Lead AI Engineer

We are seeking a Lead AI Engineer to design and develop comprehensive AI applications, including chatbots and agent workflows.

You will work closely with clients to deliver tailored LLM-driven solutions that align with their business needs. Your role involves creating and managing data pipelines, refining AI system performance and staying informed on the latest LLM technologies and frameworks. Join us to advance your career by solving complex AI challenges and delivering impactful solutions.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain end-to-end AI applications, including chatbots, Q&A platforms and agent workflows
• Collaborate directly with clients to understand their needs, identify opportunities and recommend LLM-driven solutions
• Develop and manage robust data pipelines, prompt strategies and datasets to ensure effective and accurate AI models (Will be +)
• Evaluate and refine AI system performance, ensuring outputs are accurate, secure, scalable and compliant with industry regulations (Will be +)
• Conduct research and rapid prototyping to validate technical feasibility and demonstrate business value of AI solutions
• Stay current with evolving LLM technologies, frameworks and methodologies to continuously improve solutions and client outcomes

Requirements

• Strong proficiency in Python, experience with web frameworks like FastAPI or similar
• Understanding of the AI application development lifecycle
• Experience with rapid UI prototyping using Streamlit, Gradio or similar frameworks
• Familiarity with major LLM platforms and APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Amazon Bedrock, Gemini) and related frameworks (LangGraph, LlamaIndex, Strands Agents, etc.)
• Knowledge of advanced AI integration patterns (e.g., RAG, Agents)
• Experience deploying AI solutions at scale, with considerations for performance, cost-efficiency and maintainability
• Proven ability to evaluate generative AI quality using metrics such as retrieval and classification scores, as well as LLM-based evaluation methods
• Proven experience in AI engineering and delivering ML-based solutions
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Excellent communication, collaboration and interpersonal skills
• English level of minimum B2 (Upper-Intermediate)

Nice to have

• Experience designing experiments, conducting A/B tests, and iterating on models based on user feedback
• Understanding of retrieval systems (keyword search, vector search, embeddings) and ranking algorithms
• Familiarity with emerging protocols such as MCP, A2A, ACP, etc.
• Experience deploying to cloud AI platforms (Azure OpenAI, Amazon Bedrock, GCP Vertex AI) or on-premise solutions (e.g., vLLM)
• Experience with enterprise AI platforms such as AWS AgentCore or Databricks AgentBricks or Google Agents Space or Azure AI Foundry
• Experience with observability and monitoring tools and frameworks

We offer

• Diverse multicultural, multi-functional, and multilingual work environment
• Global scope, international projects in different business domains: life sciences and healthcare, retail, and distribution, software and hi-tech, etc.
• Outstanding career development opportunities with a transparent career path and a roadmap to accelerate your journey
• Great learning and development opportunities, including in-house professional training, career advisory and coaching, sponsored professional certifications
• Knowledge-sharing with colleagues from EPAM's global tech communities
• 25 days holiday per annum
• 5 days of sick leave without medical certification
• Private health insurance for employees and discount for private health insurance for family members
• Discount for Fit Pass program
• Comfortable modern offices in Belgrade and Novi Sad or remote work from any location in Serbia
• Regular corporate, social and wellbeing events (parties, sport events, advanced CSR programs etc.)

The remote option applies only to the Candidates who will be working from any location in Serbia.

EPAM is a leading global provider of digital platform engineering and development services. We are committed to having a positive impact on our customers, our employees, and our communities. We embrace a dynamic and inclusive culture. Here you will collaborate with multi-national teams, contribute to a myriad of innovative projects that deliver the most creative and cutting-edge solutions, and have an opportunity to continuously learn and grow. No matter where you are located, you will join a dedicated, creative, diverse community to help you discover your fullest potential.

No less important is our applicants' safety, well-being, and experience. Therefore, until further notice, all EPAM employment interviews will be conducted remotely. Our recruitment professionals and hiring managers are standing by to ensure a robust and engaging virtual candidate experience. We look forward to speaking with you!

Thank you for your interest in this position. Please note that only candidates whose experience closely matches the job requirements will be contacted. If you do not receive an email from us, please do not be discouraged—feel free to apply for other positions that better align with your experience. If you have any questions, you can reach us at [email protected]