Principal AI Architect / AI Engineering Leader

Location: Hyderabad, IndiaClient Engagement: Houston, Texas (US-based Retail Energy Provider)Reporting To: Managing Director (MD)Travel: Required short term travel to the US (B1/B2 preferred)Role Context & Strategic ImportanceWe are establishing a foundational AI practice to support a US-based Retail Energy Provider (REP) and other enterprise customers across multiple domains. This group will define AI strategy, architecture, and hands-on implementation for business-critical systems. This is a founding role you will help create:The AI operating modelThe technical architectureThe engineering standardsThe delivery approachYou will work directly with US business and technology leaders, reporting into the Managing Director, with real authority and visibility. What You Will Do1 AI Strategy & Advisory (Client-Facing)Partner with US stakeholders to:Identify high-impact AI use casesDefine ROI-driven AI roadmapsTranslate business problems into AI-enabled solutionsContribute across multiple domains, including:Energy & UtilitiesCustomer Experience & CRMHR Tech & Internal ProductivityCybersecurity & RiskWeb Strategy & Digital PlatformsData Analytics & Reporting2 AI Architecture & Platform DesignDesign enterprise-grade AI architectures with:Cost, latency, and reliability constraintsHybrid and on-prem-friendly patternsArchitect:LLM-based applications (RAG, agents, copilots)Data pipelines and feature storesSecure AI integration patternsMake model, tooling, and infrastructure decisions with a long-term lens3 Hands-On AI EngineeringBuild and review:AI-backed APIs and servicesPrompt pipelines and agent workflowsModel inference and optimization layersWork deeply with:Python for AI/ML Net / C# for enterprise integrationSQL Server and structured data platformsOptimize compute usage (we value engineering judgment over brute force)4 AI Governance, Security & Responsible AIDefine standards for:Data privacy and access controlModel usage, auditability, and explainabilitySafe deployment of AI in regulated environmentsPartner with cybersecurity teams on AI risk mitigation5 Team Building & Knowledge LeadershipServe as a founding member of the AI practiceMentor engineers and architectsContribute to reusable frameworks, accelerators, and playbooksRepresent the AI group in client discussions and internal forumsWho We re Looking ForCore Experience10 15+ years in software engineering, data platforms, or architecture5+ years building and deploying ML / AI systems in productionProven experience building AI platforms or ecosystems from scratchComfortable working with US customers and senior stakeholdersTechnical ExpertiseStrong foundation in:Machine Learning & Neural NetworksLLMs (transformers, embeddings, inference)RAG and agentic AI patternsHands-on with:OpenAI / Azure OpenAI / Anthropic / open-source LLMsVector databases (FAISS, Pinecone, Weaviate, Qdrant)Prompt engineering, fine-tuning, optimizationProficiency in:Python Net / C#SQL Server / relational databasesInfrastructure & Optimization MindsetExperience operating under:Compute and cost constraintsHybrid or on-prem environmentsFamiliar with:Model quantization, distillationBatch vs real-time inference tradeoffsMonitoring, cost tracking, and scaling strategiesPreferred / Nice-to-HaveExperience in one or more:Energy & UtilitiesCybersecurityHR systemsWeb platforms & CMSData analytics platformsValid US B1/B2 visa or eligibility to obtain onePrior experience working onsite or directly with US clientsWhat Makes This Opportunity UniqueFounding role in a strategic AI initiativeDirect reporting to the Managing DirectorHigh visibility with US enterprise customersExposure to multiple industries and problem domainsOpportunity to shape AI strategy, not just deliver tasksBalance of hands-on engineering + architecture + client influence