EPAM is a leading global provider of digital platform engineering and development services. We are committed to having a positive impact on our customers, 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.

We are looking for an experienced Lead Software Engineer (AI Specialization) to guide our team on a contract basis in building and prototyping innovative product experiences with intelligent AI agents. In this leadership role, you'll focus on architecting agent-based systems that integrate data across diverse products and partner ecosystems, shaping cutting-edge interactions between users and AI-driven software using natural language.

Responsibilities

Provide technical leadership in designing and optimizing AI agents that connect and act on data from multiple systems, driving automation and enhanced user experiences
Spearhead the development of Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to link backend systems (APIs, databases, etc.) with AI agents, ensuring seamless user-facing capabilities
Drive the creation and refinement of AI-powered tools to automate workflows like storefront generation by interpreting user intent to produce layouts, components, and configurations
Lead efforts to integrate AI assistant functionality into web platforms and mobile applications with a focus on improving natural language queries and automated actions
Collaborate closely with product designers, NLP specialists, and other engineers to deliver scalable, innovative conversational experiences
Guide the rapid development of proof-of-concept solutions, aligning cross-functional teams to validate advanced user stories and foster innovation
Contribute to and elevate internal tooling for fine-tuning LLMs, optimizing prompt engineering, and ensuring robust and safe AI action execution

Requirements

5+ years of experience in backend or full-stack software development, demonstrating expertise in AI/ML-driven systems
At least 1 year of relevant leadership experience
Advanced programming capabilities in Python, TypeScript, Go, or comparable languages, with a focus on scalable architectures
Extensive hands-on experience with LLMs (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic) and building AI-first applications
Expert-level knowledge of RESTful APIs and proficiency in integrating data from diverse systems
Proven track record of leveraging cloud environments (AWS, GCP, etc.) and containerization platforms (Docker, Kubernetes)
Exceptional problem-solving skills and a results-oriented mindset, with success in fast-paced, exploratory environments
Leadership in cross-functional collaboration and strong communication skills, driving complex projects to success
Excellent command of written and spoken English (B2+ level)

Nice to have

Proven experience working with e-commerce platforms or leading SaaS product development
Deep expertise in conversational AI or advanced natural language processing systems
Hands-on experience with prompt engineering and chaining frameworks (e.g., LangChain, Semantic Kernel)
Expertise in developing AI-driven functionality for mobile ecosystems (iOS/Android)
Experience in projects involving rules-based systems, automation frameworks, or AI copilots

We offer