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AI Systems Team (Developer, Architect & Infrastructure)

Position Information

Position Title: AI Systems Team (Developer, Architect & Infrastructure)
Department: Research & Development
Company: Protocase Inc.
Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
Work Arrangement: In-Office
Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Shift: Day Shift
Level: Experienced
Compensation: $70,000–$130,000 USD annually (depending on experience and role)

Full Transparency: We Work a Little Differently Around Here.

This isn't just another job where you punch in and punch out. We come to work every day because we strive to earn a living in a meaningful way. Too many people exist without finding joy or purpose in their work, and we believe that's just wrong. After all, we spend at least a third of our lives working—so why not create workplaces where people want to come to work in the morning and feel good when they leave at the end of the day?

At Protocase, your ideas don't just matter—they shape our future. We thrive on collaboration and innovation, where every voice is heard, valued, and makes a real impact. Does this sound like something you'd want to be a part of and help grow?

Protocase specializes in custom sheet metal enclosures, panels, and parts for engineers and innovators worldwide, built with unmatched speed and quality. We take the impossible and make it possible for some of the brightest minds on the planet.

Learn more about us: https://workdifferently.info/

About the Opportunity

We're building an AI Systems Team from the ground up.

This isn't one role—it's a team.

Not sure which role fits you best?

AI Systems Developer

You love building and shipping.

You take ideas and turn them into working systems—fast.

You'll build AI-powered tools that automate workflows, reduce manual work, and improve how the business operates every day.

AI Systems Architect

You think in systems.

You enjoy designing how everything connects and ensuring what we build scales, integrates, and creates measurable business value.

You'll define AI strategy, architecture, standards, and roadmaps that guide how AI is adopted across the organization.

AI Infrastructure Engineer

You care about performance, reliability, and scalability.

You'll design and manage the infrastructure that powers our AI systems—ensuring they're fast, reliable, secure, and cost-effective.

What You'll Do

Depending on your strengths, you'll contribute in areas such as:

AI Systems Development

• Build AI workflows using APIs, automation platforms, and internal business systems.
• Rapidly prototype, test, deploy, and continuously improve AI-powered tools.
• Integrate AI into Sales, Production, Engineering, Logistics, Customer Service, and other departments.
• Turn real business challenges into practical, user-friendly solutions.

AI Systems Architecture

• Design end-to-end AI systems and data flows.
• Define where AI creates value—and where it doesn't.
• Translate business strategy into scalable AI roadmaps.
• Establish standards for prompting, tools, integrations, governance, and system design.
• Ensure AI solutions remain maintainable, secure, and scalable.

AI Infrastructure Engineering

• Design and manage AI compute environments (GPU, CPU, cloud, and on-premises).
• Optimize system performance, latency, reliability, and cost.
• Build infrastructure that supports large-scale AI deployments.
• Monitor system health and ensure high availability.

Across Every Role

• Solve real business problems—not theoretical ones.
• Build AI systems that people actually use.
• Continuously improve workflows across the company.
• Collaborate with stakeholders from every department.
• Move quickly, learn continuously, and iterate based on feedback.

What You Need (Required Qualifications)

Education

• Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Engineering, Information Technology, Data Science, or a related field is preferred.
• Equivalent professional experience will absolutely be considered.

Experience

• Professional experience designing, developing, deploying, or supporting software systems.
• Experience solving real business problems through technology.
• Experience working in collaborative technical teams.

Technical Skills

Depending on your area of expertise, you should have experience in several of the following:

• Strong programming ability (Python, JavaScript, or similar languages).
• Experience working with APIs and system integrations.
• Familiarity with AI tools, large language models, prompt engineering, or AI-assisted workflows.
• Experience building automation solutions.
• Strong debugging and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to rapidly prototype and iterate.

Systems & Architecture (Architect Focus)

• Experience designing scalable software systems.
• Strong systems thinking.
• Ability to translate business strategy into technical solutions.
• Experience designing data flows, integrations, and architecture standards.

Infrastructure (Infrastructure Engineer Focus)

• Experience with Linux administration.
• Cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Containers and virtualization technologies.
• GPU infrastructure and AI compute environments.
• Performance optimization and system scalability.

How You Approach Work

Regardless of your specialty, you:

• Think like a builder.
• Focus on business impact rather than technical perfection.
• Enjoy experimentation and continuous learning.
• Move quickly without sacrificing quality.
• Are comfortable working in ambiguity.
• Collaborate exceptionally well with both technical and non-technical teammates.

Other Requirements

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
• Must be able to work full-time on-site in Wilmington, North Carolina.

What Would Be Considered an Asset

• Experience with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, or similar AI platforms.
• Experience building AI agents, copilots, or intelligent automation systems.
• Experience with vector databases, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), or semantic search.
• Experience with workflow automation tools such as n8n, Make, Zapier, or similar platforms.
• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, or container orchestration.
• Familiarity with enterprise integrations and business systems.
• Experience with manufacturing, engineering, or operational environments.
• Experience deploying production AI systems used by internal teams or customers.
• Passion for continuous learning and emerging AI technologies.

What Success Looks Like

Within your first year, you will:

• Deliver AI systems that create measurable improvements across the business.
• Build tools that employees rely on every day.
• Improve workflows by reducing repetitive work and increasing efficiency.
• Develop scalable, maintainable AI systems that support long-term growth.
• Become a trusted partner to departments across the company.
• Help establish Protocase as an AI-enabled manufacturing and technology leader.
• Foster a culture of experimentation, learning, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.

Why Us?

At Protocase, we're not building an AI department to follow trends.

We're building one because we believe AI will fundamentally change how great companies operate—and we want to help shape that future.

Our starting annual compensation ranges from $70,000 to $130,000 USD, depending on experience, expertise, and role.

In addition, you can look forward to:

Build Something New: Join a team at the beginning and help define how AI transforms an entire organization.

Real Impact: Work on projects that influence every department—from Sales and Engineering to Manufacturing and Executive Leadership.

‍⚕️ Comprehensive Health Care: Medical, Dental, Life Insurance, and Group Insurance available after two months of full-time employment.

️ Vacation: Start with two weeks of paid vacation, increasing with tenure.

️ Continuous Learning: Explore emerging technologies, experiment with new ideas, and help shape the future of AI within our organization.

Collaborative Culture: Work alongside engineers, developers, manufacturing experts, and business leaders who value curiosity, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Wilmington Lifestyle: Build cutting-edge AI systems while enjoying coastal living, beautiful beaches, a growing technology community, and an exceptional quality of life.

Help Build the Future

Whether you're a builder, an architect, or an infrastructure expert, we're looking for people who want to create AI systems that solve real problems—not just impressive demos.

If you're excited about building the future of work, we'd love to hear from you.