Lead AI Engineer with Certified (Python, GenAI, API, Development)

Job Title: Lead AI Engineer with certified
Location: Onsite in Shakopee, MN, 3 days a week
Rate: $70/hr. on C2C
Duration: 6-month iterations ongoing for a year or two
Company: Imagine Print

1. Strategic AI Objectives
Goal: Drive productivity, efficiency, and predictability across production, operations, and support functions.
Priority Use Cases:
Labor and production planning
Machine downtime forecasting
Freight scheduling and optimization
Contract automation
Project management support
AP/AR and credit risk automation
2. Current AI Landscape
Early experimentation focused on entertainment and localization revealed limitations with layered visual inputs.
Generative AI is proving more valuable in handling unstructured data (e.g., emails, forms) than in math-heavy or numerical forecasting.
The organization is actively differentiating between traditional data science/predictive analytics and GenAI applications.
3. Immediate Automation Opportunities
Automate scheduling, labor planning, and freight routing
Trigger workflows from unstructured inputs (e.g., emails, forms)
Enable rapid search and retrieval from internal SOPs and documentation
4. Near-Term Use Cases
Analyze special buys and custom order requests using AI
Automate data validation during client onboarding (e.g., specs, file formats)
5. Technical Requirements
Stack:
Azure (OpenAI integration, Blob storage)
SQL
Cloud infrastructure
Skills Needed:
Python
API and pipeline development
Generative AI application delivery
Role:
Senior/Principal Engineer to lead AI efforts from prototype through early deployment
6. Ideal Candidate Profile
Self-directed, delivery-focused engineer capable of scoping and delivering end-to-end AI solutions
Initial engagement as contract-to-hire, with potential to build out a broader engineering team post-hire
7. AI Idea Registry Detailed Themes
Operational Automation:
Streamline AR/AP, vendor setup, contract drafting, and month-end processes
Improve efficiency and cash flow
Forecasting & Planning:
Optimize staffing, job scheduling, and maintenance using AI-driven foresight
Employee & Customer Experience:
Automate meeting summarization
Support HR policies
Resolve customer issues using GenAI
Sales & Pricing:
Automate RFP responses
Optimize pricing to improve win rates
Safety:
Use predictive analytics and video behavior analysis to reduce injuries
Deploy micro-training modules
IT Automation:
Use GenAI to improve incident resolution, ticketing, and self-service tools