Associate LLM Engineer (Forward Deployment)

ZS • Toronto, ON

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

ZS is a place where passion changes lives. As a management consulting and technology firm focused on improving life and how we live it, we transform ideas into impact by bringing together data, science, technology and human ingenuity to deliver better outcomes for all. Here you’ll work side-by-side with a powerful collective of thinkers and experts shaping life-changing solutions for patients, caregivers and consumers, worldwide. ZSers drive impact by bringing a client-first mentality to each and every engagement. We partner collaboratively with our clients to develop custom solutions and technology products that create value and deliver company results across critical areas of their business. Bring your curiosity for learning, bold ideas, courage and passion to drive life-changing impact to ZS.
LLM Engineer - Forward Deployment
We are seeking a highly skilled LLM Engineer with 1-4 years of experience in software development and 1-2 years in LLM solution development,. The ideal candidate will have strong experience working with Python, LLM solution patterns and tools (RAG, Vector DB, Agentic workflows, LoRA, etc.) cloud platforms (AWS, Databricks and Azure), and DevOps tools. They will be responsible for designing and developing scalable software solutions, leading architecture design, and ensuring the performance and reliability of our systems.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field (or equivalent work experience).
• 1-5 years of experience in software development, with relevant work experience in LLM app development.
• Strong coding skills with proficiency in Python and Javascript
• Experience with API frameworks both stateless and stateful such as Fast API, Django
• Proficient in cloud platforms, specifically AWS, Databricks and Azure
• Proficient in Infra-as-Code, esp. focused on developing Terraform scripts and Cloudformation
• Strong experience in LLM patterns like RAG, Vector DB, Hybrid Search, Agent development, Agentic workflows, prompt engineering, etc.
• Strong experience with LLM APIs (Open AI, Anthropic, AWS Bedrock), SDKs (Langchain, DSPy)
• Hands-on experience with DevOps tools including Docker, Kubernetes, and AWS services (Redshift, RDS, S3).
• Hands-on experience with Databricks solutions including Unity Catalog.
• Experience in production deployments involving thousands of users, esp with capabilities like Redis, Vector Search, etc.
• Strong understanding of scalable application design principles and experience with security best practices and compliance with privacy regulations.
• Good knowledge of software engineering practices like version control (GIT), DevOps (Azure DevOps preferred) and Agile or Scrum.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to effectively convey complex technical concepts to a diverse audience.
• Experience of SDLC and best practices while development
• Experience with Agile methodology for continuous product development and delivery
• Fluency in English
• Client-first mentality
• Intense work ethic
• Collaborative spirit and problem-solving approach

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge and hands-on experience with front-end development (React JS, Next JS, Tailwind CSS) preferred

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of architecture design and development of scalable and distributed software systems
• Translate business to technical requirements
• Own technical execution, ensuring code quality, adherence to deadlines, and efficient resource allocation
• Data driven decision making skills with focus on achieving product goals
• Design, develop and deploy LLM based pipelines involving patterns like RAG, Agentic workflows, PEFT (e.g. LORA, QLORA, etc.)
• Responsible for the complete software development lifecycle, including requirements analysis, design, coding, testing, and deployment.
• Utilize AWS services/ Azure services like IAM, Monitoring, Load Balancing, Autoscaling, Database, Networking, storage, ECR, AKS, ACR etc.
• Utilize Databricks capabilities, esp. Unity Catalog and be able to architect the governance layer from data all-the-way to the AI model output
• Design, develop and deploy prompt and response guardrails to enable responsible AI requirements
• Implement DevOps practices using tools like Docker, Kubernetes to ensure continuous integration and delivery. Develop DevOps scripts for automation and monitoring.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, conduct code reviews, and provide guidance on software design and best practices.

Benefits

• Cross-functional skills development & custom learning pathways
• Milestone training programs aligned to career progression opportunities
• Internal mobility paths that empower growth via s-curves, individual contribution and role expansions
• A comprehensive total rewards package that supports your health and well‑being, financial future, time away, and professional development.
• Robust skills‑building programs
• Multiple career progression paths
• Internal mobility
• A deeply collaborative culture

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree