Lead Developer - AI

Builders FirstSource (BFS) is executing Project Elevate, a multi-year business transformation that is standardizing core operations on SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Private Edition and connected enterprise applications. We are seeking a hands-on Lead AI developer to design, develop, and deploy enterprise AI solutions that drive productivity, automation, and business value. This role will lead the development of intelligent assistants, AI-powered search and knowledge platforms, document intelligence solutions, and business process automation using modern AI technologies and cloud-native architectures. This role partners with business analysts, functional leads, architects, security, Basis, testing teams, and systems-integration partners to translate business requirements into clean-core, scalable solutions across SAP S/4HANA and SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP).

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Design and build AI solutions using Agentic AI, Generative AI, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).

Develop enterprise copilots, intelligent assistants, and knowledge discovery solutions.

Rapidly prototype new AI capabilities and evolve successful proofs of concept into scalable enterprise solutions.

Architect and deploy cloud-native applications using Docker, Kubernetes (AKS), CI/CD, and Azure cloud services.

Provide technical leadership, architecture guidance, and mentoring to engineering teams.

Troubleshoot and optimize application, AI, database, and infrastructure performance.

Provide technical mentoring and guidance to other engineers and development partners while remaining accountable for individual delivery; perform hands-on coding for complex, high-risk, or business-critical work.

Communicate technical decisions, progress, risks, tradeoffs, and recommendations clearly to project leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

 SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

8-10 years of software engineering, application development, or solution architecture experience.

3+ years of hands-on experience building and deploying AI/Generative AI solutions in production environments.

Required Technical Skills:

Programming & Architecture

Strong expertise in Python development.

Experience with REST APIs, microservices, and distributed systems.

Proven experience with React / Next JS TypeScript Development.

Strong understanding of modern software architecture and design patterns.

Agentic AI & Generative AI

Agentic AI frameworks and orchestration, LLM Evaluation and Optimization, AI Workflow Orchestration, Multi-Agent Systems.

RAG & Enterprise Search, Vector Databases and Embeddings, Semantic Search, Hybrid Search Strategies.

Enterprise Knowledge Retrieval, Search Relevance and Retrieval Optimization.

Azure AI Ecosystem

Azure AI Foundry / Azure OpenAI Service /Azure AI Search /Azure Document Intelligence /Azure Storage /Azure Functions /Azure App Services/ Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).

Databases & Data Management

Strong SQL development skills and Hands-on experience with PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server.

Database design and data modeling, Query optimization and performance tuning.

Database troubleshooting and root-cause analysis.

Experience diagnosing and resolving production issues involving databases, APIs, applications, and infrastructure.

AI Frameworks

Experience with one or more of the following: LangGraph, LangChain, Semantic Kernel, LlamaIndex

Cloud Native Engineering & DevOps

Hands-on Docker and Kubernetes experience that includes containerization, deployment and support of production workloads.

Experience with Azure DevOps and/or GitHub Actions and CI/CD pipeline implementation.

Monitoring and observability tools such as Azure Monitor, Application Insights, Grafana, Dynatrace or similar.

Cloud-native application development and deployment practices.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience building enterprise copilots, AI assistants, or intelligent automation solutions.

Experience with MCP (Model Context Protocol).

Experience with GraphRAG and Knowledge Graph architecture and development of RAG based applications.

Experience integrating AI solutions with ERP, SAP S/4 HANA, CRM, document management, or enterprise business applications.

Familiarity with Databricks, Delta Lake, or modern data engineering platforms.

Experience mentoring engineers and leading development teams.

Preferred Certifications: 

Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102)

Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)

Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)

COMPETENCIES

Evaluates Problems: Evaluates and analyzes different types of information objectively to identify appropriate solutions; writes fluently, establishing the key facts clearly and interprets numerical data effectively.

Technical Communication/ Presentation: Communicates with clarity and precision, presenting complex information in a concise format that is audience appropriate.

Adjusting and Driving Change: Takes a positive approach to tackling work and embraces change; invites feedback relating to performance and deals constructively with criticism. Identifies the need for and drives change when required to achieve objectives.

Focuses on Customers: Understands and anticipates customer needs and takes action to provide high-quality products and services to exceed expectations. 

Demonstrates Business Acumen: Demonstrates working knowledge of market, economic, legal, and regulatory environments and how they impact the business.

Agile Best Practices: Understands how agility is leveraged in IT ways of working. Adopts agile best practices as appropriate throughout the assigned work lifecycle. Responds to feedback quickly based on comments of internal and external customers and needs of the market.

Bias for Action: Takes initiative and identifies what needs to be done and acts without waiting to be asked. Executes work in a timely manner. Suggests improvements to current ways of working.

BFS COMPETENCIES

Business and Financial Acumen

Demonstrates depth of understanding for the P&L and financial analysis

Teaches business and financial acumen to others.

Understands KPIs and how BFS makes money.

Knows the different business segments and how they relate to one another.

Understands customer sales and engagement.

Demonstrates functional and/or technical expertise.

Understands complex issues and demonstrates problem solving skills.

Understands how to maximize business results regardless of industry cycle.

Results Driven

Holds self and others accountable.

Communicates and sets clear goals with plans to deliver.

Manages competing priorities effectively.

Demonstrates appropriate urgency.

Drives to exceed expectations in alignment with our BFS SPICE values.

Embraces and follows best practices.

Demonstrates self-starter, can-do attitude.

Strategic Thinking and Decision Making

Leverages resources and teams around them to solve problems and create mutually beneficial outcomes.

Demonstrates willingness and courage to make tough decisions in a timely manner.

Balances short-and-long term priorities

Demonstrates proactive versus reactive thinking.

Asks questions to identify root cause and analyze situations more accurately.

Servant Leadership

Demonstrates humility by putting others first.

Builds trust-based relationships.

Leads by example with kindness and respect.

Collaborates well across all areas of the business.

Advocates for others

Actively listens to understand the meaning and intent of what the other person is communicating.

Demonstrates authenticity and encourages others to do the same.

Emotional Intelligence

Demonstrates situational awareness – knows when and how to adjust leadership style in different situations.

Demonstrates self-awareness – understands strengths and weaknesses.

Demonstrates empathy – puts themselves in other’s shoes.

Assumes positive intent.

Develops and Leads Others

Drives alignment through clear communication of vision, goals, and expectations.

Invests time on a regular basis in performance feedback and developmental conversations.

Fosters a respectful and inclusive environment.

Empowers, motivates, and inspires others.

Coaches and mentor others for their development.

Guides and persuades others to deliver positive outcomes.

Growth Mindset

Demonstrates a growth mindset; takes appropriate risks, fails fast and forward, learns from mistakes.

Perseveres and champions growth, even in the face of resistance, ambiguity, or possible failure.

Thinks like an owner with an entrepreneurial spirit.

Demonstrates and encourages intellectual curiosity.

Continuous learner; seeks opportunities and knowledge for personal and professional growth.

Sees possibilities over problems – actively seeks solutions.

Innovation

Encourages out-of-the box thinking to create new ways of doing things.

Continuously seeks to improve and simplify pain points in the business.

Anticipates, embraces, and leads change.

Develops and executes breakthrough strategies.

Integrity

Does the right thing even under challenging circumstances?

Communicates with honesty.

Consistently treats others fairly and equitably.

Demonstrates reliability and does what they say they will do.

Conducts tough conversations and delivers difficult messages with kindness and respect.

WORK ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Subject to both typical office environment and outside locations with temperature and weather variations.

Must be able to lift and carry up to 25 pounds.

Occasional travel may be required to attend program specific working session.