Lead Generative AI Engineer (Hybrid)

Lead Generative AI Engineer

About the role

As a Lead Generative AI Engineer, you will make an impact by designing, developing, and delivering enterprise-scale agentic AI solutions that drive business transformation. You will be a valued member of the AI Engineering team and work collaboratively with client stakeholders, AI engineers, platform teams, and business leaders to build innovative Generative AI applications and accelerate enterprise AI adoption.

In this role, you will

• Lead the development and implementation of multi-agent AI solutions using modern LLM orchestration frameworks such as LangGraph, LangChain, AutoGen, CrewAI, and Semantic Kernel.
• Build scalable agentic AI applications, including agent workflows, memory management, tool integrations, and inter-agent communication capabilities.
• Develop and optimize Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) solutions, vector database integrations, prompt engineering strategies, and AI evaluation frameworks.
• Drive end-to-end delivery of Generative AI solutions from proof of concept through production deployment, including cloud infrastructure, APIs, CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, and support.
• Support Claude Enterprise adoption initiatives through platform integrations, onboarding activities, governance, enablement, and user support.
• Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and code reviews to AI engineers while promoting engineering best practices and reusable frameworks.
• Partner with business and technology stakeholders to translate requirements into scalable AI solutions and communicate technical recommendations effectively.
• Continuously evaluate emerging AI technologies, frameworks, and foundation models to improve solution capabilities and business outcomes.

Work model

We believe hybrid work is the way forward as we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role’s business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring 3 days a week in a client or Cognizant office in Tarrytown , NY . Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance though our various wellbeing programs. The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you’re engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations.

Please note that this position is not eligible for visa transfer or sponsorship now or at any time in the future.

What you need to have to be considered

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 8+ years of software engineering experience, including 3+ years focused on AI/ML or Generative AI solutions.
• Proven experience developing and deploying production-grade agentic AI or multi-agent solutions.
• Strong hands-on expertise with LangChain, LangGraph, AutoGen, CrewAI, Semantic Kernel, or similar LLM orchestration frameworks.
• Experience with Claude, OpenAI GPT, Gemini, or open-source foundation models, including prompt engineering and RAG implementations.
• Advanced Python development skills and experience working with AWS, Azure, or GCP environments.
• Hands-on experience with vector databases, embeddings, Docker, Kubernetes, and modern software engineering practices.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical initiatives, mentoring engineers, and collaborating with senior stakeholders.

These will help you stand out

• Experience supporting Claude Enterprise, ChatGPT Enterprise, or similar enterprise AI platform deployments.
• Knowledge of Model Context Protocol (MCP) or comparable AI integration standards.
• Experience with AI governance, observability, evaluation frameworks, and responsible AI practices.
• AWS, Azure, or GCP cloud certifications.
• Consulting or professional services experience supporting large enterprise clients.
• Contributions to open-source Generative AI or agentic AI projects.

We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role.

Salary and Other Compensation

Applications will be accepted until November 7th, 2026.

The annual salary for this position is between $ 81,337 to $141,500 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.

Benefits: Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility

requirements

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
• 401(k) plan and contributions
• Long-term/Short-term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Disclaimer: The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law

Applicants may be required to attend interviews in person or by video conference. In addition, candidates may be required to present their current state or government issued ID during each interview.