Lead AI Engineer

Lead AI Engineer

Chicago, Illinois, USA

We are looking for a passionate and skilled AI engineer to lead the AI engineering practice at a team or program level. In this role, you will guide the design and delivery of generative AI solutions, shape the technical roadmap for your team(s), and ensure high standards of engineering excellence. You will provide technical leadership to a small group of engineers, collaborate with product and business partners, and act as a trusted technical consultant for stakeholders.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead a cross-functional team of software engineers, data scientists and other specialists delivering GenAI solutions.
• Guide the design and delivery of AI-powered systems that are scalable, reliable and production-ready.
• Set direction for technical decisions, ensuring AI solutions are optimized for performance, cost and maintainability.
• Collaborate closely with product managers, designers and stakeholders to align technical solutions with business goals.
• Establish and promote best practices in AI engineering, covering testing, guardrails, responsible AI, monitoring and documentation, while uplifting the team by sharing knowledge, tools and practices that enable both SMEs and generalists to contribute effectively.
• Provide architectural guidance, balancing experimentation with delivery in short, safe cycles.
• Review designs and code across the team, ensuring quality and consistency in AI-enabled features.
• Set direction for GenAI application optimization to improve accuracy, performance, cost and know when model tuning is required.

Job Qualifications

Technical Skills

• Strong expertise in Python and modern software engineering practices, including CI/CD, testing, version control and system reliability.
• Proven ability to design and integrate end-to-end AI systems, ensuring scalability, maintainability and performance.
• Deep experience with GenAI and agentic frameworks, guiding teams in their effective use.
• Expertise in building and scaling RAG pipelines and integrating vector databases into production systems.
• Experience deploying AI solutions on major cloud platforms, using containers and CI/CD pipelines for reproducibility.
• Skilled in LLMOps practices and monitoring production systems with observability tools.
• Experience with fine-tuning, model adaptation and advanced use of ML/NLP frameworks.

Professional Skills

• Ability to articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences and influence senior decision-makers.
• Proven ability to inspire, mentor and develop high-performing engineering teams, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.
• Demonstrates the ability to anticipate technological trends and proactively shape the technical direction of the team.
• Skilled in navigating complex internal and external dynamics, driving consensus and achieving technical and business goals.

Other Things To Know

Learning & Development

There is no one-size-fits-all career path at Thoughtworks: however you want to develop your career is entirely up to you. But we also balance autonomy with the strength of our cultivation culture. This means your career is supported by interactive tools, numerous development programs and teammates who want to help you grow. We see value in helping each other be our best and that extends to empowering our employees in their career journeys.

Responsible Use of AI in Recruitment

At Thoughtworks, we use AI tools to support our recruitment team with administrative tasks such as drafting communications, scheduling interviews and writing job descriptions. Crucially, our AI tools do not screen, assess, rank or make hiring decisions. Every application is reviewed by our team and all selection decisions are made exclusively by our interviewers and hiring managers. We are committed to fairness and responsible AI. We actively manage our AI systems by testing, monitoring for biased outcomes and implementing mitigation measures. We hold our third-party vendors to these same high standards through a rigorous governance process. For additional information, please see our full Thoughtworks AI Policy for Recruitment.

EEO

Thoughtworks is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind and are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, stermination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Thoughtworks is also an affirmative action employer of veterans and individuals with disabilities. For additional information, please see the Thoughtworks, Inc. Equal Employment Opportunity & Affirmative Action Policy Statement.

US - Work Authorization

Applicants for employment in the US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment in the United States.

Accommodations

Thoughtworks is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, or observances, in accordance with applicable law. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, participate in interviews, or otherwise engage in the hiring process, you may request an accommodation by completing this form or speaking with your recruiter. Requests may be made at any stage of the application or interview process. Once a request is received, Thoughtworks will engage in an interactive process with the applicant to determine an appropriate accommodation. Applicants are not required to disclose medical diagnoses or detailed personal information in order to request an accommodation. All accommodation requests will be handled in a timely, confidential, and respectful manner, consistent with applicable legal requirements. Requesting an accommodation will not negatively affect your consideration for employment. Company prohibits retaliation against any applicant for requesting an accommodation or participating in the accommodation process. Accommodations made during the recruitment process are not a guarantee of future or continued accommodations once hired. If you are hired by Thoughtworks, and require an accommodation to perform the essential functions of your role, you may be asked to engage in our reasonable accommodation process.

Cancellations

As a technology consultancy, the projects we undertake are subject to change based on client needs and agreements. While we strive for consistency, please be aware that project scope or availability may shift, or projects may even be cancelled, during the recruitment and selection process, which is often outside of our direct control. Should the project related to this vacancy be significantly altered or cancelled, all impacted candidates will be promptly and duly informed of the change

About Thoughtworks

Thoughtworks is a dynamic and inclusive community of bright and supportive colleagues who are revolutionizing tech. As a leading technology consultancy, we're pushing boundaries through our purposeful and impactful work. For 30+ years, we've delivered extraordinary impact together with our clients by helping them solve complex business problems with technology as the differentiator. Bring your brilliant expertise and commitment for continuous learning to Thoughtworks. Together, let's be extraordinary.

Salary Benefits: The annual salary range posted is subject to many factors and may vary depending on experience, geographic location, job responsibilities, performance, skills and/or training.

Salary

$198,000 - $261,000 USD

See here our AI policy.