AI Solutions Architect

Job Description -

Job Title: Solutions Architect AI/Virtual Assistant Solutions
Visa: Open, but candidates must be local to NJ & NY
Client: UPS
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What the Client Said:

• They re not looking for a generic AI engineer.
• They want a true AI Solutions Architect.
• The focus is on chat/virtual assistant systems, visual/multimodal interfaces, LLMs, and NLP/NLU.
• The candidate must be very strong in architecture not just building models or coding, but designing the end-to-end AI ecosystem.
  Summary:
  Seeking a highly skilled and visionary Solutions Architect AI/Virtual Assistant Solutions to lead the architecture and design of intelligent, conversational experiences across our digital ecosystem. This role is pivotal in shaping scalable, secure, and human-centric AI solutions, including virtual assistants, chatbots, and voice-enabled services across web, mobile, and emerging platforms.

As digital customer interactions increasingly leverage AI for personalization and automation, this architect will ensure a unified and high-performing architecture that integrates seamlessly with backend systems, NLP/NLU engines, and omnichannel delivery frameworks.

Key Responsibilities:

• Architect and Design AI-Powered Solutions: Lead the end-to-end technical architecture for virtual assistants, voice/chat interfaces, and AI-driven support experiences.
• Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Work closely with product managers, data scientists, UX teams, and backend engineers to design intelligent conversational workflows and decision logic.
• Platform Strategy: Define standards and patterns for AI components such as NLP, NLU, intent recognition, dialog management, and integration with large language models (LLMs).
• Scalability & Security: Ensure solutions are scalable, secure, and compliant with data privacy regulations, particularly around customer data and conversational logs.
• Vendor & Tool Evaluation: Evaluate and integrate third-party AI platforms (e.g., Google Dialogflow, Microsoft Bot Framework, Amazon Lex, OpenAI APIs) and in-house AI services.
• Performance Optimization: Define KPIs and monitoring for assistant performance, including latency, intent accuracy, deflection rate, and CSAT impact.
• Innovation Leadership: Stay ahead of emerging trends in generative AI, conversational UX, and multi-modal interfaces. Provide recommendations for future enhancements.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor\'s or Master\'s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• Experience: 8+ years in software or digital architecture, with at least 3 years focused on AI, virtual assistants, or conversational systems.
• Technical Skills:
  • Deep understanding of NLP/NLU frameworks and conversational AI platforms.
  • Familiarity with integrating LLMs and generative AI tools (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic).
  • Strong proficiency in microservices architecture, APIs, cloud-native platforms (Google Cloud Platform, Azure).
  • Experience with event-driven systems and real-time messaging protocols (e.g., WebSockets, Kafka).
  • Comfortable with languages such as Python, Node.js, or Java.
• Soft Skills:
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
  • Strong problem-solving and strategic thinking capabilities.
  • Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience designing AI solutions for customer service, e-commerce, or logistics platforms.
• Familiarity with voice assistants and multimodal interfaces.
• Experience with UX design for conversational flows or chatbot UX tools.
• Knowledge of Responsible AI principles and ethical AI deployment practices.

Mandatory Skills:
AI & Conversational Architecture: 1. Experience architecting virtual assistants, chatbots, or conversational AI systems. 2. Deep understanding of NLP/NLU concepts and technologies (e.g., intent recognition, entity extraction). 3. Familiarity with LLMs and generative AI (e.g., OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, Claude, Gemini). Technical Architecture & Development: 1. Strong background in enterprise architecture, APIs, and microservices. 2. Proficiency in backend development (e.g., Python, Node.js, Java). 3. Experience with real-time messaging protocols (e.g., WebSockets, Kafka, Pub/Sub). Cloud & Integration: 1. Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform). 2. Integration with third-party AI platforms (e.g., Google Dialogflow, Microsoft Bot Framework, Amazon Lex). 3. API gateway and orchestration knowledge (e.g., Apigee, Kong, AWS API Gateway). Security & Scalability: 1. Knowledge of authentication/authorization standards (OAuth2, JWT). 2. Experience designing scalable and secure AI architectures. Collaboration & Communication: 1. Ability to lead cross-functional teams and communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Desired Skills:
Platform Knowledge: 1. Experience with IBM WatsonX suite of products is a plus. UX & Design: 1. Understanding of conversational UX design principles. 2. Experience working with chatbot/voicebot design tools (e.g., Voiceflow, Botmock, Rasa X). Voice & Multimodal Interfaces: 1. Experience integrating voice assistants (e.g., Alexa, Google Assistant). 2. Familiarity with multimodal interfaces (voice + visual). Analytics & Optimization: 1. Experience with chatbot/assistant analytics (e.g., accuracy, CSAT, containment rate). 2. Familiarity with A/B testing and feedback loops for model improvement. AI Governance: 1. Understanding of Responsible AI, ethical AI deployment, and privacy considerations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA). Domain Knowledge: 1. Experience in logistics, e-commerce, or customer service platforms is a plus.