AI Software Engineer - Grand Rapids, MI

About The Kendall Group · The Kendall Group is comprised of eight divisions with 75+ locations in ten states. Combined, we serve the Electrical, Automation, Pipe, Valve, and Fitting products, Steam, Lighting, Industrial Controls, and Instrumentation Industries. The Kendall Group ...

Job description

About The Kendall Group

The Kendall Group is comprised of eight divisions with 75+ locations in ten states. Combined, we serve the Electrical, Automation, Pipe, Valve, and Fitting products, Steam, Lighting, Industrial Controls, and Instrumentation Industries. The Kendall Group is a 100% employee-owned company. Kendall offers a great opportunity for a rewarding career.

Why The Kendall Group?

Our employee ownership model is the core of who we are. You will not only own part of the company, but you will own your future. At Kendall, you'll have opportunities to learn and grow while being coached and mentored along the way. We're that company where people stay We're proud to say more than 60% of our associates have more than 5 years of tenure, and more than 40% have greater than 10 years. At Kendall, you will be valued and supported, your ideas will be heard, your voice will matter, and you'll work alongside incredible people who care about your success.

Role Summary: Reporting to the Professional Services Manager, the AI Software Engineer is a key member of the Kendall Professional Services team. The primary role of the AI Software Engineer is to develop, implement, and maintain software solutions that enable digital transformation in manufacturing processes, leveraging AI-driven and generative AI-powered technologies to enhance efficiency, automation, and scalability. This will also include some minimal engagement with various external customers to ensure the customers' needs and questions are addressed. Kendall's Professional Services team exists to add value to customers by driving positive outcomes through Software as a Service solutions, developed, implemented and maintained by the team's software engineers.

Exciting work you will do:

The essential duties and responsibilities of the AI Software Engineer position will consist of, but are not limited to, the following:

• Develop new standardized, AI-enhanced, and configurable software solutions that drive positive customer outcomes
• Implement AI/ML-driven technical solutions to optimize customer operations
• Maintain existing solutions and integrate generative AI models to enhance software capabilities
• Identify opportunities to apply machine learning (ML), deep learning, and generative AI to improve software efficiency and automation
• Own and prioritize opportunities passed from marketing, outside sales, and national accounts, integrating AI solutions where applicable
• Develop and deploy AI-powered chatbots, recommendation systems, and process automation tools to enhance customer experiences
• Utilize natural language processing (NLP) techniques to optimize text-based automation and user interactions
• Balance workflow and competing priorities while integrating predictive analytics and AI-driven insights
• Provide technical support for implemented solutions, including AI model troubleshooting and optimization
• Maximize company value by utilizing strategic partner products, including AI and cloud-based computing services
• Redeploy standard AI-powered solutions already developed by the team
• Maintain and update software repositories like GitHub, ensuring version control for AI-related code
• Implement and adhere to high standards of program documentation, especially for AI model training and deployment processes
• Collaborate with QA engineers to develop and execute AI model testing, including unit testing, integration testing, and end-to-end validation
• Stay up-to-date with the latest AI, LLM, and software industry trends, applying best practices to enhance AI-driven applications
• Participate in agile development methodologies, attending Scrum or Kanban meetings, sprint planning, and retrospectives
• Document AI-driven software design, architecture, and processes for knowledge sharing and maintainable codebases
• Assist in developing SOPs for AI model deployment, monitoring, and improvement
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior team members, particularly in AI and ML applications
• Ensure ethical and responsible use of AI-powered tools
• Other duties as assigned

Competencies you possess:

• Service Excellence
• Results, Action Oriented
• Accountability and Responsibility
• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Problem Solving
• Priority Setting
• Innovation Management
• Integrity

What you'll need:

• Work Experience: 1 year experience as a Software Engineer with a strong portfolio; 1 year experience with AI frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, OpenAI API, etc.); proficiency in one or more programming languages such as C#, Java, Python, JavaScript, etc.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or related field
• Analytics/Computer Skills: Experience with MS Office; ability to learn new software; ability to decide which products to focus on and how best to reach customers; ability to interpret data, generate AI-driven insights, and optimize processes; familiarity with Generative AI & LLMs including prompt engineering, fine-tuning, and AI-powered automation tools; familiarity with software development tools and version control systems (e.g., Git)
• Organization Skills: Highly organized and detail-oriented; ability to manage multiple projects including AI model training, software development, and deployment; ability to work in a fast-paced, continuously evolving environment
• Cross-functional Skills: Work effectively with cross-functional teams including AI specialists, data engineers, and software developers; provides excellent internal and external customer service
• Communication Skills: Strong interpersonal communications, problem solving, organizational, and written/verbal communication skills
• Physical, Mental and Visual Skills: Ability to see, talk, and hear; ability to sit for 8 hours a day
• Physical Environment: Normal office environment; warehouse or fabrication environment and exposure to moving equipment
• Travel: Up to 20% occasional overnight

Qualifications we prefer but don't require:

• Work Experience: Previous experience with Plex, Fiix, FactoryTalk Optix, or other similar SCADA software; exposure to industrial/manufacturing operations; experience delivering/interacting with SaaS; familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud); understanding of containerization and orchestration tools (Docker, Kubernetes); knowledge of database systems and SQL queries

The Kendall Group is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, military status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.