AI & Automation Strategist

We're building something real in AI — and we need someone who can own the technical depth of it directly. As AI & Automation Strategist, you'll design and build AI and automation solutions for client engagements, working hands-on across the full lifecycle: understanding requirements, architecting the solution, building it, and making sure it actually works in production. You'll coordinate closely with Account Managers who own the client relationship and the AI Project Manager who owns delivery — your job is to make sure the work itself is sharp, technically sound, and solves the real problem.
This role is for someone who takes initiative without being asked, holds a high bar for quality, and wants to go deep on the technical side of AI and automation rather than step into people management.
This role is for someone who enjoys:
Staying fully hands-on with AI and automation builds
Owning quality end-to-end, from requirement to final handoff
Solving genuinely hard, current problems in AI and automation
Setting the technical standard for how AI solutions get built and documented
If you're someone who wants deep technical ownership without the overhead of managing a team, this role gives you exactly that.
What you'll really be doing
1. Project Delivery & Execution
Lead end-to-end technical delivery of AI and automation projects — from requirement understanding to final handoff
Work hands-on on solution design, build, and testing
Review your own deliverables rigorously before they go to clients — quality is your responsibility
Identify risks early and resolve blockers without waiting for escalation
Ensure all projects are delivered on time, within scope, and to a high standard
2. Client Coordination
Participate in client calls when AI requirements need to be discussed or clarified
Understand client briefs and translate them into a clear technical approach
Provide regular, structured project updates to Account Managers and the AI Project Manager so they always have what they need for client communication
Flag scope changes, delays, or risks proactively — no surprises to clients
3. Technical Standards & Documentation
Set and follow standards for how AI solutions are built and documented at Rivulet IQ
Document architecture decisions, workflows, and integration logic clearly enough for others to pick up
Contribute to internal knowledge sharing on AI/automation approaches and lessons learned
4. Hands-On Technical Work
Design and build automation workflows using n8n, Make, Zapier, or similar platforms
Prompt engineering and LLM system design (system prompts, context management, output structuring)
MCP (Model Context Protocol) server development
Integrate AI APIs such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Vertex AI, or Hugging Face into client solutions
Agentic workflow design — multi-agent coordination, tool use, memory management
Build AI-powered assistants, RAG pipelines, chatbots, and agent-based workflows
Write clean, maintainable TypeScript, Python, or JavaScript for integrations and custom tooling
Evaluate new tools and bring relevant ones into the team's stack
Who will thrive in this role
You want to go deep technically rather than move into people management
You take initiative without waiting to be asked
You hold a high bar for quality and catch issues before they reach clients
You communicate clearly with both technical teams and client-facing stakeholders
You're genuinely current on where AI/automation tooling is heading
Qualifications & Skills
Experience
4+ years of experience in AI/Automation implementation, with at least 2 years of hands-on experience working directly with LLM APIs
Experience working in a senior individual contributor role
Must Have Skills
Hands-on experience with automation platforms — n8n, Make, Zapier, or similar
Proficiency in TypeScript, Python, or JavaScript
Strong understanding of APIs, system integrations, and workflow design
Comfortable on client calls — able to ask the right questions and communicate technical progress clearly
Proactive by nature — spots problems before they become escalations
Tools & Platforms
n8n, Make, Zapier
OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Vertex AI, Hugging Face APIs
TypeScript, Python, JavaScript
Nice to Have
Experience with agent-based architectures using direct LLM APIs or lightweight orchestration frameworks
Self-hosted/local LLM deployment (Ollama, vLLM, Llama.cpp)
Familiarity with AI governance or responsible AI practices
Prior experience in a digital agency, SaaS, or IT services environment
What this role offers
Deep technical ownership of AI/automation projects from strategy to hands-on build
Direct exposure to cutting-edge AI tooling and real client problems
A senior technical role that doesn't require stepping into people management
Influence over the team's technical standards and practices

Work arrangement
No