLOps (MLflow, model registries, CI/CD for ML, monitoring/observability) • Experience designing AI evaluation frameworks (offline benchmarks, online experimentation) • Experience in operational, services, or asset-heavy environments • Exposure to predictive modeling, time series analysis, or NLP • Familiarity with Databricks Lakehouse • Track record of driving AI tool adoption in business operations • Ability to work independently and manage multiple concurrent initiatives Compensation $85,000.00 - $100,000.00 Geographic Reference Benefits Eligible employees may enroll in health, vision, dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance, and paid/unpaid time off. Equal Opportunity C&W Services is an Equal Opportunity employer. Accommodations available under the ADAAA by calling 1-888-365-5406 or emailing Accommodations@cushwake.com.