Research Engineer

Department: Research Informatics ----- Research Informatics – AI Position Title: Agentic AI Engineer - Research Administration Job Family Group: Professional Staff Job Description Summary: The Agentic AI Engineer will help design, build, and evaluate AI agents and large language model (LLM)-powered systems that automate multi-step workflows, retrieve and reason over clinical and research data, and support investigators across the institution. The Agentic AI Engineer will work closely with faculty, data scientists, and clinical collaborators, and contribute directly to research that advances patient care and scientific discovery. Job Description: Job Responsibilities Design, develop, and test AI agents and LLM-based pipelines that automate multi-step research and clinical-support tasks. Implement retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and tool-use workflows to ground AI systems in institutional data and literature. Integrate AI components with internal data sources, APIs, and research applications under appropriate data-governance controls. Evaluate model and agent performance for accuracy, reliability, safety, and bias; document results and iterate based on findings. Collaborate with investigators to translate research questions into technical requirements and prototypes. Write clean, well-documented, reproducible code and maintain version-controlled repositories. Contribute to technical documentation, internal demos, and occasional grant or publication deliverables. Stay current with developments in agentic AI frameworks and apply relevant advances responsibly. Conduct activities in a professional and ethical manner, and in accordance with KUMC Policies and applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations. Perform job responsibilities in a safe and secure manner. Coordinate work with other University areas ensure integration and support of the University mission. Develop, maintain and expand job-specific knowledge and skills to keep pace with industry changes and supports the university's commitment to excellence and innovation. Participate in relevant committees, task force, or other similar activities. Maintain confidentiality of medical center, employee, and patient information. Manage sensitive data with discretion and in accordance with KUMC policies and legal requirements. Maintains the highest standards of integrity, respect, professional conduct, and ethical standards. This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. It is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, duties, and assignments. Furthermore, job duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Required Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, engineering, or a related field. This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector, ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices, enhances collaboration with external partners, and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations. Work Experience: 8 years of experience that requires proficiency in Python and familiarity with modern software-development practices (Git, testing, code review). Education may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis. Experience in a position that requires an understanding of machine learning and large language models, including prompting and basic evaluation. Exposure to at least one agentic or LLM framework (e.g., LangChain, LlamaIndex, the OpenAI or Anthropic SDKs, or similar) through coursework, internships, or personal projects. Preferred Qualifications Certifications/Licenses: Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Work Experience: Experience building RAG systems, tool-using agents, or workflow automation with LLMs. Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and containerization (Docker). Interest in or exposure to healthcare, biomedical, or clinical-research data. Awareness of data privacy and security considerations, including HIPAA, in research or healthcare contexts. Contributions to open-source projects, research, or a portfolio demonstrating applied AI work. Skills Communication Collaboration Problem-solving Required Documents Resume Cover Letter Comprehensive Benefits Package Coverage begins on day one for health, dental, and vision insurance and includes health expense accounts with generous employer contributions if the employee participates in a qualifying health plan. Employer-paid life insurance, long-term disability insurance, and various additional voluntary insurance plans are available. Paid time off, including vacation and sick, begins accruing upon hire, plus ten paid holidays. One paid discretionary day is available after six months of employment, and paid time off for bereavement, jury duty, military service, and parental leave is available after 12 months of employment. A retirement program with a generous employer contribution and additional voluntary retirement programs (457 or 403b) are available. Employee Type: Regular Time Type: Full time Rate Type: Salary Compensation Statement The pay range listed for this position is determined by our compensation program using market data and salary benchmarking. A combination of factors is considered in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, education, experience and training, qualifications relative to the requirements of the position, and funding. At the University of Kansas Medical Center, a reasonable estimate for the starting pay range will be the minimum to midpoint of the posted range, taking into account the combination of factors listed above. Pay Range: $103,014.00 - $164,822.00 Minimum $103,014.00 Midpoint $133,920.00 Maximum $164,822.00 The mission of the University of Kansas Medical Center is to improve lives and communities in Kansas and beyond through innovation in education, research, and health care. Equal Opportunity / Affidavit All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, age, protected veteran or disability status, marital status, parental status, or genetic information. Under Kansas state law, certain KUMC positions are subject to disability preference. For positions subject to this requirement, KUMC will offer an interview to a person who has applied for an open position who is qualified, with or without reasonable accommodation, to meet the performance standards of the position and who has presented acceptable proof of disability. If the position you apply for is subject to the disability preference requirement, you will be asked to provide information in support of your request for disability preference when you complete the application for employment. #J-18808-Ljbffr