AI Architect

About the role:

As an AI Architect at TQL, you will define and lead the enterprise-wide AI architecture that powers next-generation intelligence and automation across our logistics and freight brokerage ecosystem. This role is responsible for setting how AI systems are designed, built, governed and scaled - ensuring solutions are secure, reliable, cost-efficient and deeply embedded into business workflows.

You will partner closely with Engineering, Product Management, Data and Operations leadership to identify high-impact use cases and deliver AI capabilities that drive measurable improvements across pricing, capacity matching, customer service, claims, risk and operator productivity.

What’s in it for you:
* Competitive compensation
* Opportunity to influence enterprise‑wide AI architecture
* High visibility partnership with executive leadership
* Long‑term career growth in a collaborative, AI‑driven organization

* Comprehensive benefits package
* Health, dental and vision coverage
* 401(k) with company match
* Perks including employee discounts, financial wellness planning, tuition reimbursement and more

* Certified Great Place to Work and voted a 2019-2026 Computerworld Best Places to Work in IT

What we’re looking for:
* Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, AI/ML or a related field
* Azure certifications (Solutions Architect, Azure AI Engineer) preferred
* 7-12+ years of experience in AI/ML engineering, cloud architecture or enterprise software engineering
* Proven experience architecting and delivering production AI or ML solutions on Azure
* Experience with REST APIs, serverless functions, microservices and event-driven architectures
* Backend development in Python with working knowledge of C# or Node.js.
* Hands-on experience with Azure OpenAI, Azure Machine Learning, Azure AI Search, Microsoft Fabric and Lakehouse architectures
* Experience with embeddings, vector databases, RAG patterns, LangChain, Semantic Kernel and MLflow
* Proficiency with Git, Azure DevOps CI/CD, Docker and Kubernetes
* Strong understanding of data modeling, governance, lineage and security
* Strong communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences
* Ability to translate business workflows into scalable technical architectures
* Strong ownership mindset with focus on reliability, cost optimization and long-term scalability
* Product mindset with ability to align AI architecture to business outcomes

What you’ll be doing:

* AI Strategy & Enterprise Architecture
* Evaluate and recommend AI models, APIs and platforms (e.g., Anthropic, OpenAI, Microsoft, Google) based on security, reliability, cost and enterprise fit
* Define the enterprise AI architecture across Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Search, Microsoft Fabric, Azure ML, APIs, event-driven systems and operator-facing tools
* Establish standards for building LLM applications, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems, intelligent agents and ML models at scale
* Create reference architectures for AI-powered solutions including real-time workflows, automation, copilots and knowledge assistants

* Application Architecture & Integration
* Design how AI services integrate with core applications, including broker tools, APIs, workflows and backend services
* Establish patterns for serverless functions, microservices, REST APIs, event-driven pipelines and end-to-end orchestration
* Partner with application development teams to embed AI into product features with the right performance, security, authentication and data flow patterns
* Ensure AI solutions meet enterprise CI/CD, observability, reliability and SLA standards
* Solution Design & Technical Leadership
* Lead solution designs for AI platforms including vector databases, embedding pipelines, inference services, feature stores and model registries
* Translate complex operator workflows into scalable, AI-enabled architectures that improve decision-making and productivity
* Conduct architecture, design reviews and mentor AI Engineers, Software Engineers, Data Engineers and Data Scientists

* Data & Integration Architecture
* Partner with Data Engineering to ensure Fabric Lakehouse, Delta tables, warehouse layers and streaming systems support both training and inference workloads
* Architect and optimize RAG pipelines using Azure AI Search, vector indexing, embeddings and metadata strategies
* MLOps, Governance & Operational Readiness
* Define and implement enterprise MLOps standards for model lifecycle management, versioning, monitoring and retraining
* Apply Responsible AI practices including content filtering, privacy, compliance and hallucination mitigation
* Ensure AI systems are observable with performance and cost monitoring

* Innovation & Continuous Improvement
* Evaluate emerging AI models, agent frameworks and Azure capabilities for use in logistics workflows
* Lead proofs of concept (PoCs) and accelerate adoption of high-value AI initiatives
* Develop reusable technical playbooks and architectural patterns to mature AI across engineering teams

Where you’ll be: 4289 Ivy Pointe Blvd Cincinnati, OH 45245

Employment visa sponsorship is unavailable for this position. Applicants requiring employment visa sponsorship now or in the future (e.g., F-1 STEM OPT, H-1B, TN, J1 etc.) will not be considered.