Software Engineer, AI in Heilbronn

About The Company

The appliedAI Initiative is dedicated to transforming Europe's industrial landscape by positioning it as a leader in the age of artificial intelligence. Through a robust ecosystem of strategic partners, comprehensive programs, and innovative solutions, the organization aims to advance companies holistically on their AI journey. With a diverse, interdisciplinary, and highly driven team, appliedAI emphasizes deep technical expertise and a focus on the practical applicability of AI solutions. The organization fosters a culture of collaboration and openness, working closely with leading companies and technology players across Europe. Its core mission is to strengthen the European AI ecosystem by creating trustworthy AI applications and pioneering the development of AI Agents, which are expected to become a dominant topic in the near future. The appliedAI Initiative strives to influence how AI technology is adopted in industry and beyond, ensuring responsible and impactful AI deployment across various sectors.

About The Role

As a Senior AI Engineer at appliedAI, you will be at the forefront of building and deploying cutting-edge AI systems within industrial environments. Your role involves taking full ownership of end-to-end AI delivery for complex industrial clients, ensuring the solutions are production-ready, scalable, and aligned with industry standards. You will architect and implement a wide range of AI applications, including classical machine learning models, generative AI applications, validated Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and agentic systems. Your expertise will be critical in designing solutions that respect operational technology (OT) and edge constraints, and in managing hybrid and on-premise deployment scenarios. You will set high standards for engineering excellence across the team, promoting best practices in code quality, security, observability, and MLOps maturity. Leading technical delivery from architecture to production, collaborating closely with engagement leads, and mentoring engineers will be key aspects of your role. Additionally, you will develop reusable engineering tools, such as templates and evaluation frameworks, to enhance team productivity and impact.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of software engineering experience
• At least 5 years of experience building and operating AI/ML systems in production environments
• Deep understanding of distributed systems, APIs, data pipelines, and cloud-native architecture (Azure, AWS, or GCP)
• Proficiency in Python and modern AI frameworks including PyTorch, LangChain/LangGraph, and vector stores
• Experience with evaluation frameworks and AI platforms such as Azure AI Foundry
• Proven track record leading complex, client-facing AI projects, especially in industrial or regulated contexts
• Strong focus on code quality, evaluation, security, and operational maturity
• Fluent in English; working proficiency in German is a plus

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement production-grade AI solutions tailored for industrial clients, covering classical ML, GenAI, RAG, and agentic systems
• Ensure solutions adhere to OT/edge constraints, validation gates, and deployment requirements (on-prem and hybrid)
• Define and uphold engineering standards related to code quality, security, observability, and MLOps
• Lead technical delivery from architecture design through production deployment and client handover
• Collaborate closely with engagement leads to align on scope, deliverables, and value realization
• Develop reusable engineering components, such as templates, libraries, and evaluation frameworks, to accelerate team impact
• Mentor mid-level and senior engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing
• Facilitate technical guilds and contribute to the development of best practices within the team

Benefits

• Join a highly motivated team of approximately 90 professionals dedicated to shaping Europe's AI landscape
• Hybrid work model offering flexibility to work from offices in Heilbronn or Munich, or remotely
• Opportunity to influence a variety of innovative projects and develop new AI-driven solutions
• Encouragement of creative thinking and experimentation with new technologies and processes
• Access to a broad network of startups, partners, and tech companies, enhancing career growth
• Personal development support through training, certifications, and conferences, with no fixed budget limits
• Wellness benefits including sports memberships via Wellpass and access to thousands of sports facilities
• JobRad leasing program with comprehensive insurance coverage
• Sabbatical options available after three years of employment
• Support from PME Familienservice for work-life balance, including child care and coaching services
• Monthly mobility budget to support public transport and shared mobility optionsWorkation program allowing remote work from anywhere for up to three months per year

Equal Opportunity

appliedAI is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. We believe that diversity drives innovation and excellence and are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all candidates and employees.