AI/ML Engineer (Contract)

Description*Note: this is contract position through the end of 2026, with possibility of extension. Candidates based in San Diego are preferred. Remote candidates will also be considered based on qualifications.*Job SummaryAs an AI/ML Engineer, you will design, develop, and deploy AI systems and machine learning models to automate processes and solve business problems. You will provide strategic, analytical, and technical expertise to solve critical business problems based on data, and will help collect, clarify, and translate business requirements into analytical use cases. You will also be responsible for creating models including data collection and analysis, defining information requirements, maintenance and enhancements, to help drive key business decisions.Essential Duties And ResponsibilitiesDesign, build, and deploy end-to-end AI/ML and agent-based systems, from problem definition and model development to production deployment, monitoring, and continuous improvement to solve business problems, and automate enterprise and scientific tasks.Focus on simulating human learning activities, improving system performance through data analysis, and developing deep learning frameworks and systems.Collaborate with scientists to build robust data pipelines and ensure high-quality training data.Design scalable, reliable services on major cloud platforms; strong CI/CD, observability, and operational excellence.Translate customer requirements to business solutions using data pipelines and statical models.Build & maintain scalable ML infrastructure, including training pipelines, feature stores, and model serving systems.Contribute to MLOps best practices, including CI/CD for ML, model versioning, and A/B testing frameworks.Create exploratory analysis, model design & training, validation, feature engineering, production handoff to drive business optimization.Responsible for constructing, studying, and training algorithms that learn from complex, high-dimensional data to uncover patterns and develop practical predictive models and applications.Document architectures, experiments, and results clearly for technical and non-technical stakeholders to support current work and any retraining for the future.Data, model, and agent pipeline engineering (e.g., workflow orchestration, model lifecycle management, automated retraining/rollouts).Orchestration and integration across components (agent frameworks, containers, web services/APIs, distributed systems).Develop and integrate intuitive Copilot experiences into existing tools to provide real-time, AI-driven assistance and insights to team members.RequirementsRequired Qualifications:BA/BS degree in Computer Science + 6 years hands-on experience designing, building, deploying, and maintaining end-to-end or related field OR 10+ years' experience in data engineering or related field.AI/ML systems in production environments.Solid knowledge of backend system design, APIs, CI/CD pipelines, agent-based workflows, and production support for scalable AI/ML platforms.Fluency in multiple coding languages including SQL and Python and ML frameworks.History of meeting tight deadlines and providing accurate estimates of time required to complete complex tasks.Experience building and deploying production ML system using ML algorithms, deep learning, and statistical modeling.Effective communication with both technical and non-technical audiences.Comfort with ambiguity and a bias toward experimentation.Experience designing and deploying autonomous AI Agents utilizing modern LLM frameworks and orchestration tools.PayThe hourly pay for this position ranges from $60.00 to $85.00 depending on relevant skills, competencies, experience, and education.EEO & Employment EligibilityVividion Therapeutics, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, protected veteran status, or disability status.Privacy PolicyThe protection of your personal information is a commitment we take seriously. For information regarding our Privacy Policy (CA candidates) please visit https://vividion.com/publication/privacy-noticeforcalifornia-candidates/.