Principal Engineer - Conversational AI

Role: Principal Engineer – Conversational AI Location: Hartford, CT or Wellesley, MA (Hybrid Work Model) Compensation: $60.00/hr on W2 Max Fulltime ; W2 candidate only . Duration: 6 Months Position Overview Seeking an enterprise‑grade Principal Software Engineer with 10+ years of experience to define the technical vision, architecture, and engineering standards for large‑scale Conversational AI ecosystems. This strategic, hands‑on role involves owning critical software components, leading design and code reviews, and optimizing contact center tech stacks—specifically supporting the Aetna contact center (YAVA) application framework. Key Responsibilities Technical Vision & Architecture: Establish the near‑term execution blueprint and long‑term technical vision for conversational AI setups, ensuring optimal system scalability, performance, and distributed architecture. Core Software Engineering: Oversee the creation of and maintain hands‑on ownership over, mission‑critical software components, microservices, and API layers using modern programming languages. Conversational AI & NLU Integration: Architect and refine intelligent conversational interfaces, integrating Large Language Models (LLMs), Voice Assistants, Speech‑to‑Text (STT)/Text‑to‑Speech (TTS) modules, and advanced Natural Language Understanding (NLU/NLP) engines. Contact Center System Support: Drive engineering enhancements, maintenance routines, and technical excellence specifically for the Aetna contact center (YAVA) application platform. Operational Governance: Lead hands‑on code reviews, drive deployment mechanics within production environments, and guarantee continuous operational stability for large‑scale applications. Stakeholder Collaboration: Partner with cross‑functional business squads and product leadership to translate complex requirements into technical designs in a fast‑paced Agile landscape. Mentorship & Leadership: Advise executive leadership on critical technical milestones while driving the career growth of junior developers and engineering teams through advanced technical mentorship. Required Skillset Experience: 10+ years of professional software engineering experience designing, constructing, and optimizing cloud‑native solutions. Microservices & API Infrastructure: 10+ years of deep engineering depth configuring RESTful APIs, distributed microservices patterns, and enterprise software models. Conversational AI Expertise: Strong technical comprehension of cognitive AI technologies, chatbots, automated voice assistants, LLMs, and NLU platforms. Domain Context: Direct hands‑on exposure or deep technical familiarity working with the Aetna contact center (YAVA) application structure. Requirements Management: 5+ years of direct experience soliciting complex systems requirements and managing high‑level stakeholder relationships. #J-18808-Ljbffr Ascii Group, LLC