Lead Python AI Engineer

We are looking for a Lead Python AI Engineer to build robust, AI-powered API services and agentic workflows. In this role, you will bridge the gap between traditional backend systems and modern language models, focusing on secure and scalable LLM interactions with internal systems, vector databases, and external tools via orchestration frameworks.

We treat LLMs not as magic, but as components in a secure, scalable distributed system. If you take pride in API reliability, graceful failure handling, and production-grade AI integration, we’d love to talk to you.

Req# 1109260679

The recruiting efforts for this position are intended to fill an existing vacancy for a new position.

Responsibilities

• End-to-End Ownership: Own API contracts and service reliability end-to-end. AI edge cases must fail gracefully without compromising system integrity
• Rigorous Systems Engineering: Integrate LLMs with a strong engineering foundation—baking in evaluation, comprehensive observability, robust fallback handling, and cost awareness
• Reusable Frameworks: Build reliable, reusable orchestration frameworks and logic designed for downstream developer consumption
• Design and build scalable backend API services and advanced LLM orchestration layers
• Implement and maintain complex RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) pipelines, covering document ingestion, chunking, embedding, and retrieval optimization
• Develop and connect agent tools using LangChain, LangGraph, and potentially MCP (Model Context Protocol)
• Ensure top-tier security, privacy, enterprise-grade observability, and comprehensive test coverage across all backend workflows
• Contribute actively to architecture decisions and engineering standards within your pod
• Collaborate cross-functionally with frontend engineers, data engineers, and infrastructure teams

Requirements

• Backend Experience: 7+ years of backend engineering with a heavy focus on microservices and distributed systems, using Python for high-performance backend services and cloud-native APIs
• Cloud & Infrastructure: Hands-on experience with AWS, Docker, ECS/EKS, and RESTful APIs
• Security First: Proven experience with secure coding practices and strong authentication/authorization (auth/authz) fundamentals
• Agentic Frameworks: Practical, hands-on experience with frameworks such as LangChain, LlamaIndex, or LangGraph
• AI SDK Integration: 1–2+ years of hands-on experience integrating AI SDKs (OpenAI, Anthropic/Claude, AWS Bedrock, or equivalent) in production environments
• AI Observability & Evaluation: Familiarity with AI evaluation tooling or real-time APM platforms (e.g., LangSmith, Langfuse, Arize)
• RAG Pipelines: Practical experience working with vector databases (e.g., Amazon Kendra, OpenSearch), advanced embedding strategies, and retrieval systems

Nice to have

• Frontend Fluency: 1–2+ years of experience with React and TypeScript
• Scale & Deployment: Experience deploying applications to EKS environments at scale
• Interoperability & Security: Knowledge of agent interoperability patterns (MCP) and identity/security domain models (IAM, CIAM)
• Secondary Languages: Professional proficiency in Java, Node.js, or Go

We offer

• Extended Healthcare with Prescription Drugs, Dental and Vision, and Healthcare Spending Account (Company Paid)
• Life and AD&D Insurance (Company Paid)
• Employee Assistance Program (Company Paid)
• Telehealth (Company Paid)
• Short-term Disability (Company Paid)
• Long-Term Disability
• Paid Time Off (including vacation and sick days)
• Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) with Company match
• Maternity/Parental/Adoption Leave Top-up
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Employee Discounts
• Unlimited access to LinkedIn learning solutions

EPAM is a leading global provider of digital platform engineering and development services. We are committed to having a positive impact on our clients, our employees, and our communities. We embrace a dynamic and inclusive culture. Here you will collaborate with multi-national teams, contribute to a myriad of innovative projects that deliver the most creative and cutting-edge solutions, and have an opportunity to continuously learn and grow. No matter where you are located, you will join a dedicated, creative, and diverse community that will help you discover your fullest potential.
Engineer the Future with a Career at EPAM

EPAM Canada welcomes and encourages applications from candidates with disabilities. Please contact WFA Human Resource CA [email protected] if you have questions in this regard, or if you require an accommodation to complete the application process. Click here to review EPAM’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Accessibility Policies and Multi-Year Access.

An artificial intelligence system is software that is developed with one or more techniques that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, using algorithmic information processing, generate outputs such as content, predictions, recommendations, or decisions with varying levels of autonomy (“AI”). Tasks that humans have traditionally done by thinking and reasoning are increasingly being done by, or with the help of, AI to help create efficiencies.EPAM may use AI during the recruitment process, in connection with collecting or processing your personal data. Some (non-exhaustive) examples of tasks that EPAM may use AI for include conducting initial screening, creating transcripts of interviews, and assessing applications/CVs against defined job description criteria to make suggestions to the individuals evaluating your candidacy.Your personal data and the results of any processing are not shared with AI applications outside of EPAM infrastructure. While EPAM may use AI to help create efficiencies during the recruitment process, EPAM does not use AI to make hiring decisions, which is done by EPAM Talent Acquisition and management.