GENERAL PURPOSE

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Engineer II – Artificial Intelligence (AI) to join our Enterprise Architecture and Artificial Intelligence team. This role is responsible for the hands-on design, development, and delivery of intelligent digital assistants, AI agents, and agentic solutions leveraging the Microsoft AI ecosystem, including Azure AI Foundry, Azure services, Copilot Studio, and the Power Platform, alongside pro-code development using Python and other programming languages.

The AI Engineer II will contribute across the full software development lifecycle (SDLC), encompassing prototyping, development, testing, deployment, and ongoing operational support. The primary objective of this role is to deliver scalable, AI-driven solutions that enhance productivity, improve customer experience, and drive operational efficiencies within a retail environment. The position will involve participation in a diverse range of AI initiatives, including generative AI applications, autonomous agents, computer vision solutions, and intelligent process automation.

This role requires close collaboration with enterprise architects, data engineers, business analysts, and external technology partners to translate architectural designs and business requirements into robust, production-grade solutions. A strong understanding of integration platforms, APIs, AI gateways, the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and modern AI frameworks is essential to ensure solutions are scalable, well-integrated, secure, and aligned with enterprise standards.

The ideal candidate is a proactive and results-oriented professional who thrives in a dynamic and rapidly evolving technology landscape. They should demonstrate proficiency in both low-code and pro-code development environments and possess a strong commitment to continuous learning, with the ability to effectively apply emerging AI technologies to address complex, real-world challenges in the retail domain.

The base salary range for this role is $114,300 – $195,000. The base salary range is dependent on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, qualifications, relevant education, certifications, seniority, and location. The range listed is just one component of the total compensation package for employees. Other rewards vary by position and location.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

•    Develop and Deliver AI Assistants and Agent-Based Solutions
o    Design, build, test, and deploy intelligent digital assistants and AI agents using Microsoft Copilot Studio, Azure AI Foundry, Azure AI Search, and other Azure services.
o    Implement agentic workflows and multi-agent orchestration patterns using both low-code platforms (Copilot Studio, Power Platform) and pro-code approaches (Python, SDKs, APIs).
o    Develop and maintain retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, including data ingestion, vector indexing, prompt engineering, and grounded responses leveraging enterprise data sources.
•    Participate in the Full Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
o    Contribute to all phases of solution delivery, including requirements analysis, solution design, development, testing, deployment, and post-production support.
o    Write clean, well-documented, and maintainable code in accordance with engineering best practices and enterprise standards.
o    Support CI/CD pipelines and implement LLMOps practices for effective management of models, prompts, and agent lifecycles.
•    Integrate AI Solutions with Enterprise Systems and Platforms
o    Develop and consume APIs, connectors, and integration workflows to connect AI solutions with enterprise data sources (e.g., SQL databases, file systems, SaaS platforms) and business applications.
o    Work with enterprise integration platforms (e.g., MuleSoft, Azure API Management, Azure Integration Services) and Microsoft Graph connectors to enable seamless and secure data access.
o    Leverage AI gateways, the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and emerging interoperability frameworks to enable secure, governed, and extensible communication between agents and enterprise systems.
•    Contribute to Broader AI Initiatives
o    Collaborate with third-party partners to design and deploy video analytics and computer vision solutions (e.g., in-store customer experience, safety monitoring, and compliance use cases).
o    Support the development and operationalization of additional AI/ML use cases such as demand forecasting, personalization, and intelligent process automation.
•    Support AI Governance, Security, and Responsible AI Practices
o    Implement responsible AI controls, including guardrails, content filtering, and security measures, in alignment with enterprise architecture and AI Center of Excellence (CoE) guidelines.
o    Ensure compliance with data privacy, security standards, and applicable regulatory requirements.
o    Contributes to the development and documentation of reusable AI patterns, frameworks, and reference architectures.
•    Collaborate and Communicate Across Teams
o    Partner with solution architects, data engineers, product managers, and business stakeholders to translate requirements into high-impact AI solutions.
o    Provide technical input for estimation, planning, and delivery of project milestones.
o    Participate in architecture reviews and contribute to the continuous improvement of AI engineering standards and practices.
•    Drive Continuous Learning and AI Innovation
o    Stay current with emerging AI tools, frameworks, models, and industry trends, particularly within the retail domain.
o    Promote knowledge sharing through technical demos, workshops, and documentation to strengthen AI capabilities across the organization.

COMPETENCIES

QUALIFICATIONS & SPECIAL SKILLS REQUIRED

•    Minimum of 7 years of experience in software engineering, AI/ML development, or a related technical field.
•    Hands-on experience designing, building, and deploying AI/ML or intelligent automation solutions in production or near-production environments.
•    Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Azure AI services, including Azure AI Foundry, Azure OpenAI, and Azure AI Search.
•    Hands-on experience with Microsoft Copilot Studio and/or the Power Platform (Power Automate, Power Apps) for low-code AI solution development.
•    Solid understanding of generative AI concepts, including retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), prompt engineering, vector databases, and orchestration patterns.
•    Experience developing and integrating APIs and REST services, along with familiarity with enterprise integration platforms such as MuleSoft, Azure API Management, and Microsoft Graph connectors.
•    Strong proficiency in Python, with demonstrated experience leveraging Generative AI libraries and modules (ex - LangChain, Semantic Kernel, OpenAI/Azure OpenAI SDKs), and vector database integrations to build and integrate LLM-powered solutions.
•    Working knowledge of AI gateways, the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and emerging standards for agent interoperability and tool orchestration.
•    Strong understanding of software development lifecycle (SDLC) methodologies, including Agile/Scrum practices.
•    Experience with CI/CD pipelines, version control systems (e.g., Git), and modern DevOps practices.
•    Understanding of AI security, data privacy, responsible AI principles, and regulatory compliance requirements.
•    Understanding of AI FinOps concepts to be able to develop cost efficient AI solutions
•    Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to navigate ambiguity and complex challenges.
•    Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to effectively engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications:
•    Microsoft certifications such as Azure AI Engineer Associate, Power Platform Developer Associate, or Azure Developer Associate.
•    Experience with computer vision technologies (e.g., Azure AI Vision, Azure AI Video Indexer, OpenCV).
•    Familiarity with agentic AI frameworks and multi-agent orchestration tools (e.g., AutoGen, Semantic Kernel agents).
•    Exposure to LLMOps tooling and best practices for managing model, prompt, and agent lifecycles in production environments.
•    Experience working in a retail technology environment, particularly in areas such as store operations, customer experience, supply chain, or merchandising.
•    Understanding of AI FinOps principles, including cost drivers associated with AI services and strategies for optimizing usage and spend.

EDUCATION / CERTIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

N/A

DISCLAIMER:

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position.  It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities.  Contents are subject to change at management’s discretion.

Ross is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. We believe that it is an essential part of the Company’s overall commitment to attract, hire and develop a strong, talented and diverse workforce. Ross is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.