AI Engineer (Hybrid)

Description:

Position Title: Machine Learning AI Engineer

Reports To: IT Director

Department: Information Technology

FLSA: Non-Exempt

Location: Belleville, MI

Job Summary:

We’re seeking an AI/ML Engineer to design, develop, and implement AI solutions that power internal tools and processes. You will build production-grade generative AI and machine learning systems leveraging Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI APIs, Open WebUI, Python, and Azure services. This role partners closely with IT, and business stakeholders to deliver secure, scalable, and high-impact AI features.

Responsibilities:

• Design and implement AI/ML solutions for internal workflows, knowledge management, analytics, and automation.
• Build LLM-powered applications using OpenAI API and/or Azure OpenAI (GPT-4 family and embeddings).
• Configure and extend Microsoft Copilot (M365/Copilot Studio) with custom plugins, connectors, and knowledge sources.
• Deploy and customize Open WebUI for internal users; integrate with enterprise auth, Azure services, and model backends.
• Implement retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) with vector search (e.g., Azure AI Search) over internal data (SharePoint, Teams, wikis, ticketing).
• Develop Python services, APIs, and pipelines for data ingestion, preprocessing, feature engineering, and inference.
• Operationalize models on Azure (Azure ML, Functions, App Service, AKS) with CI/CD, observability, and cost controls.
• Evaluate models with offline metrics and human-in-the-loop reviews; run A/B tests and prompt/model experiments.
• Apply responsible AI practices (data privacy, security, RBAC, PII handling, auditability).
• Document architectures, decisions, and runbooks; enable and train internal users.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Compensation will be commensurate with experience.
• Medical benefits package that includes medical & prescription coverage, dental, and vision plans for employees and their qualifying family members (eligible after 90 days employment).
• Group term life insurance, long-term disability, and flexible spending accounts offered to eligible employees.
• Retirement benefits including a 401(k) plan with up to 4% employer match (eligible after 6 months of employment).
• Additional voluntary benefits (Accident, Critical Illness, Short-Term Disability, HFSA and DCA, Life and AD&D) offered to eligible employees.
• Employee Assistance Program including counseling, coaching and financial resources.

Requirements:

Qualifications:

• 3+ years building ML or data-driven applications; 2+ years hands-on with LLMs.
• Strong Python skills (pandas, FastAPI/Flask, testing, packaging).
• Practical experience with OpenAI API and/or Azure OpenAI (chat/completions, embeddings, function calling, rate limits).
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Copilot ecosystem: Copilot Studio, M365 data connections, Graph/Power Platform connectors.
• Hands-on with Open WebUI (installation, configuration, model routing, RAG chains, role-based access).
• Azure proficiency: Azure ML or Databricks on Azure, Azure AI Search (including vector index), Key Vault, Storage, DevOps/GitHub Actions.
• Experience building RAG systems: chunking, embeddings, retrieval, prompt engineering, guardrails.
• Production MLOps: containers (Docker), APIs, monitoring, logging, alerting, performance/cost optimization.
• Strong communication, stakeholder collaboration, and documentation skills.

Preferred:

• Experience integrating enterprise systems: SharePoint/OneDrive, Teams, ServiceNow, Jira, Salesforce, Confluence.
• Knowledge of LangChain, Semantic Kernel, or similar orchestration frameworks.
• Familiarity with open-source LLMs (Llama, Mistral), inference stacks (vLLM, TGI, Ollama), and lightweight fine-tuning (LoRA/QLoRA).
• Vector databases (Azure AI Search vector).
• Security/compliance: data governance, DLP, encryption.
• Front-end basics for internal tools (React or simple UI frameworks) a plus.

Education:

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or practical experience