JOB SUMMARY:

The AI Development Architect leads the development and integration of AI capabilities across Sentinel U’s product portfolio, ensuring initiatives are scalable, practical, and aligned with business objectives, user needs, and long-term product strategy. As Sentinel U builds its AI capability from the ground up, this role defines how AI is applied across our products, makes the technical decisions that establish the foundation, and translates emerging AI capabilities into scalable, user-facing solutions within our simulation and learning platforms, while actively building and implementing those systems hands-on. This role combines architectural leadership with hands-on development in the near term, with the expectation to help shape and scale Sentinel U’s AI capabilities over time.

ORGANIZATIONAL DIMENSIONS:

The AI Development Architect contributes as both a technical leader and hands-on developer, building and implementing AI systems while helping establish standards and best practices across the organization. As the function grows, this role may oversee AI-focused developers, contractors, and external partners.

This role partners closely with the Product/Innovation, Engineering, Optimization and Design teams to align on architecture, priorities, and delivery. Operating within an Agile framework, the AI Development Architect supports multiple AI workstreams, ensuring system performance, data integrity, and visibility into outcomes.

DUTIES:

AI Development & Implementation

Design, build, and deploy AI-enabled systems across simulation and learning platforms
Develop and maintain integrations with AI technologies (e.g., LLMs, voice AI, vector databases)
Build pipelines to capture, process, and store AI interaction data (text, voice, performance signals)
Ensure AI solutions are scalable, performant, and production-ready
Develop QA workflows and runtime monitoring(drift/hallucination reduction)to ensure high-quality AI experiences and consistent behavior across use cases

Data Architecture & Infrastructure

Design and implement data models, schemas, and pipelines to support AI-driven functionality
Build and manage ETL processes for ingesting and structuring large-scale learner and AI interaction data
Manage cloud-based data infrastructure (Azure preferred), including data lakes and managed databases
Enable efficient access to data for analytics, reporting, and predictive modeling

AI Strategy & Enablement

Partner with Product/Innovation leadership and Product Owner(s)to identify and prioritize high-impact AI use cases
Translate strategic AI initiatives into actionable development plans
Evaluate emerging tools, frameworks, and vendors to inform build vs. buy decisions
Help establish standards and best practices for AI development across the organization
Partner with Product/Innovation and Design to define AI-powered user experiences, including workflows, copilots, and feedback loops that drive adoption and usability

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with Product/Innovation, Design, and Engineering teams to deliver intuitive AI-powered experiences
Translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights for stakeholders
Support and mentor team members as AI capabilities expand across the organization

Governance & Compliance

Ensure data security, privacy, and compliance with applicable standards (FERPA, HIPAA, WCAG, ADA,etc)
Implement responsible AI practices, including transparency and data integrity
Define and enforce data access and usage standards
Collaborate with leadership to ensure responsible practices and adherence to our organization’s AI governance/philosophy

SUCCESS MEASURES (YEAR ONE):

AI capabilities are successfully integrated into core Sentinel U projects with measurable user adoption
AI-driven features demonstrate improvements in internal and external workflow efficiency, automation, or learner outcomes
Reliable data pipelines and infrastructure support reporting, analytics, and future modeling
AI system performance is monitored and improved over time (accuracy, consistency, response quality)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

5+ years of experience in software development or data engineering
2–3+ years of recent experience working with modern AI technologies (LLMs, embeddings, or similar)
Hands-on experience building and deploying AI-enabled systems in production
Strong proficiency in database design and query languages (T-SQL or similar)
Experience with cloud platforms (Azure preferred: Data Factory, Data Lake, Databricks, SQL Managed Instance)
Familiarity with modern AI technologies (LLMs, embeddings, vector databases, prompt orchestration)
Experience integrating third-party AI services (e.g., Open AI, voice AI platforms)
Experienced in coding using Python and C#
Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to operate at both strategic and technical levels
Effective communicator, able to work across technical and non-technical teams
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or equivalent experience

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience in education technology, healthcare, or simulation-based products.
Exposure to agent-based systems, orchestration frameworks, or multi-step AI workflows
Familiarity with Jira and Agile reporting tools.
Proven success in scaling product delivery practices across teams.
Relevant certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) or similar
Experience and demonstrated production implementations may be considered in place of formal certifications

WORK ENVIRONMENT/CONDITIONS

The work environment and physical demands are characteristic of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job, and typical for those working in an academic and/or office setting.  The employee must be able to read, write, and interpret written documents; must be able to manipulate, handle, feel, and control items or equipment; must be able to sit, reach with hands and arms, and be able to talk and hear. Travel is required, averaging 3x/year. The employee is occasionally required to stand or walk. 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Generally 9 - 5 or as required by the business.

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