AI Engineer (R&D)

Location: Dallas, Texas (US-TX), United States

About the role

We are seeking an experienced AI Engineer to support the design, development, and delivery of AI-enabled data solutions within Research & Development (R&D). This is a highly hands-on role focused on building production-grade data applications and analytics that directly enable R&D decision-making. You will work closely with R&D stakeholders and Digital, Data, and AI partners to translate real business needs into scalable, secure, and maintainable data products. This role is ideal for an engineer who codes daily, leverages AI-assisted development tools effectively, and sets a high bar for technical quality through strong code review and engineering standards.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain scalable R&D data capture, ingestion, and analytics systems supporting structured and semi-structured data across the R&D lifecycle
• Develop production-grade Python and SQL code for data pipelines, AI-enabled analytics, and automation with a strong focus on performance, reliability, and maintainability
• Leverage AI-assisted coding tools to accelerate delivery while ensuring solutions meet security, data privacy, and quality standards
• Translate R&D and business requirements into fully functional data products and applications, not just proofs of concept
• Create interactive front-end prototypes (wireframes, lightweight apps, or functional mock-ups) to validate user workflows and reduce delivery risk
• Provide technical leadership through architecture input, code-level guidance, and rigorous peer and AI-generated code reviews
• Lead end-to-end User Acceptance Testing (UAT), including scenario design, edge-case validation, and production readiness sign-off
• Provide post-deployment hypercare and aftercare, including monitoring, issue triage, bug fixes, access management, and data quality checks
• Evaluate third-party AI platforms and tools, assessing technical fit, scalability, cost, and alignment with IT and AI governance standards
• Communicate progress, risks, and design decisions clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, or a related field
• 7+ years of strong, hands-on experience with Python for data engineering and analytics, including modular design, logging, configuration management, and automation
• 5+ years of advanced SQL expertise, including query optimization and working with large, complex datasets
• Proven experience designing and optimizing data models that balance performance, usability, and analytics needs
• 5+ years of experience with cloud-based data platforms such as Databricks, Delta Lake, or equivalent technologies, including performance and cost optimization
• 3 to 5 years of demonstrated success building and launching applications or data products using AI-assisted coding tools
• Ability to critically assess, refactor, test, and productionize AI-generated code to enterprise standards
• Extensive experience with Git-based workflows, including branching strategies, pull requests, and peer code reviews
• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts and AI outcomes into clear, actionable insights
• Highly self-directed, delivery-focused, and comfortable working in fast-moving, evolving data and AI environments

Nice to have

• Experience supporting R&D, manufacturing, supply chain, or scientific data environments
• Exposure to statistics, Design of Experiments (DOE), or advanced analytics workflows
• Experience building internal data tools or reusable analytics frameworks

About NTT DATA

NTT DATA is a $30 billion business and technology services leader, serving 75% of the Fortune Global 100. We are committed to accelerating client success and positively impacting society through responsible innovation. As a Global Top Employer, we have experts in more than 50 countries and offer clients access to a robust ecosystem of innovation centers as well as established and start-up partners. NTT DATA is part of NTT Group, which invests over $3 billion each year in R&D.

Whenever possible, we hire locally to NTT DATA offices or client sites to provide timely and effective support tailored to each client’s needs. While many positions offer remote or hybrid work options, these arrangements are subject to change based on client requirements.