Job Title: AI Applications Developer (Senior/Lead) Job Code: AZ 14399 Client: State of Arizona – Arizona Department of Economic Security (AZDES), Division of Technology Services (DTS) Location: Phoenix, Arizona Duration: Until 06/30/2027 Work Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (40 hours/week) Work Location Address: 1400 West Washington Street, Suite 200, Phoenix, AZ 85007 Work Arrangement: Hybrid – Local Candidates Only Closing Date: 11/06/2026 at 3:00 PM
Position Overview
The State of Arizona is seeking a Senior/Lead AI Applications Developer to identify, design, and implement AI solutions that reduce administrative workload and improve operational efficiency.
The developer will collaborate with business and technology teams to translate operational requirements into technical specifications, evaluate existing enterprise AI tools such as Google Gemini and NotebookLM, and develop secure, custom AI solutions within the DTS closed environment.
The role requires hands-on experience with AI/LLMs, Generative AI, prompt engineering, RAG architectures, and AI application development, along with the ability to maintain technical documentation covering code, architecture, system prompts, and workflows.
Required Skills
- Master's degree in AI or at least 2 years of AI development experience.
- Experience gathering and translating business requirements into technical specifications.
- Hands-on experience with AI/LLMs, Generative AI, prompt engineering, and RAG architectures.
- Experience designing, prototyping, and deploying custom AI applications.
- Understanding of LLMs, embeddings, vector databases, and AI agents.
- Knowledge of AI governance, data privacy, security, and Responsible AI principles.
- Experience evaluating AI outputs for bias, hallucinations, and security vulnerabilities.
- Ability to document application architecture, code, system prompts, and workflows.
- Strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Skills
- Azure OpenAI and Azure AI Foundry.
- Python programming.
- C# / .NET Framework.
- SQL and database technologies.
- Google Cloud / Vertex AI and Gemini ecosystem.
- GitHub Copilot and AI-assisted development tools.
- RAG pipelines, AI agents, and foundation model fine-tuning.
- Azure AI Content Safety, guardrails, and Responsible AI Dashboard.
- MLOps, CI/CD, AI governance, and automated testing.
- Agile development methodology.
Key Responsibilities
- Identify and implement AI solutions to reduce administrative workload and improve operational efficiency.
- Gather business requirements and translate operational processes into technical specifications.
- Evaluate existing enterprise AI tools, including Gemini and NotebookLM, versus custom AI development.
- Architect, prototype, and deploy custom AI applications within the DTS closed environment.
- Develop secure AI solutions using Python and approved enterprise AI platforms such as Vertex AI.
- Build and optimize RAG pipelines, implement advanced prompt engineering, and integrate AI agents.
- Work with LLMs, embeddings, vector databases, and foundation models.
- Implement AI security controls, content safety, guardrails, and Responsible AI practices.
- Evaluate AI outputs for bias, hallucinations, reliability, and security vulnerabilities.
- Maintain technical documentation covering code, architecture, prompts, and workflows.
- Use GitHub Copilot and other approved AI coding tools to improve development productivity.
- Collaborate with operational teams, stakeholders, and technical teams to deliver AI solutions.
Important Notes
- Local Phoenix, AZ candidates only.
- Hybrid work arrangement.
- This is a Contract-to-Hire position; candidates must be eligible for FTE conversion.
- The State of Arizona cannot sponsor visas.
- Candidate must obtain and maintain a valid Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card under Arizona Revised Statute 41-1969.
- HireRight background check and Global ID facial biometrics required.
- Education/experience requirement: Bachelor's degree plus 10+ years of programming and analysis experience, or equivalent experience. Master's degree preferred.
- Candidates must be comfortable working in the DTS closed environment.
Primary Skills
Artificial Intelligence | Generative AI | LLM | RAG | Prompt Engineering | Azure OpenAI | Azure AI Foundry | Python | C# | SQL | Google Cloud | Vertex AI | Gemini | NotebookLM | Vector Databases | AI Agents | GitHub Copilot | MLOps | AI Governance | Responsible AI | CI/CD | AI Security