Principal AI Engineer with Java

Job Description

Principal Software Engineer, Chennai

NIQ, a well-funded company, develops a cloud-based, self-service customer analytics and personalization solution for retailers. This solution helps retailers leverage their customer data to improve loyalty and engagement.
We are seeking an experienced Senior Developer with deep expertise in Python/Java and AI development to join our team. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience building AI-powered applications and agentic AI systems that can autonomously perform complex tasks.

Responsibilities

• Design and build autonomous AI agents capable of multi-step reasoning and task execution
• Improve and develop SDLC process per AI vision
• Work with LLMs (Large Language Models) and Agentic Frameworks (AutoGen, LangChain, Microsoft Agent Framework)
• Responsible for implementing micro-services from design to production.
• Take ownership of development, maintenance, testing strategy, design discussions, and operations of the team, with containerized API services
• Participate in all aspects of agile software development including design, implementation, and deployment.
• Responsible for the end-to-end lifecycle of new product features / components
• Ensuring application performance, uptime, and scale, maintaining high standards of code quality and thoughtful application design
• Work with a small, cross-functional team on products and features to drive growth.
• Learning new tools, languages, workflows, and philosophies to grow
• Research and suggest new technologies for boosting the product.
• Have an impact on product development by making important technical decisions, influencing the system architecture, development practices and more.

Qualifications

•  
• B.Sc. in Computer Sciences or similar
• At least 10 years of experience in Python/Java backend development
• Vast Experience with prompt engineering and optimization (3+ yrs)
• Profound knowledge in OOP and design patterns
• Experience and knowledge of server-side technologies such as FastAPI, Pydantic, Alembic
• Experience with Docker containers, Kubernetes and Cloud environments
• Expertise in testing methodologies (Unit-testing, TDD, mocking)
• Fluent with Relational databases (SQL)
• Good problem-solving and analysis abilities
• Excellent team player with strong communication skills
• Self motivated and eager to push changes and develop with us.

Agentic AI

• 3+ year building agentic AI systems or autonomous agents
• Experience with agent frameworks and orchestration tools (AutoGen, LangChain, CrewAI or similar)
• Experience with Azure OpenAI Service and Azure AI services
• Understanding of ReAct, Chain-of-Thought, and other reasoning patterns
• Knowledge of tool use and function calling in AI systems
• Experience with agent evaluation and testing methodologies
• Understanding of agent safety, reliability, and error handling

Good to have

• Experience in Java backend development
• Experience and knowledge of server-side technologies such as Java, Spring
• Experience with Azure / GCP cloud services
• Experience with large scale SQL / NoSQL databases (SingleStore, Postgres)
• Experience with Agile Development, or Extreme Programming methodologies

Additional Information

Our Benefits

• Flexible working environment
• Volunteer time off
• LinkedIn Learning
• Employee-Assistance-Program (EAP)

NIQ may utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools at various stages of the recruitment process, including résumé screening, candidate assessments, interview scheduling, job matching, communication support, and certain administrative tasks that help streamline workflows. These tools are intended to improve efficiency and support fair and consistent evaluation based on job-related criteria. All use of AI is governed by NIQ’s principles of fairness, transparency, human oversight, and inclusion. Final hiring decisions are made exclusively by humans. NIQ regularly reviews its AI tools to help mitigate bias and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. If you have questions, require accommodations, or wish to request human review were permitted by law, please contact your local HR representative. For more information, please visit NIQ’s AI Safety Policies and Guiding Principles: https://nielseniq.com/global/en/info/niqs-ai-safety-policies/

About NIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™. NIQ is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population.

For more information, visit NIQ.com

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Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At NIQ, we are steadfast in our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace that mirrors the rich diversity of the communities and markets we serve. We believe that embracing a wide range of perspectives drives innovation and excellence.  All employment decisions at NIQ are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. We invite individuals who share our dedication to inclusivity and equity to join us in making a meaningful impact. To learn more about our ongoing efforts in diversity and inclusion, please visit the https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/diversity-inclusion