Research Software and AI Engineer

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

In 2022, UNC Chapel Hill launched the School of Data Science and Society ( SDSS), a new school devoted to data science teaching, research, scholarship, service, and creativity. The SDSS vision is to be a leader in shaping the field of data science through an interdisciplinary and rigorous grounding in theory and methods with a human centric approach to the entire data life cycle.

The mission of SDSS is to empower a diverse community of faculty conducting research in the fundamentals and/or the applications of data science. The school is training undergraduate, graduate, and professional students to be the next generation of data science leaders with the knowledge and skills to thrive in this data-driven world. The SDSS will serve the state, the nation, and the world through premier data science educational programs and innovative research directed to advancing the public good with human-centric and ethical applications.

The core elements of the SDSS include porous borders - leveraging our low-walled collaborative Carolina culture to solve major societal problems. Interdisciplinary research clusters that cross disciplines and school boundaries are a vital element of the school. The SDSS is focused on students and education - the emphasis is not just on data science majors but on all students becoming data literate. The school's culture has an open and transparent structure, governance, and business model.

This position is part of the Data Science and AI Research Service team which reports to the Director of Cross-Sector Partnerships. The Data Science and AI Research Service is a team within the School of Data Science and Society that supports data-intensive research across a broad range of data science and AI domains. The service works to enable best practices in data management, analysis, software development, and technology adoption to advance data science research and research translation.

The Research Software and AI Engineer is a team member within the Data Science and AI Research Service that supports researchers in developing and deploying AI and data science applications. The role works closely with faculty, research staff, and graduate students to enable cutting-edge data science research. The role designs, builds, and hardens software tools. The role collaborates with multi-disciplinary teams and external partners to deliver production-quality code, taking prototypes to scalable, maintainable tools. Where appropriate, the Research Software and AI Engineer incorporates state-of-the art technologies and modern development practices to maximize efficiency and usability for end users.

Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent); for candidates demonstrating comparable independent research productivity, will accept a relevant Bachelor's degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and 3 or more years of relevant experience in substitution. May require terminal degree and licensure.

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a relatied field; or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.

- Demonstrated professional experience in software engineering and web development, including Python, SQL, modern development frameworks, Git workflows, automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and containerization.
- Experience delivering production services from prototypes in iterative sprints.
- Experience with modern frameworks such as React, Django, FastAPI is a plus.
- Experience with front-end development is a plus.
- Familiarity with accelerators, software templates, and reference architectures.
- Experience with AI and Machine Learning Frameworks, including Generative AI
- Exposure to Azure ecosystems (e.g., Microsoft Fabric, Azure MI, Databricks) and collaboration with data/ML and cloud teams.
- Familiarity with reasearch data contexts (e.g., working with curated datasets, data catalogs, access controls) and secure, HIPAA protected environments.
- Familiarity with HPC cluster workflows, including SLURM job scheduling, resource allocation, and parallel computing.

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The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.