AI Engineer – LLM / MCP / RAG / Agentic AI

$97K - $217K Remote Mid Level AI/ML Engineer

Interested in this AI/ML Engineer role at VGMT GLOBAL IT SOLUTIONS?

Apply Now →

Skills & Technologies

AwsLookerPythonPytorchRagTensorflow

About This Role

AI job market dashboard showing open roles by category

Job Overview

We are seeking a dynamic and innovative AI Engineer specializing in Large Language Models (LLMs), Multi\-Component Processing (MCP), Retrieval\-Augmented Generation (RAG), and Agentic AI systems. In this role, you will lead the development, implementation, and optimization of cutting\-edge AI solutions that leverage generative AI, natural language processing, and scalable big data systems. Your expertise will drive transformative projects across data analytics, predictive modeling, and AI deployment, empowering our organization to harness the full potential of advanced artificial intelligence technologies. Join us to shape the future of intelligent systems and make a meaningful impact through innovative AI engineering.

Duties

  • Design, develop, and optimize large\-scale AI models including LLMs, RAG architectures, and agent\-based systems using frameworks like TensorFlow and machine learning/AI\-based analysis tools.
  • Implement scalable data pipelines utilizing ETL processes, Hadoop, Spark, Talend, and SQL databases to manage vast datasets efficiently.
  • Conduct statistical analysis for research and model evaluation to ensure accuracy, robustness, and scalability of AI models.
  • Deploy machine learning models into production environments leveraging cloud services such as AWS and machine learning cloud platforms for seamless integration.
  • Collaborate with cross\-functional teams to develop natural language processing solutions for diverse applications including chatbots, content generation, and knowledge retrieval systems.
  • Perform statistical modeling, data mining, and predictive modeling analysis to extract actionable insights from complex datasets.
  • Maintain expertise in emerging AI trends such as generative AI, quantum engineering, and linked data to continuously enhance our technological capabilities.

Requirements

  • Proven experience with machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch and proficiency in Python for model training and deployment.
  • Strong knowledge of big data systems including Hadoop, Spark implementation, and SQL databases for handling large\-scale data analytics projects.
  • Hands\-on experience with natural language processing (NLP), generative AI models, and statistical analysis tools like R or SAS.
  • Familiarity with cloud\-based AI services on AWS or similar platforms for scalable model deployment and management.
  • Proficiency in programming languages such as Java, C, Bash (Unix shell), VBA or similar for automation and system integration tasks.
  • Understanding of database design principles alongside experience with ETL tools like Talend or Looker for efficient data pipeline creation.
  • Knowledge of quantum engineering concepts is a plus; strong analytical skills in statistical analysis for research are essential.
  • Ability to work collaboratively in a fast\-paced environment while managing multiple projects related to data analytics, model evaluation, and AI implementation.

Join our innovative team where your expertise will accelerate the development of next\-generation AI solutions! We value creativity, technical excellence, and a passion for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with artificial intelligence.

Pay: $97,931\.01 \- $217,938\.41 per year

Benefits:

  • Dental insurance
  • Health insurance

Work Location: Remote

Salary Context

This $97K-$217K range is below the median for AI/ML Engineer roles in our dataset (median: $175K across 2162 roles with salary data).

View full AI/ML Engineer salary data →

Role Details

Title AI Engineer – LLM / MCP / RAG / Agentic AI
Location Remote, US
Category AI/ML Engineer
Experience Mid Level
Salary $97K - $217K
Remote Yes

About This Role

AI/ML Engineers build and deploy machine learning models in production. They work across the full ML lifecycle: data pipelines, model training, evaluation, and serving infrastructure. The role has evolved significantly over the past two years. Where ML Engineers once spent most of their time on model architecture, the job now tilts heavily toward inference optimization, cost management, and integrating LLM capabilities into existing systems. Companies want engineers who can ship production systems, and the experimenter-only role is fading fast.

Day-to-day, you're writing training pipelines, debugging data quality issues, setting up evaluation frameworks, and figuring out why your model performs differently in staging than it did on your dev set. The best ML engineers are obsessive about reproducibility and measurement. They instrument everything. They know that a model is only as good as the data feeding it and the infrastructure serving it.

Across the 4,317 AI roles we're tracking, AI/ML Engineer positions make up 70% of the market. At VGMT GLOBAL IT SOLUTIONS, this role fits into their broader AI and engineering organization.

Demand for AI/ML Engineers has been strong and consistent. Unlike some AI roles that spike with hype cycles, ML engineering is a foundational need. Every company deploying AI models needs people who can keep them running, and the gap between research prototypes and production systems keeps growing.

What the Work Looks Like

A typical week might include: debugging a data pipeline that's silently dropping 3% of training examples, running A/B tests on a new model version, writing documentation for a feature flag system that lets you roll back model deployments, and reviewing a junior engineer's PR for a new evaluation metric. Meetings tend to be cross-functional since ML touches product, engineering, and data teams.

Demand for AI/ML Engineers has been strong and consistent. Unlike some AI roles that spike with hype cycles, ML engineering is a foundational need. Every company deploying AI models needs people who can keep them running, and the gap between research prototypes and production systems keeps growing.

Skills Required

Aws (28% of roles) Looker (1% of roles) Python (52% of roles) Pytorch (15% of roles) Rag (21% of roles) Tensorflow (12% of roles)

Python and PyTorch dominate the requirements. Most roles expect experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and familiarity with ML frameworks like TensorFlow or JAX. RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) has become a top-3 skill requirement as companies integrate LLMs into their products. Docker and Kubernetes show up in about a third of postings, reflecting the production focus of the role.

Beyond the core stack, employers increasingly want experience with experiment tracking tools (MLflow, Weights & Biases), feature stores, and vector databases. Fine-tuning experience is valuable but less common than you'd think from reading Twitter. Most production LLM work is RAG and prompt engineering, not fine-tuning. If you have both, you're in a strong position.

Companies that are serious about AI/ML hiring tend to post specific infrastructure details in the job description: the frameworks they use, their model serving stack, their data pipeline tools. Vague postings that just say 'ML experience required' without specifics are often companies that haven't figured out what they need yet.

Compensation Benchmarks

AI/ML Engineer roles pay a median of $214,900 based on 6,420 positions with disclosed compensation. Mid-level AI roles across all categories have a median of $194,400. This role's midpoint ($157K) sits 27% below the category median. Disclosed range: $97K to $217K.

Across all AI roles, the market median is $215,000. Top-quartile compensation starts at $266,300. The 90th percentile reaches $320,790. For comparison, the highest-paying categories include AI Safety ($287,500) and Research Engineer ($272,100). By seniority level: Entry: $110,000; Mid: $194,400; Senior: $227,400; Director: $274,554; VP: $241,000.

VGMT GLOBAL IT SOLUTIONS AI Hiring

VGMT GLOBAL IT SOLUTIONS has 1 open AI role right now. They're hiring across AI/ML Engineer. Based in Remote, US. Compensation range: $217K - $217K.

Remote Work Context

Remote AI roles pay a median of $180,000 across 1,196 positions. About 15% of all AI roles offer remote work.

Career Path

Common paths into AI/ML Engineer roles include Data Scientist, Software Engineer, Research Engineer.

From here, career progression typically leads toward ML Architect, AI Engineering Manager, Principal ML Engineer.

The fastest path into ML engineering is through software engineering with a self-directed ML education. A CS degree helps, but production engineering skills matter more than academic credentials. Build something that works, deploy it, and measure it. That portfolio project is worth more than a Coursera certificate. For career growth, the fork comes around the senior level: go deep on technical complexity (staff/principal track) or move into managing ML teams.

What to Expect in Interviews

Expect system design questions around ML pipelines: how you'd build a training pipeline for a specific use case, handle data drift, or design A/B testing infrastructure for model deployments. Coding rounds typically involve Python, with emphasis on data manipulation (pandas, numpy) and algorithm implementation. Take-home assignments often ask you to build an end-to-end ML pipeline from raw data to deployed model.

When evaluating opportunities: Companies that are serious about AI/ML hiring tend to post specific infrastructure details in the job description: the frameworks they use, their model serving stack, their data pipeline tools. Vague postings that just say 'ML experience required' without specifics are often companies that haven't figured out what they need yet.

AI Hiring Overview

The AI job market has 4,317 open positions tracked in our dataset. By seniority: 138 entry-level, 2,071 mid-level, 1,655 senior, and 453 leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level). Remote roles make up 15% of the market (635 positions). The remaining 3,657 roles require on-site or hybrid attendance.

The market median for AI roles is $215,000. Top-quartile compensation starts at $266,300. The 90th percentile reaches $320,790. Highest-paying categories: AI Safety ($287,500 median, 34 roles); Research Engineer ($272,100 median, 227 roles); AI Engineering Manager ($244,000 median, 23 roles).

Demand for AI/ML Engineers has been strong and consistent. Unlike some AI roles that spike with hype cycles, ML engineering is a foundational need. Every company deploying AI models needs people who can keep them running, and the gap between research prototypes and production systems keeps growing.

The AI Job Market Today

The AI job market spans 4,317 open positions across 15 role categories. The largest categories by volume: AI/ML Engineer (3,004), Data Scientist (345), AI Software Engineer (309). 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 (138) are outnumbered by mid-level (2,071) and senior (1,655) 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 453 positions, representing the bottleneck between technical execution and organizational strategy.

Remote work availability sits at 15% of all AI roles (635 positions), with 3,657 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 $215,000. Top-quartile roles start at $266,300, and the 90th percentile reaches $320,790. 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 $287,500 median, while Prompt Engineer roles sit at $145,000. 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 (2,249 postings), Aws (1,224 postings), Azure (938 postings), Rag (915 postings), Gcp (660 postings), Pytorch (640 postings), Prompt Engineering (624 postings), Kubernetes (559 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

Based on 6,420 roles with disclosed compensation, the median salary for AI/ML Engineer positions is $214,900. Actual compensation varies by seniority, location, and company stage.
Python and PyTorch dominate the requirements. Most roles expect experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and familiarity with ML frameworks like TensorFlow or JAX. RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) has become a top-3 skill requirement as companies integrate LLMs into their products. Docker and Kubernetes show up in about a third of postings, reflecting the production focus of the role.
About 15% of the 4,317 AI roles we track offer remote work. Remote availability varies by company and seniority level, with senior and leadership roles more likely to offer location flexibility.
VGMT GLOBAL IT SOLUTIONS is among the companies actively hiring for AI and ML talent. Check our company profiles for detailed breakdowns of open roles, salary ranges, and hiring trends.
Common next steps from AI/ML Engineer positions include ML Architect, AI Engineering Manager, Principal ML Engineer. Progression depends on whether you lean toward technical depth, people management, or product strategy.

Get Weekly AI Career Intelligence

Salary data, skills demand, and market signals from 16,000+ AI job postings. Every Monday.