Lead AI Engineer – Azure & Generative AI

Location: Frankfurt am Main
Salary: Up to €100,000
Working Model: Hybrid – up to 3 days per week remote
Employment: Permanent, Full-time
Languages: German B2+ | English C1
Focus: Azure AI | Generative AI | LLMs | RAG | Python | AI Agents

The Opportunity

A leading international organisation based in Frankfurt is looking for a Lead AI Engineer to help translate its AI strategy into scalable, production-ready solutions.

This is a highly hands-on technical position for an experienced AI Engineer who wants to take ownership of AI solutions from initial business use case through architecture and engineering to production deployment and operation.

You will work extensively with Microsoft\'s modern AI ecosystem, including Azure AI Foundry, Azure AI Search and Copilot Studio, while developing solutions involving LLMs, Generative AI, RAG, vector search and agentic AI.

This is not a purely strategic AI Architect position or a research-focused Data Scientist role.

You will remain close to the code while also providing technical leadership across important AI initiatives.

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What You\'ll Be Doing

Build Production AI Solutions

Design, develop and deploy scalable AI applications using technologies and approaches including:

• Azure AI Foundry

• Azure AI Search

• Copilot Studio

• Large Language Models (LLMs)

• Generative AI

• Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)

• Vector Databases

• AI Agents

• Python

• APIs and backend services

The focus is on taking AI beyond experimentation and delivering stable, scalable applications that operate successfully in production.

Own AI Solutions End-to-End

Take ownership throughout the complete AI solution lifecycle:

Business Requirement → AI Use Case → Architecture → Engineering → Deployment → Production

You will work with business and technical stakeholders to understand the initial challenge, assess where AI can create genuine value and determine the appropriate technical approach.

Design RAG & LLM Architectures

Design and implement scalable RAG solutions within the Microsoft Azure ecosystem.

This will include working with:

• LLMs

• Embeddings

• Vector search

• Azure AI Search

• Vector Databases

• Retrieval strategies

• Backend services

• Production deployment

You will help ensure AI solutions perform reliably beyond the proof-of-concept stage and can operate effectively at production scale.

Software & Backend Engineering

Strong software engineering is fundamental to this position.

You will remain hands-on across areas including:

• Python

• Backend development

• API design

• System architecture

• Testing and test automation

• Performance

• Scalability

• Production stability

The ideal candidate approaches AI with the mindset of a Software Engineer specialising in AI, rather than focusing exclusively on models and experimentation.

Agentic AI

You will have the opportunity to work with modern agentic AI approaches and AI-native engineering tools.

This can include developing AI agents, multi-step workflows and other approaches designed to improve automation, engineering efficiency and time-to-value.

Technical Leadership

Alongside remaining hands-on, you will provide technical leadership across AI initiatives.

You will:

• Help establish technical direction.

• Make architecture and engineering decisions.

• Guide AI projects from concept to production.

• Establish strong engineering practices.

• Support other technical contributors.

• Ensure solutions are scalable and maintainable.

• Help define how modern AI technologies should be used within the organisation.

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Your Background

We are looking for an experienced AI / Machine Learning Engineer with strong software-engineering fundamentals and genuine production experience.

You should bring experience across several of the following:

• AI Engineering

• Machine Learning Engineering

• Generative AI

• LLM applications

• Production RAG

• Azure AI Foundry

• Azure AI Search

• Copilot Studio

• Vector Databases

• Python

• Backend development

• API design

• Cloud-native AI architecture

• AI Agents / agentic workflows

• Testing and productionisation of AI applications

Most importantly, you should be able to demonstrate AI solutions that you have personally helped engineer and take into production.

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What We\'re Looking For

• Several years of professional AI, ML or Data Science experience.

• Strong hands-on Python development.

• Experience building production backend systems and APIs.

• Practical experience with Generative AI and LLM applications.

• Experience designing and implementing RAG solutions.

• Strong Microsoft Azure AI knowledge.

• Practical experience with Azure AI Foundry.

• Experience with Azure AI Search.

• Understanding of scalable cloud architectures.

• Strong software-engineering fundamentals.

• Experience taking AI solutions from PoC into production.

• Technical leadership or senior technical ownership.

• Ability to work effectively with both business and technical stakeholders.

• Strong problem-solving and communication skills.

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Education & Certifications

A degree in a relevant technical discipline such as:

• Computer Science

• Data Science

• Mathematics

• Engineering

• Comparable technical discipline

Relevant cloud and AI certifications are advantageous, particularly within the Microsoft Azure ecosystem.

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Languages

German: Minimum B2
English: C1

The position operates within an international environment while being based in Germany.

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Working Model

The position is based in Frankfurt am Main and offers a hybrid working arrangement.

Employees can work remotely for up to 3 days per week, allowing a strong balance between remote engineering and onsite collaboration.

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Why Consider This Opportunity?

Build AI That Actually Reaches Production

Rather than working exclusively on experimentation and proofs of concept, you will take AI solutions through the complete lifecycle into real production environments.

Modern Microsoft AI Stack

Work with technologies including:

Azure AI Foundry | Azure AI Search | Copilot Studio | LLMs | RAG | Vector Databases | AI Agents

Stay Hands-On While Taking Technical Ownership

This is an opportunity to progress at Lead level without moving away from engineering.

You will continue building solutions while gaining greater influence over architecture, engineering standards and technical direction.

Work on Modern GenAI & Agentic AI

Work on modern applications involving Generative AI, LLMs, RAG and AI agents, rather than traditional ML alone.

Solve Genuine Business Problems

Work with stakeholders to identify where AI can create measurable value and translate those requirements into practical, production-ready technical solutions.

International Environment

Join a global organisation where AI initiatives involve collaboration across technical, business and international teams.

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Package

Salary: Up to €100,000

Location: Frankfurt am Main
Working Model: Hybrid – up to 3 days per week remote
Employment: Permanent, Full-time

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The Ideal Profile

A senior hands-on AI Engineer who has personally taken LLM/Generative AI solutions from concept through RAG and backend engineering into production, with strong Azure AI experience and the ability to provide technical leadership while remaining close to the code.