Associate AI/ML Engineer

Job Posting Organization:
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is a pioneering international organization established to support the development of market economies and promote private and entrepreneurial initiatives in countries transitioning to market economies. Founded in 1991, the EBRD operates in over 30 countries across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, employing thousands of professionals dedicated to fostering sustainable development. The EBRD's mission is to promote the transition to open and democratic market economies, and it achieves this through investments, policy engagement, and technical assistance. The organization values inclusiveness, innovation, trust, and responsibility, which are reflected in its workplace culture and operational practices.

Job Overview:
As an Associate AI/ML Engineer at EBRD, you will play a crucial role in designing, building, and delivering intelligent systems that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. This position is tailored for engineers who are passionate about transforming data into actionable insights and innovative solutions. You will be responsible for creating scalable chatbots, conversational AI systems, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems using advanced tools such as Azure AI Services, Prompt Flow, and Vector Search. The role emphasizes autonomy, allowing you to translate complex business problems into production-grade AI solutions while adhering to best practices for quality, fairness, and explainability. You will not only engage in coding but also influence the engineering practices surrounding AI across the organization. Your responsibilities will include deploying CI/CD pipelines, fine-tuning models, and mentoring junior team members, all while promoting responsible AI standards. This position offers a unique opportunity to work hands-on with modern frameworks like Transformers and LangChain, design scalable cloud solutions, and establish yourself as a trusted voice in AI engineering within your team.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Associate AI/ML Engineer will independently enable the development and delivery of AI/ML applications, including chatbots and conversational agents. Key responsibilities include designing, building, and maintaining intelligent systems using modern tools and practices. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure the development of scalable, testable, and responsible AI solutions on Azure. Specific duties include translating business needs into technical solutions, delivering production-grade models and pipelines, mentoring interns and analysts, and promoting best practices in AI. You will author clean, maintainable Python code, contribute to peer code reviews, manage the delivery of AI features, implement unit and integration tests, validate and tune models for optimal performance, and actively participate in agile ceremonies. Additionally, you will establish automated testing and quality gates within CI/CD pipelines, drive innovation, and contribute to technical design discussions.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess proficiency in Python and have hands-on experience in AI/ML or data-driven software engineering roles. Strong practical experience in developing AI/ML applications using Python and modern ML frameworks such as OpenAI SDK, scikit-learn, Transformers, and LangChain is essential. Familiarity with Azure AI Services, Prompt Flow, Azure ML, and Azure AI Search (Vector Store) is required. The ideal candidate should have experience in building and deploying AI features, designing reproducible training and inference pipelines, and preparing data for model performance tuning. Additionally, candidates should demonstrate the ability to translate business requirements into technical user stories, develop and test RESTful APIs, and apply responsible AI principles.

Educational Background:
A relevant educational background is essential for this position. Candidates should ideally hold a degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field. Advanced degrees (Master's or PhD) may be preferred, particularly for roles involving complex AI/ML applications. Continuous learning and professional development in AI/ML technologies and practices are highly valued.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 3-5 years of experience in AI/ML or data-driven software engineering roles. This experience should include hands-on development of AI applications, working with modern ML frameworks, and deploying AI solutions in production environments. Experience in mentoring junior developers and contributing to team projects is also beneficial.

Languages:
Proficiency in English is mandatory for this position, as it is the primary language of communication within the organization. Knowledge of additional languages, particularly those relevant to the EBRD's operational regions, would be considered an asset but is not required.

Additional Notes:
This position is a fixed-term contract lasting 3 years. The role is full-time and based in Sofia, Bulgaria. The EBRD promotes a hybrid working model, encouraging collaboration in person at least three days a week. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of competitive benefits and prioritizes employee wellbeing. The EBRD is committed to diversity and inclusion, encouraging applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their background.