Automation/AI Software Engineering Manager (Remote CST or EST only)

MUST BE IN CENTRAL OR EASTERN TIME ZONE IN USA Universal Background provides industry leading people insights to safety sensitive organizations in a simplified experience through our best-in-class background screening, drug testing, occupational health, and verification services. We are proudly ranked as an industry leader in quality and service delivery. Job Summary The Automation/AI Software Engineering Manager is responsible for leading our engineering team in building cutting-edge automation solutions powered by Large Language Models (LLMs). This role combines technical leadership, people management, and strategic vision to drive innovation in AI-powered automation systems. Key Responsibilities Team Leadership • Lead, mentor, and grow a team of 6-10 software engineers working on automation and LLM-based solutions • Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement • Conduct performance reviews, provide career development guidance, and manage team dynamics • Recruit top engineering talent and build a high-performing team Technical Strategy & Execution • Define technical roadmap for automation initiatives leveraging LLM APIs and cloud services • Architect scalable solutions that integrate LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, etc.) with existing systems and workflows • Build and deploy simple AI agents using LLM APIs for automation use cases • Drive adoption of best practices in prompt engineering, API integration, and agent design patterns • Oversee development of automation frameworks, tools, and platforms using cloud-native services • Balance technical debt with feature development and innovation Cross-Functional Collaboration • Partner with Product Management to identify automation opportunities using LLM capabilities • Collaborate with business teams to understand workflows and design appropriate AI agent solutions • Work with DevOps/Infrastructure teams to ensure reliable deployment and monitoring of LLM-powered systems • Communicate technical concepts and ROI of LLM automation to executive leadership Delivery & Operations • Ensure timely delivery of high-quality software through agile development practices • Establish metrics and KPIs to measure automation effectiveness and LLM performance • Implement monitoring, observability, and incident response processes for production systems • Manage project timelines, resource allocation, and stakeholder expectations Required Qualifications • Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience) • Experience: 7+ years in software engineering with 3+ years in engineering management • Automation Expertise: Strong background in building automation tools, frameworks, or platforms (RPA, workflow automation, CI/CD, testing automation, etc.) • LLM/AI Experience: 1-2+ years hands-on experience integrating and using LLM APIs in production applications • Leadership: Proven track record of building and managing high-performing engineering teams Preferred Qualifications • AWS Certified Solutions Architect or AWS Certified Database Specialty • Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate or similar .NET certifications • Database certifications (Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MongoDB) • Scrum Master or Agile certifications • GitHub Copilot or AI-assisted development certifications (if available) Technical Skills • Proficiency in C#, .NET Framework, and .NET Core/ASP.NET • Strong experience with LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, Azure OpenAI) • Expertise in prompt engineering and building simple AI agents for automation tasks • Experience with cloud platforms and their AI services (Azure AI, AWS Bedrock, GCP Vertex AI) • Knowledge of REST APIs, microservices architecture, and Azure Functions/AWS Lambda • Understanding of agent design patterns and multi-step workflows Technical Environment • Languages: C#, .NET Framework, .NET Core, ASP.NET • LLM Stack: Azure OpenAI, OpenAI GPT-4, Claude API, Semantic Kernel • Infrastructure: Azure (primary), AWS, Docker, Kubernetes • Tools: Azure DevOps, GitHub, Jira, Application Insights • Automation: Azure Logic Apps, Power Automate, custom .NET orchestration systems Special Requirements • May require on-call availability for critical incidents • Occasional travel may be required to offshore development locations • Flexibility required for meetings with offshore teams across different time zones • Some on-call availability for critical production issues • Must be proficient in the English language, both written and verbal. • Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. • Ability to lift 50 pounds. Selected candidates will be required to pass a comprehensive background check and drug screening. Universal Background is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment Visa. Universal Background is committed to creating a diverse work environment and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. Apply tot his job