Software Development Engineer - III

Embed and diagnose

• Sit with functions - Products, Programs, AI/ML, Engineering, Design, Communications, HR, Finance, Admin, Partnerships - to learn how work actually gets done and where the real friction is.
• Distinguish problems worth solving from noise, and name them precisely before reaching for any tool.

Build, wire up, and evaluate

• Prototype solutions hands-on - prompts and workflows, lightweight automations, agentic tooling, or integrations across the tools we run (Gemini for Workspace, Cursor, Claude Code, Canva, Figma) and others as needed.
• Evaluate honestly: measure time saved and quality against licence, token, learning, and maintenance cost - and be willing to conclude “not worth it.”
• Choose the right tool, including no AI at all. Recommend non-AI or non-agentic fixes - a template, a script, a checklist, a process change - whenever they beat the AI option on merit.

Lead the enablement effort

• Stand up and coach a cross-functional network of part-time AI champions (one or two per function); be their force multiplier and escalation point.
• Own the shared playbook: validated use cases, reusable prompts, and honest post-mortems that compound across functions.
• Build durable AI fluency across the org - capability over dependency - through hands-on enablement, not slideware.

Own guardrails and cost

• Maintain the approved-tools list and the data-classification rules; run the quick security/privacy gate before sensitive or partner data touches any tool.
• Vet vendors’ data-retention and model-training terms; prefer tools that do not train on our inputs.
• Own the cost picture - licences, tokens, and maintenance - and keep spend tied to demonstrated value.

Requirements

Must-haves

• A builder. Strong engineering background - you can read a codebase, write production-quality code, and ship working prototypes yourself. (Several years of hands-on software or ML engineering.)
• Fluent in modern AI. Practical, current command of LLMs, prompting, retrieval, agents, and AI-assisted dev tools - and a realistic sense of what they can and cannot do.
• Security- and privacy-literate. You understand data-handling risk, vendor data-retention and training terms, and how to keep sensitive data safe - instinctively, not as an afterthought.
• A clear-eyed economist of effort. You reason about cost versus benefit and total cost of ownership, and you are comfortable saying “the simpler, non-AI option wins here.”
• A translator and teacher. You can sit with a finance analyst or an HR partner, understand their world, and build with empathy. Excellent, simple, written communication - a Wadhwani non-negotiable.
• Self-starting and persistent. You define the problem, drive the solution, and see it through - without excuses, and with humility about what you don’t yet know.

Bonus

• Prior Forward-Deployed, solutions-engineering, or internal-tools/platform experience.
• Exposure to the social / development sector, public health, agriculture, or government data environments.
• Experience standing up internal enablement, communities of practice, or developer-experience programmes.

Benefits

Wadhwani AI - Full Time Employee Benefits (Not applicable for Intern or Contract Roles)

• Insurance Benefits - Medical Insurance, OPD Coverage, Accidental Insurance, Life Insurance.
• Wellness Program - Employee Assistance Program, Annual Health Check-Ups, Onsite Medical Centers, Emergency Support System.
• Parental Support - Maternity Benefit, Travel Reimbursement for Expectant Mothers during Last Trimester, Paternity Benefit, Day Care Support Program
• Mobility Benefits - Travel Policy, Relocation and Deputation benefits,
• Statutory Benefits - Employee PF Contribution, Gratuity, Leave Encashment
• Other Benefits - Unlimited Leave Policy, Professional Development Policy, Referral Bonuses, Internet and Telephone Allowance.

We care deeply about the well-being of our employees and their families. You will get an opportunity to take on roles beyond a defined job description. Take a look at our website www.wadhwaniai.org to learn more about our work on AI for Social Impact. These are just some of the reasons why working with us is more than just a job - it's a chance to grow, thrive and contribute to society.