AI Solutions Engineer - Product Development

(Contract: May–July)

About Cultivating Literacy

Cultivating Literacy is a nonprofit based in San Jose, CA, dedicated to empowering families and young readers through intentional, relationship-driven literacy programs. We work directly with schools and communities to provide innovative, responsive programming that reflects our families’ needs.

We are entering an exciting phase of growth, integrating AI and edtech tools to enhance our programming, operations, and long-term impact. We are looking for an AI Engineer to join our team on a contract basis to build the foundation for this transformation, specifically focusing on streamlining our family tracking and communication system.

This is an ideal opportunity for an AI professional passionate about social impact and education, who enjoys collaborating in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Role Overview

As an AI Engineer, you will support the development of AI-powered solutions to improve literacy programming, internal operations, and family engagement. You’ll work closely with the Director of Program Operations and a UX Designer to create scalable, ethical, and impactful tools for our staff and communities. A key focus will be developing solutions to address the inefficiencies and redundancies in our current use of Google Sheets, Trello, and Google Docs.

This is an ideal opportunity for an AI professional passionate about social impact and education, who enjoys collaborating in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Build or customize AI-powered tools (e.g., chatbots, recommendation engines, generative content tools) to support literacy programming, automate data transfer, and improve communication workflows.
• Collaborate with the Director of Program Operations and the UX Designer to ensure AI solutions are aligned with programmatic goals and user needs, with a focus on addressing the pain points identified in the current system.
• Identify scalable and ethical AI solutions that address the needs of diverse families and staff, such as natural language processing for multilingual families and automation of parent communications.
• Prototype, test, and iterate solutions based on feedback from users and staff.
• Develop AI solutions that can integrate with or replace existing tools like Google Sheets, Trello, and Google Docs to streamline data management and communication.
• Ensure data accuracy and security throughout the development and implementation of AI solutions.

Who You Are

• Mission-driven and excited about using AI to advance education equity.
• Comfortable working in a small, agile team where your input matters.
• A strong communicator who can collaborate effectively with non-technical stakeholders.
• A self-starter who is able to build and iterate quickly based on goals and real-world use cases.
• Analytical and detail-oriented, with a focus on solving complex problems.

Qualifications

Must Haves:

• 3+ years of experience in engineering roles, with a focus on AI tools and models (e.g., OpenAI, Hugging Face, custom LLMs).
• Experience with Azure required.
• Proven ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams, including UX designers and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills and experience with rapid iteration and feedback.
• Availability for bi-weekly check-ins with leadership and remote collaboration.
• Strong programming skills in Python.
• Experience with at least one machine learning framework (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Experience with data manipulation and database technologies.
• Nice to Have:
• Experience in nonprofit or education sectors.
• Familiarity with low-code/no-code platforms.
• Bilingual or culturally responsive experience (English/Spanish/ Vietnamese).
• Understanding of secure data practices and ethical AI principles.
• Experience with other cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).
• Experience with integrating AI solutions with existing software systems.

Contract Details

• Timeline: May – July (with flexibility possible).
• Location: Remote (U.S.-based preferred but open to international applicants with strong English communication skills).
• Time Commitment: Estimated 40 hrs/week depending on role and availability.

To Apply

Please send the following to <saoussen@cultivatingliteracy.org>:

• A brief note about your interest and relevant experience.
• Your GitHub/project samples or portfolio.
• Resume and LinkedIn profile.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.