Contract Python Jobs in McKinney, TX (NOW HIRING)

Essential Functions:                                                                                                              

Description / Essential Functions:

AI Research & Emerging-Tech Exploration

·       Continuously research advancements in AI/ML, with a strong focus on Generative AI, LLM architectures, agent frameworks, and multimodal models.

·       Evaluate emerging tools, frameworks, and APIs such as ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, LangChain, LangSmith, CrewAI, vector DBs, RAG frameworks, orchestration tools, and model hosting platforms.

·       Identify opportunities where new AI capabilities can solve business problems or streamline client’s operations.

Rapid Prototyping & Hands-On Development

·       Build rapid, functional prototypes with a strong hands-on coding approach using Python, modern AI SDKs, and model APIs.

·       Develop experimental features and concepts that validate feasibility before engineering teams take them to production.

·       Design, test, and iterate on AI workflows, pipelines, agentic systems, and retrieval-augmented applications.

Technical Experimentation & Evaluation

·       Conduct benchmarking, model evaluation, prompt engineering, and fine-tuning experiments to assess performance.

·       Compare models, frameworks, and architectures to recommend best-fit technologies for production teams.

·       Document findings with clarity, experiment logs, model performance summaries, reproducible code samples, and technical write-ups.

Collaboration With Engineering & Stakeholders

·       Work hand-in-hand with engineering teams to transition prototypes into scalable production-ready systems.

·       Translate experimental results into actionable recommendations for architecture, infrastructure, and model deployment.

·       Engage with product managers, business partners, and data scientists to align prototypes with real-world needs.

Thought Leadership & Knowledge Sharing

·       Track market activity, academic research, open-source contributions, and competitor innovation trends.

·       Present insights, demos, and proposals to technical leadership and stakeholders.

·       Foster a culture of AI innovation through workshops, documentation, and internal knowledge sharing.

Minimum qualification:                                                                                                                      

Required Education & Experience:

Technical & Research Expertise

·       Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in Computer Science, AI, Data Science, or a related technical field.

·       5+ years of hands-on experience in AI engineering, research engineering, ML prototyping, or similar roles.

·       Strong programming proficiency in Python and familiarity with major AI/ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch).

·       Practical experience with LLMs, prompt engineering, RAG systems, LangChain, LangSmith, CrewAI, vector databases, and other modern GenAI tools.

·       Experience building rapid prototypes, POCs, and experimental AI applications.

Applied AI & Tooling Knowledge

·       Deep understanding of AI ecosystems such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Hugging Face, Azure AI, AWS Bedrock, etc.

·       Familiarity with developer tools like GitHub Copilot, GPT-based coding assistants, and modern MLOps workflows.

·       Comfort exploring model internals, parameter tuning, API integrations, and evaluation frameworks.

Soft Skills & Collaboration

·       Strong ability to translate cutting-edge research concepts into practical technical solutions.

·       Excellent communication and documentation skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.

·       Curiosity-driven mindset and commitment to daily research, experimentation, and continuous learning.

·       Ability to manage multiple research tracks, prototypes, and fast-moving developments.

Preferred qualification:                                                                                                                      

·       Experience with fine-tuning, LoRA, or custo

·       Background in agentic AI systems, automation frameworks, and workflow orchestration.

·       Prior experience publishing research insights or contributing to open-source AI projects.

·       Certifications in advanced AI/ML topics or cloud AI platforms.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

·       Onsite contract: Standard business hours

·       Occasional after-hours or weekend work may be required based on business need