Software Engineer, Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI)

ABS is seeking an exceptional Software Engineer to join our Applied Artificial IntelIigence (AI) Practice Team. In this full-time role, you will design, build, and deploy intelligent systems that move beyond research into production at scale. You will focus on architecting and evaluating multi-agent systems, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, and fine-tuned large language models delivering AI capabilities that drive measurable business impact.

Location:

This position can be based in Houston, Texas; Knoxville, Tennessee; or Washington, DC.

What You Will Do:

• Build at the frontier: Design and implement end-to-end AI systems, including multi-agent workflows, retrieval pipelines, and customized LLMs.
• Engineer full-stack solutions: Deliver web and backend applications that seamlessly integrate AI, ensuring reliability, scalability, and strong user experience.
• Raise the bar on evaluation: Develop rigorous truth sets, automated quality checks, and real-time monitoring pipelines to quantify performance and business outcomes.
• Prototype rapidly: Transform research concepts into production-grade systems through fast iteration, disciplined testing, and continuous refinement.
• Shape best practices: Contribute to internal standards for applied AI development, evaluation, and deployment at scale.

What You Will Need:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of software development experience, including 3+ years building production-grade AI systems.
• Proven track record delivering AI agents, RAG pipelines, or fine-tuned models with measurable business impact.
• Experience designing evaluation frameworks and truth sets for applied AI quality assurance.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong expertise in agent frameworks and LLM orchestration (API-first development, Vercel AI SDK, LangChain, etc.).
• Deep knowledge of RAG architectures, embeddings, vector databases, and retrieval optimization strategies.
• Experience with LLM fine-tuning, prompt design, and model performance evaluation.
• Full-stack engineering skills across modern web and backend technologies.
• Familiarity with MLOps practices: CI/CD, model versioning, monitoring, and deployment at scale.
• Strong grounding in applied information retrieval and vector-based systems.

Reporting Relationships:

This role reports to a project manager and does not initially include direct reports.

Salary Range:

$90,000 - $150,000

Starting salary is based on multiple factors including skillset and experience.

Notice: This role has been opened for a future need expected within three months of the original posting date of this position. Potential candidates may not receive communication until the open headcount is confirmed.

About UsWe set out more than 160 years ago to promote the security of life and property at sea and preserve the natural environment. Today, we remain true to our mission and continue to support organizations facing a rapidly evolving seascape of challenging regulations and new technologies. Through it all, we are anchored by a vision and mission that help our clients find clarity in uncertain times.
ABS is a global leader in marine and offshore classification and other innovative safety, quality, and environmental services. We’re at the forefront of supporting the global energy transition at sea, the application of remote and autonomous marine systems, cutting-edge technical solutions, and many more exciting advancements. Our commitment to safety, reliability, and efficiency is ever-present, guiding our clients to safer and more efficient operations.
About Our Benefits
ABS Group proudly offers a variety of industry-leading benefits designed to enhance the life and well-being of our employees and their families. These benefits include, but are not limited to, medical insurance (PPO and HD), dental and vision insurance, Health Savings account (HSA), Flexible Savings Account (FSA), life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, disability leave programs, parental leave program, paid holidays, and paid vacation time. The Company provides an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) that offers additional support in personal wellness, including work-life services. ABS Group also offers a 401K plan with a generous company match, subject to plan requirements.
Equal Opportunity
The ABS Group of Companies is committed to the equal employment opportunity of its employees and prohibits discrimination against any employee or qualified applicant based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status or veteran status, or other non-work-related characteristics that may be protected under the law of the Federal Government or specific state employment laws.
Notice
ABS and Affiliated Companies (ABS) will not pay a fee to any third-party agency without a valid ABS Master Service Agreement (MSA) authorized and signed by Human Resources. Any resume, CV, application, or other forms of candidate submission provided to any employee of ABS without a valid MSA on file will be considered property of ABS, and no fee will be paid.
Other
This job description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with the job of the incumbent. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the principal job elements essential for making a fair decision regarding the pay structure of the job. #ogjs