Developer II - Agentic AI Engineer

All Practice AreasAustin, Boston, Charleston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Harrisburg, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, Newark, Orange County, Palo Alto, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh, Research Triangle Park, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC, Wilmington, DE
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Job Description

At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us.  Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.

We are seeking a senior-level AI Developer with deep expertise in Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architectures, semantic search, reranking algorithms, and vectorization techniques. The ideal candidate will be hands-on with Python, Docker, and Azure AI services, and capable of building scalable, secure, and production-grade AI applications for legal and enterprise automation.

Core Responsibilities

  • Architect and implement RAG pipelines using Azure AI Search, OpenAI embeddings, and custom reranking logic.

  • Develop and deploy containerized AI applications using Docker and Azure Container Apps.

  • Build semantic search systems with hybrid retrieval, chunking, enrichment, and vector indexing.

  • Integrate NLP workflows for document ingestion, summarization, and entity extraction using Azure AI Language and Document Intelligence.

  • Implement reranking models using transformer-based scoring and feedback loops.

  • Manage vector stores (e.g., Azure Cosmos DB, Azure SQL, or FAISS) for low-latency retrieval.

  • Design and maintain FastAPI-based microservices for inference and orchestration.

  • Collaborate with DevOps to automate deployment using Azure Developer CLI (azd), Bicep, and GitHub Actions.

  • Ensure security and governance using Azure Key Vault, RBAC, private endpoints, and Purview policies.

  • Monitor and evaluate model performance using Foundry Observability and Application Insights.

Required Skills

  • Expert-level Python (including LangChain, FastAPI, PyTorch/TensorFlow).

  • Strong understanding of RAG architecture and semantic search principles.

  • Experience with Azure AI Search, Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Foundry, and Azure Document Intelligence.

  • Hands-on with Docker, GitHub Codespaces, and container orchestration.

  • Familiarity with reranking techniques (BM25, neural rerankers, hybrid scoring).

  • Proficiency in NLP tasks: tokenization, chunking, summarization, NER, sentiment analysis.

  • Experience with vector databases and embedding models.

  • Knowledge of Azure DevOps, Bicep, Terraform, and CI/CD pipelines.

  • Strong grasp of security best practices in AI systems (private endpoints, RBAC, secrets management).

Preferred Qualifications

  • Prior experience in legal tech or document automation.

  • Familiarity with Azure Machine Learning for fine-tuning and MLOps.

  • Experience with agentic applications and multi-turn AI agents.

  • Exposure to compliance frameworks and secure AI deployment.

Compensation Salary $98,000 - $183,000

The compensation salary for this position will be determined during the interview process and will vary based on multiple factors, including but not limited to prior experience, relevant expertise, current business needs, and market factors.

ABOUT THE FIRM

K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with lawyers located across five continents in more than 40 offices. We have experienced dramatic growth in the past decade and now rank among the largest U.S. based law firms in the world.  We take pride in constantly striving for innovation, imagination and an entrepreneurial spirit. We come up with big ideas and then roll up our sleeves to get the job done, guiding our clients through their most complex issues in a variety of industry sectors and across multiple regions of the world. 

The industry recognition the firm has garnered emanates from the foundation of a global community aligned on behalf of our clients. The people at K&L Gates are committed to working together to create a legacy for each other, the firm, our clients, and the communities in which we serve. We thrive in an inclusive and socially conscious environment that embraces diversity and takes a holistic approach to the career evolution of all our professionals.

For more information or to view other job opportunities, please click here to go back to our careers page.

Notice: We participate in E-Verify in certain Firm locations for purposes of verifying employment eligibility.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

BENEFITS

K&L Gates offers our personnel a comprehensive suite of benefits to help meet your needs now and in the future. Depending on your eligibility, options for full-time personnel include:

  • Medical/Prescription Drug Coverage (including a Health Savings Account feature)
  • Back-up Child/Elder Care and access to a caregiving concierge
  • Dental Insurance
  • Wellness Program
  • Vision Insurance
  • Pre-tax Commuting Benefits
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan and Profit Sharing
  • Business Travel Accident Insurance
  • Short- and Long-term Disability Protection
  • Pet Insurance
  • Life Insurance (including Basic, Supplemental, Spouse, Child, and Accidental Death and Dismemberment)
  • Health Advocacy Services
  • Paid Time Off (25-30 days per year)
  • Identity Protection/Restoration and Fraud Insurance
  • Parental Leave (18 weeks of which 6 are paid; short-term disability may provide additional paid time off)
  • Student loan refinancing options and access to a student loan concierge service
  • Paid Holidays (12)
  • Addiction Resources
  • Family Building Benefits
  • Breast Milk Delivery and Lactation Support Services
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Employees also may be eligible to receive bonuses and certain expense reimbursements
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Professional Development and CLE Credit Opportunities
  • 529 Deductions
  • Relocation
  • Accident Insurance
  • Employee Referral Program
  • Critical Illness Insurance
  • Hybrid/Remote Work Opportunities
  • Hospital Indemnity Insurance
  • Perks including: Technology, Entertainment, and Travel Discount Programs
  • Bereavement Leave
  • All other benefits (such as leaves of absence) required by law

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Firm is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Firm that employment decisions shall be based on merit, qualifications and competence. Employment practices will not be influenced or affected by virtue of a person’s race (including traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles such as afros, braids, locks, and twists), religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, gender, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, familial status, domestic violence victim status, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This policy governs all aspects of employment including, without limitation, recruiting, hiring, compensation, benefits, promotion, assignment, and dismissal. In addition, it is the Firm’s policy to provide an environment that is free of prohibited harassment of any kind including, without limitation, that which is based on sex, race, age, disability, ethnic background, or any other category protected by law (including the categories listed above). The Firm complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please contact askHR@klgates.com.