AI & Automation Engineer

AI & Automation Engineer

Western Welding Academy is on a mission to build a better generation of blue-collar craftsmen. We train skilled welders through work ethic, accountability, and integrity, and we focus on student outcomes above everything else.

We are a growing school with more good ideas than time to build them. We need a strong engineer to design, build, and own the AI systems and tools that run our business. You'll write real code, connect our systems, and ship apps and AI agents our team uses every day. You'll also take in project requests from across the company, decide what matters most, and see each project through to launch.

Important Eligibility Requirement Applicants must already be legally authorized to work in the United States. Western Welding Academy does not sponsor work visas or offer employment-based immigration support.

Why Join Western Welding Academy? You'll see your work make a real difference, fast. There's no red tape and no waiting months for approval. You'll work directly with leadership, own the technical direction for AI across the company, and every hour you save our team goes back into helping students succeed.

What's In It for You

• Free medical option. Our Cigna HDHP is fully company-paid for you and your family. That's $0 out of your paycheck.
• Money toward your health costs. Choose the HDHP and we add $1,000 a year to your Health Savings Account.
• Company-paid life insurance. $75,000 in coverage at no cost to you.
• 401(k) with a match. We match up to 3.5% of your pay.
• Dental and vision through Principal at a low monthly cost.
• Generous PTO from your very first day.
• Nine paid holidays, including Good Friday, Black Friday, and Christmas Eve.
• A mission that matters. Your work helps put people into life-changing careers.

What You'll Do

Engineer AI solutions

• Design, build, and deploy internal apps and tools using modern AI software and coding tools (such as Claude, Replit, or similar).
• Build AI agents and assistants that plug into our real business processes in admissions, marketing, housing, HR, finance, and operations.
• Integrate large language models (LLMs) into our systems using APIs, including prompt design, testing, and tuning for accuracy.
• Write clean, maintainable code in Python, JavaScript, or TypeScript.
• Set up and manage databases and data pipelines that feed our tools and reporting.

Connect our systems

• Build and maintain integrations between our CRM (HubSpot), Google Workspace, Slack, finance tools, and other platforms using APIs and webhooks.
• Use automation platforms (such as Make, Zapier, or n8n) where they are the fastest fit, and write custom code where they aren't.
• Keep our systems secure, protect student and employee data, and follow best practices for access and credentials.

Manage the project pipeline

• Own the intake process for AI and automation requests across all departments.
• Score and prioritize projects based on time saved, cost, and impact on the business.
• Set timelines, track progress, and keep leadership updated on status.
• Manage outside vendors or freelancers when a project needs extra help.

Make it stick

• Monitor, fix, and improve everything you ship so it keeps running.
• Train staff on new tools and make sure they actually get used.
• Document your systems so others can understand and support them.
• Track results and report the time saved and business impact.
• Stay current on AI tools and bring new ideas to the table.

What We're Looking For

• 4+ years of software engineering, automation, or AI development experience.
• Strong coding skills in Python, JavaScript, or TypeScript.
• Hands-on experience building with LLM APIs (Anthropic, OpenAI, or similar), including AI agents or tool integrations.
• Solid experience with REST APIs, webhooks, and connecting third-party platforms.
• Experience with databases (SQL or similar) and cloud hosting or deployment.
• Proven experience managing multiple projects at once, from intake to launch.
• A portfolio, GitHub, or examples of systems you've built and shipped. Please include this with your application.
• The ability to explain technical work in plain language to non-tech people.
• Strong follow-through. You close loops and don't let things fall through the cracks.
• Nice to have: HubSpot development, experience with Make/Zapier/n8n, project management tools (Asana, Monday, ClickUp), or experience with EOS.

Work Schedule

• Full-time, in person in Gillette, WY, or remote.
• Some flexibility for evenings or weekends when projects require it.
• Remote candidates must be available during our business hours (Mountain Time) and able to travel to Gillette on occasion.
• In-person candidates must be able to travel between Western Welding Academy properties in Gillette.

Join Our Mission If you love building systems that work, leading projects, and seeing the results right away, we'd love to talk to you. Apply today and help us build the future of welding.