AI Application Developer

AI Application Developer

The AI Application Developer participates in all phases of the application development life cycle, with a primary focus on leveraging AI-assisted development (vibe coding) as a core engineering practice. This role emphasizes using AI tools to design, generate, optimize, and maintain high-quality software solutions within the.NET ecosystem. The AI Application Developer will interact regularly with other Information Technology personnel as well as end users and must demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills. A key expectation of this role is the proactive and effective use of AI to accelerate development, improve decision-making, and enhance software quality.

Responsibilities:

• Develops and maintains applications, integrations, web services, APIs, reports, and other processes using C#,.NET, ASP.NET, and Microsoft SQL Server, with AI-assisted development as a primary approach.
• Actively leverages AI-powered development tools, such as code generation, intelligent refactoring, automated documentation, and debugging assistants, to significantly improve productivity and reduce development time.
• Integrates AI into the software development lifecycle, including AI-assisted requirements analysis and clarification, AI-supported solution design and architecture recommendations, AI-generated code scaffolding and refactoring, AI-assisted test case generation and validation, and AI-enhanced debugging and root cause analysis.
• Applies vibe coding practices by combining developer expertise with AI-generated insights to rapidly prototype, iterate, and refine solutions.
• Produces high-quality deliverables aligned with requirements, business processes, departmental standards, and best practices, while maximizing efficiency through AI utilization.
• Participates in all phases of application development including regular consultation with client users to validate understanding of requirements, creation of design specifications for application code, user interface, data flow, and system components, and execution of unit, system, integration, parallel, and performance testing using AI-assisted tools where applicable.
• Identifies opportunities to embed AI capabilities into applications, such as intelligent automation, predictive logic, natural language interfaces, or data-driven decision support.
• Continuously evaluates, adopts, and champions emerging AI tools, frameworks, and best practices to improve team performance and innovation.
• Promotes responsible and secure use of AI, including validation of AI-generated outputs, adherence to data privacy standards, and mitigation of potential risks.
• Designs new systems, features, and tools. Solves complex problems and identifies opportunities for technical improvement and performance optimization. Reviews and tests code to ensure appropriate standards are met.
• Acts as a technical consultant and resource for faculty research, teaching, and/or administrative projects.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Preferred Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree.
• Degree in computer science or related field.

Experience:

• Background developing and supporting applications.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Strong experience with C#,.NET, ASP.NET, and modern development tools, including Visual Studio and DevOps pipelines.
• Proven experience using AI-assisted development tools, such as GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, or similar platforms, to enhance coding, debugging, testing, and documentation.
• Demonstrated ability to incorporate AI into daily development workflows and decision-making processes.
• Familiar with developing, implementing, debugging, and maintaining applications in a team environment.
• Proficient with Microsoft SQL and SQL Server.

Preferred Competencies:

• Translate functional requirements into technical designs, leveraging AI to accelerate and enhance the process.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Take initiative and drive innovation through AI adoption in a collaborative environment.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines consistently.
• Strong awareness of emerging AI technologies, trends, and their practical application in software engineering.

Working Conditions:

• This position is currently expected to work a minimum three days per week in the office.

Application Documents:

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family: Information Technology

Role Impact: Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 37.5

Pay Rate Type: Salary

FLSA Status: Exempt

Pay Range: $120,000.00 - $145,000.00

Benefits Eligible: Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement: The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call View phone number on click.appcast.io or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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