AI Engineer

About The Company
VCU Health is a leading healthcare organization committed to providing exceptional patient care, advancing medical research, and fostering innovative healthcare solutions. With a comprehensive network of hospitals, clinics, and research centers, VCU Health strives to improve health outcomes through cutting-edge technology and dedicated clinical expertise. The organization values diversity, integrity, and a collaborative approach to healthcare, ensuring that patients receive personalized and effective treatment in a compassionate environment.
About The Role
The AI Engineer III at VCU Health plays a pivotal role in developing and deploying advanced machine learning solutions that enhance clinical and operational efficiencies within the healthcare setting. This position requires a highly skilled professional who can work at the intersection of technology, research, and medicine, translating clinical challenges into innovative AI-powered solutions. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with clinicians, operational subject matter experts, clinical researchers, and IT teams to design scalable, production-grade ML systems that can significantly impact patient care and organizational performance.
Qualifications
Candidates should possess a Bachelor's Degree in Business, Information Technology, Mathematics, Data Analytics, Engineering, or a related field. A Master's degree in these disciplines is preferred. A minimum of 8 years of experience in machine learning and artificial intelligence tools and technologies is required, with at least 5 years of hands-on experience in Python or R and SQL. Additionally, candidates should have at least 2 years of experience as a Full Stack Machine Learning Engineer or similar role, with healthcare environment experience being highly advantageous. Expertise working with unstructured data, NLP technologies, big data, and open-source ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, Keras, or Numpy is essential. Familiarity with foundation models, prompt engineering, fine-tuning, or retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) is also required. Knowledge of cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP is necessary, along with an understanding of data management, data warehousing, and data governance concepts.
Responsibilities

• Develop predictive models and machine learning algorithms to support clinical decision-making, improve patient outcomes, and optimize healthcare operations and financial performance.
• Create and implement advanced AI solutions, including large language models (LLMs), agentic AI, and automation tools using RAG or fine-tuning foundation models.
• Design, develop, and maintain scalable ML pipelines covering data ingestion, feature engineering, model training, deployment, and ongoing monitoring.
• Stay updated with the latest advancements in AI and machine learning to ensure VCU Health remains at the forefront of technological innovation.
• Conduct comprehensive model evaluation, including performance testing and bias assessment, to ensure ethical and reliable AI deployment.
• Mentor junior team members, sharing expertise in AI/ML techniques, best practices in model development, and deployment strategies.
• Design and develop RESTful APIs for seamless integration of ML models and GenAI solutions into existing healthcare applications and systems.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to translate clinical and operational challenges into effective AI solutions.
• Participate in research activities and pilot projects to explore emerging AI technologies such as agentic AI, AR/VR, and other innovative tools that can enhance patient care.

Benefits
VCU Health offers a competitive benefits package designed to support the well-being and professional growth of its employees. Benefits include comprehensive health insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, retirement savings options, paid time off, and professional development opportunities. The organization promotes a healthy work-life balance and provides a collaborative environment that encourages innovation and continuous learning. Employees also have access to wellness programs, employee assistance programs, and various resources to support their personal and professional needs.
Equal Opportunity
VCU Health is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are dedicated to providing a work environment where everyone can thrive and contribute to our mission of improving health outcomes for all.