AI Agents/Solutions Python Developer

About Apgar

APGAR is a leading provider of Data and AI services and solutions. We design, develop, and deliver cutting-edge Data, AI, and advanced optimization solutions to companies across multiple industries. We are seeking a motivated Python developer to join our AI team in Oporto and become part of a global team delivering innovative AI-powered solutions across Europe, South America, and Middle East.

Job Overview

You will play a key role in designing, developing, and maintaining Python based Agentic AI systems and other AI solutions, including Retrieval-Augmented Generation, Machine Learning, and Optimization. The role will focus on building reliable and scalable Python services, APIs, data processing components, and integration layers that connect LLMs, RAG systems, ML models, optimization engines, enterprise data sources, tools, workflows, and user-facing applications.

You will work alongside other Apgar AI experts based in Portugal and other countries, contributing to the development of AI agents, enterprise copilots, and vertical AI solutions for industrial and enterprise use cases.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and maintain high‑quality Python code supporting Agentic AI, RAG, Machine Learning, Optimization, and data‑driven enterprise and industrial applications.
• Build reliable and scalable Python services and APIs that connect LLMs, RAG pipelines, ML models, optimization engines, enterprise data sources, and user‑facing applications.
• Implement Python components for industrial and manufacturing use cases, including predictive quality, production planning, scheduling, process optimization, anomaly detection, and decision support.
• Develop and maintain data ingestion and processing pipelines for structured, semi‑structured, and unstructured data from databases, data lakes, file systems, and enterprise content platforms.
• Support the implementation of RAG pipelines, covering document ingestion, metadata handling, embeddings, semantic search, retrieval, grounding, and source traceability in production settings.
• Contribute to AI agents and enterprise copilots by implementing tools, workflows, integrations, and guardrails that ensure safe, reliable, and well‑grounded behavior.
• Integrate Python applications with relational databases, vector databases, data platforms, and cloud services, ensuring performance, scalability, and maintainability.
• Contribute to CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, quality gates, deployments, and release processes to ensure robust and repeatable delivery of AI solutions.
• Apply secure development practices, including authentication, authorization, permission management, and secure API usage across enterprise and cloud environments.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams and use AI code assistants responsibly to accelerate delivery while validating outputs, maintaining code quality, and ensuring long‑term maintainability.

Required Experience (Must Have)

• 3+ years of proven professional experience developing production‑grade software in Python, with 6+ months using AI code assistants and code agents.
• Strong Python skills, with experience writing clean, modular, maintainable, and well‑tested code.
• Experience building APIs and services using modern Python frameworks such as FastAPI or equivalent.
• Experience working with relational databases such as PostgreSQL, SQL Server, MySQL, or equivalent systems.
• Experience with data ingestion, document processing, or structured and unstructured data workflows.
• Experience integrating Python applications with enterprise data sources, APIs, file systems, content repositories such SharePoint.
• Basic to good knowledge of RAG concepts, including embeddings, semantic search, retrieval, grounding, and traceability.
• Practical experience contributing to CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, containerization, and deployment workflows.
• Hands‑on experience with cloud platforms such as Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud.

Required Education:

• University degree in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, or a related field is highly recommended.
• Proficiency in English, both written and spoken.

Valuable Experience

• Experience developing Python solutions for Machine Learning, analytics, optimization, or decision‑support systems in production environments.
• Familiarity with Machine Learning workflows, including model serving, prediction APIs, feature processing, and integration into production systems.
• Experience integrating with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, including Microsoft Graph API, SharePoint document libraries, metadata, permissions, and enterprise content access patterns.
• Experience with Azure AI Search, Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Foundry, or equivalent AI and search services in enterprise environments.
• Experience with vector databases or vector search technologies such as pgvector, Qdrant, Milvus, Weaviate, Pinecone, or equivalent platforms.
• Basic to good knowledge of RAG concepts, including embeddings, semantic search, retrieval, grounding, and traceability.
• Experience applying observability practices, including structured logging, monitoring, tracing, and troubleshooting AI‑enabled production services.
• Awareness of AI and enterprise governance topics such as hallucination risks, content quality, traceability, GDPR, ISO 27001, or secure AI delivery practices.

How we measure the performance (6-12 months)

• Production‑Grade Python Delivery
• Deliver at least 6 production‑ready Python components (services, APIs, or pipelines) supporting AI agents, RAG, or optimization use cases, each with ≥95% automated test pass rate and zero severity‑1 production defects within 12 months.
• Code Quality and Maintainability
• Achieve ≥90% pull‑request approval on first review, comply with internal coding standards, and maintain average test coverage ≥75% across owned repositories throughout the evaluation period.
• RAG / Agentic AI Implementations
• Implement or materially contribute to at least 2 RAG pipelines or AI agents deployed in production or client‑facing environments, including ingestion, retrieval, grounding, and traceability, within 9–12 months.
• Reliability and Performance of AI Services
• Ensure AI services owned achieve ≥99% uptime, meet agreed latency and throughput SLAs, and require no more than one production rollback per quarter over 12 months.
• Collaboration and Delivery Effectiveness
• Maintain ≥90% attendance in relevant agile ceremonies and receive average feedback ≥4/5 from peers or project leads on collaboration, clarity, and ownership during biannual reviews.

What We Offer

• Be part of a forward‑thinking, global team delivering AI agents and advanced AI solutions for enterprise clients across multiple industries and geographies.
• Opportunity to design and build production‑grade AI Agents, Machine Learning, and data‑driven decision‑support systems.
• Hands‑on exposure to real industrial AI use cases such as enterprise copilots, industrial AI, and operational intelligence.
• Close collaboration with experienced data engineering, AI, optimization, and product teams working on complex, high‑impact AI systems.
• A strong engineering culture with emphasis on code quality, agile development, scalable architecture, and responsible use of AI code assistants.
• Continuous learning and growth opportunities across agentic AI systems, cloud platforms, enterprise integrations, knowledge managent, and secure AI delivery practices.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package within a collaborative, international, and innovation‑driven environment.
• Hybrid model with flexibility, including remote working weeks.
• Competitive package and Great Place to Work culture.

We firmly believe in an ethical approach to recruitment, where every candidate is treated with consideration, fairness, and transparency throughout the selection process, with the aim of respecting diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities.