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About This Role
The Opportunity
- *This position is based out of our* *Greenwood Village, Colorado* *office and requires regular, in‑person attendance.*
Ulteig is looking for a Software Engineer who is a Computer Science graduate seeking their first professional software engineering role, who is excited to build with modern AI technologies.
This position is within Digital Transformation; Ulteig defines digital transformation as:
The deliberate use of digital technologies to modify or create business processes, customer experiences, and enable organizational culture in response to or anticipation of changes in the market, customer insights, and business needs.
This role is ideal for graduates who are AI builders—engineers who actively leverage AI tools such as agents, large language models, and modern AI frameworks to create software, while also understanding the core computer science principles, patterns, and practices that make solutions reliable, scalable, and safe.
You will work closely with experienced software engineers and AI leaders, learning how to translate real business problems into AI‑enabled solutions, contributing code, prototypes, and experiments while growing your technical depth and professional confidence.
What You'll Do
Hands‑On Development \& Learning
- Contribute to the design, development, and testing of AI‑enabled software solutions under the guidance of senior engineers.
- Write production‑quality code using languages and technologies such as C\#, Python, React, APIs, and modern AI tooling.
- Build and enhance features that incorporate AI capabilities such as large language models, agents, vision, and automation.
- Assist with prototypes and proofs‑of‑concept to explore new use cases and validate feasibility.
- Learn how to apply software engineering fundamentals—readability, testability, performance, and maintainability—even when using AI‑assisted development tools.
AI Builder Mindset
- Leverage AI coding assistants and techniques to accelerate development while understanding *why* the generated code works.
- Apply emerging AI patterns (such as prompt design, retrieval, and tool‑use concepts) in practical, supervised settings.
- Learn when AI is the right tool—and when traditional software patterns are more appropriate.
- Develop an ethical, secure, and responsible approach to using AI in real business workflows.
Collaboration \& Growth
- Collaborate with software engineers, product partners, and business stakeholders in a team‑based environment.
- Participate in code reviews, design discussions, and sprint ceremonies.
- Ask thoughtful questions, seek feedback, and continuously improve your technical skills.
- Engage in training, workshops, and learning opportunities focused on AI, cloud, and modern software development.
What We Expect from You
Education \& Early Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field.
- This role is intended for new or recent graduates (internships, co‑ops, academic projects, or personal projects are great).
- Demonstrated interest in AI and modern software development through coursework, projects, hackathons, research, or self‑directed learning.
Technical Foundations
- Working knowledge of at least one programming language, such as C\#, Python, Java, or similar.
- Solid understanding of core computer science concepts, including:
- + Data structures and data handling
+ APIs and basic system design
+ Basic design patterns
- Introductory exposure to AI / Machine Learning or Generative AI concepts is strongly preferred (academic or hands‑on).
- Familiarity with using AI tools (copilots, chat‑based assistants, etc.) for coding or problem\-solving is a requirement.
Mindset \& Potential
- Strong curiosity and enthusiasm for building, experimenting, and learning.
- Comfortable using AI to accelerate work while valuing engineering fundamentals and good design.
- Growth mindset with openness to coaching, feedback, and continuous improvement.
- Responsible and thoughtful approach to using AI technologies.
- Motivated self‑starter who takes ownership of learning and assigned work.
- Demonstrates openness to innovation by embracing and applying evolving technology and AI tools to enhance workflows, solve problems, and drive continuous improvement.
- Must have authorization to work permanently in the U.S.
Why This Role
This role is intentionally designed as a launchpad. You won’t be expected to be an AI expert on day one. Instead, you’ll be supported through:
- Mentorship from experienced software and AI engineers
- Structured learning and hands‑on exposure to real use cases
- Increasing responsibility as your skills and confidence grow
Successful candidates will grow into more advanced software engineering roles, contributing to the evolution of Ulteig’s capabilities while building a strong foundation for a long‑term engineering career.
*As you consider applying for a position at Ulteig, we encourage you to think outside the box – because we do! You might not meet 100% of the skills listed in a description, but we are committed to hiring people with exceptional talent, ability, and potential, and then creating an environment where they can become the best versions of themselves. We don’t want to miss out on the possibility of speaking with the next outstanding Ulteig team member, so please apply if you think this role is a great match for your unique skills and strengths. And, yes, relevant military experience is absolutely considered for transitioning service members.*
What You Can Expect from Ulteig
Ulteig is a purpose\-driven organization that has built a culture focused on people, both our clients and our employees, for over 80 years. Working at Ulteig is more than a job, opening opportunities to make an impact by creating and solving for a sustainable future. We recognize our success relies heavily on the dedication and focus of our workforce; this is why we make investing in our employees a top priority. We prioritize flexibility and staying connected to meet your needs and help you achieve your goals. We value your unique perspective, respect your individuality, and celebrate your contributions. At Ulteig, we take our success and the success of our clients personally.
We offer our team members:
- Flexible Workplace
- Employee Ownership
- Competitive Pay
- Comprehensive Benefits Package
- Collaborative Environment
- Innovative Culture
Our vision is to be the most trusted partners transforming our world’s critical infrastructure. Ulteig connects people and resources to develop compelling, integrated solutions across multiple Lifeline Sectors®, including Power, Renewables, Transportation and Water. Ulteig is a trusted partner in engineering North America’s essential infrastructure and leverages its expertise with a wide range of public and private clients.
At Ulteig, we care deeply about our team, listening to their needs and ensuring they have the tools necessary to be productive whether they choose to work remotely, hybrid or in office. Regardless of where you work, you are empowered to build a workday that best suits your strengths. We strive to ensure a balance and separation between home and work life. We support a flexible working schedule so employees are able to focus on what's important to them.
If you would like to be a part of a company that empowers their employees, apply today!
*Ulteig is a Drug Free Workplace*
ACHIEVE \| GROW \| COLLABORATE
Additional Opportunity Details:
Target Base Compensation Range for this role is $ $80,000 \- $120,000/year
- *Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary include your job\-specific skills, education, training, job location, number of years of experience related to this role and comparison to other employees already in this role.*
This position will be posted for a minimum of 3 days and will continue to be posted for an average of 60 days until a qualified applicant is selected or the position has been cancelled.
Notice to Recruiters and Staffing Agencies: to protect the interests of all parties, Ulteig Engineers, Inc., will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate or an approved vendor that has a written and signed agreement in place with Ulteig. Please do not contact or forward resumes to our company employees or locations. Any unsolicited resumes will be considered Ulteig property. Ulteig is not responsible for any charges or fees related to unsolicited resumes.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
Salary Context
This $80K-$120K range is in the lower quartile for AI Software Engineer roles in our dataset (median: $183K across 194 roles with salary data).
Role Details
About This Role
AI Software Engineers build the applications and systems that AI models run inside. They own the API layers, data pipelines, frontend integrations, and infrastructure that turn a model into a product users interact with. Every AI company needs engineers who can build the software around the AI.
The challenge is building reliable systems around inherently unreliable components. Models are probabilistic. They'll give different answers to the same question. They hallucinate. They're slow. They're expensive. Your job is to build an application layer that handles all of this gracefully while delivering a product that users trust and enjoy.
Across the 3,708 AI roles we're tracking, AI Software Engineer positions make up 7% of the market. At Ulteig, this role fits into their broader AI and engineering organization.
AI Software Engineer roles are among the most numerous in the AI job market. Every company deploying AI needs software engineers who understand AI integration patterns. The demand is broad, spanning startups to enterprises, across every industry adopting AI capabilities.
What the Work Looks Like
A typical week includes: building API endpoints that serve model inference with caching and fallback logic, designing the data pipeline that feeds context to a RAG system, implementing streaming responses in the frontend, debugging a race condition in the async inference pipeline, and optimizing database queries for the vector search layer. It's full-stack engineering with AI at the center.
AI Software Engineer roles are among the most numerous in the AI job market. Every company deploying AI needs software engineers who understand AI integration patterns. The demand is broad, spanning startups to enterprises, across every industry adopting AI capabilities.
Skills Required
Full-stack engineering skills with AI integration experience. Python and TypeScript are the most common requirements. You'll need to understand API design, database architecture, and how to build reliable systems around probabilistic outputs. Experience with streaming, async processing, and caching patterns is increasingly important as real-time AI applications proliferate.
Knowledge of vector databases, embedding APIs, and LLM integration patterns (function calling, structured outputs, retry logic) differentiates AI software engineers from general software engineers. Understanding cost optimization (caching strategies, model routing, batched inference) is valuable since inference costs can dominate application economics.
Strong postings describe the product you'll be building, the AI integration patterns you'll work with, and the scale requirements. Look for companies that have existing AI features and need engineers to improve and expand them, not companies that are 'planning to add AI' someday.
Compensation Benchmarks
AI Software Engineer roles pay a median of $219,250 based on 424 positions with disclosed compensation. Mid-level AI roles across all categories have a median of $200,000. This role's midpoint ($100K) sits 54% below the category median. Disclosed range: $80K to $120K.
Across all AI roles, the market median is $217,500. Top-quartile compensation starts at $272,100. The 90th percentile reaches $325,000. For comparison, the highest-paying categories include AI Safety ($300,000) and Research Engineer ($280,000). By seniority level: Entry: $120,000; Mid: $200,000; Senior: $230,000; Director: $272,150; VP: $250,000.
Ulteig AI Hiring
Ulteig has 1 open AI role right now. They're hiring across AI Software Engineer. Based in Greenwood Village, CO, US. Compensation range: $120K - $120K.
Location Context
Across all AI roles, 14% (508 positions) offer remote work, while 3,180 require on-site attendance. Top AI hiring metros: New York (1,045 roles, $220,000 median); San Francisco (810 roles, $277,088 median); Los Angeles (397 roles, $215,000 median).
Career Path
Common paths into AI Software Engineer roles include Software Engineer, Full-Stack Developer, Backend Engineer.
From here, career progression typically leads toward Staff Engineer, AI Architect, Engineering Manager.
If you're a software engineer, you're already 80% there. Learn the AI integration patterns: RAG, streaming inference, function calling, structured outputs. Build a project that demonstrates you can wrap an AI model in a production-quality application with proper error handling, caching, and user experience. That's the portfolio piece that gets you hired.
What to Expect in Interviews
Technical screens look like standard software engineering interviews with an AI twist. Expect system design questions about building reliable applications around probabilistic models: handling streaming responses, implementing retry logic for API failures, and designing caching strategies for LLM outputs. Coding rounds test standard algorithms plus practical integration patterns like async processing and rate limiting.
When evaluating opportunities: Strong postings describe the product you'll be building, the AI integration patterns you'll work with, and the scale requirements. Look for companies that have existing AI features and need engineers to improve and expand them, not companies that are 'planning to add AI' someday.
AI Hiring Overview
The AI job market has 3,708 open positions tracked in our dataset. By seniority: 102 entry-level, 1,705 mid-level, 1,469 senior, and 432 leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level). Remote roles make up 14% of the market (508 positions). The remaining 3,180 roles require on-site or hybrid attendance.
The market median for AI roles is $217,500. Top-quartile compensation starts at $272,100. The 90th percentile reaches $325,000. Highest-paying categories: AI Safety ($300,000 median, 21 roles); Research Engineer ($280,000 median, 147 roles); AI Architect ($254,798 median, 67 roles).
AI Software Engineer roles are among the most numerous in the AI job market. Every company deploying AI needs software engineers who understand AI integration patterns. The demand is broad, spanning startups to enterprises, across every industry adopting AI capabilities.
The AI Job Market Today
The AI job market spans 3,708 open positions across 16 role categories. The largest categories by volume: AI/ML Engineer (2,605), Data Scientist (310), AI Software Engineer (259). These three account for the majority of open positions, though smaller categories often have higher per-role compensation because of specialized skill requirements.
The seniority mix tells a story about where AI teams are in their maturity. Entry-level roles (102) are outnumbered by mid-level (1,705) and senior (1,469) positions, reflecting that most companies are past the 'build a team from scratch' phase and need experienced engineers who can ship production systems. Leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level) total 432 positions, representing the bottleneck between technical execution and organizational strategy.
Remote work availability sits at 14% of all AI roles (508 positions), with 3,180 requiring on-site or hybrid attendance. The remote share has stabilized after the post-pandemic correction. Senior and specialized roles (Research Scientist, ML Architect) are more likely to be remote-eligible than entry-level positions, partly because experienced hires have more negotiating power and partly because these roles require less hands-on mentorship.
AI compensation is structured in clear tiers. The market median sits at $217,500. Top-quartile roles start at $272,100, and the 90th percentile reaches $325,000. These figures include base salary with disclosed compensation. Total compensation (including equity, bonuses, and sign-on) runs 20-40% higher at companies that offer those components.
Category matters for compensation. AI Safety roles lead at $300,000 median, while Prompt Engineer roles sit at $140,000. The spread between highest and lowest-paying categories reflects the premium on specialized technical skills versus broader analytical roles.
The most in-demand skills across all AI postings: Python (1,890 postings), Aws (1,103 postings), Azure (877 postings), Rag (855 postings), Gcp (631 postings), Prompt Engineering (560 postings), Pytorch (545 postings), Claude (498 postings). Python dominates, appearing in the vast majority of role descriptions regardless of category. Cloud platform experience (AWS, GCP, Azure) is the second most common requirement. The newer entrants to the top skills list (RAG, vector databases, LLM APIs) reflect the shift from traditional ML toward generative AI applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
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