Principal Engineer

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategy & Architecture:

o Define vision roadmap and architecture for enterprise-scale conversational AI using Google Dialogflow CX and related AI/ML capabilities.

o Establish standards for chatbot architecture API patterns performance scalability reliability and observability; participate in platform/software selection.

o Create reusable architectural patterns accelerators and best practices.

Design & Development (Chatbot):

o Lead end-to-end design and implementation of virtual agents: flows pages intents entities parameters state handlers and fulfillment.

o Deliver experiences for both chat and telephony (call deflection real-time support).

o Own code quality (design reviews code reviews) documentation CI/CD automated testing and Level-3 support.

Integrations & Platforms:

o Lead the design and integrations with back-end services via REST APIs and webhooks using Cloud Functions or Python/Node services.

o Lead and collaborate with API development teams to design and develop APIs and with API gateway teams (e.g. Apigee).

Generative AI & LLMs:

o Leverage Vertex AI RAG prompt engineering agentic workflows to enhance guided experiences.

o Define evaluation strategies and governance for GenAI in Higher Education contexts.

Performance Reliability & Operations:

o Implement automated testing (NLU evaluation regression E2E) monitoring alerting and SRE practices.

o Analyze conversation logs and NLU metrics to drive continuous optimization and ensure high-availability scalability and resilience.

Leadership & Collaboration

o Lead and mentor onshore/offshore engineers; coach on best practices and modern techniques.

o Lead PoCs demos and workshops. Propose new techniques and technologies for software development.

Risk Security & Compliance:

o Ensure adherence to security privacy data governance and compliance policies; define controls for conversational data handling and auditing.

Job Skills:

o Conversational AI: Deep expertise in Dialogflow CX (design build test deploy; voice & chat) including flow design fulfillment and agent configuration.

o Programming: Proficiency in Python and/or ; experience with Java/C# a plus.

o Cloud: Strong knowledge of GCP (Cloud Functions IAM Cloud Logging/Monitoring; BigQuery desirable).

o Architecture & APIs: Microservices REST API design webhooks eventing scalability; API gateways (e.g. Apigee).

o AI/ML & GenAI: LLMs RAG prompt engineering Vertex AI; evaluation and safety guardrails.

o Web & Databases: HTML/JS fundamentals; cross-browser compatibility; database design and SQL with Oracle and other RDBMS (e.g. PostgreSQL MySQL)

o Engineering: CI/CD automated testing observability performance tuning reliability engineering.

o Soft Skills: Excellent communication leadership mentoring and cross-functional collaboration; proactive problem-solving.

Work Experience:

o 7 years software development systems implementation and integrations.

o 5 years with cloud technologies/infrastructure (GCP strongly preferred).

o 5 years hands-on experience in conversational AI with deep expertise in Dialogflow CX. (Dialogflow ES will be considered depending on the knowledge of Dialogflow CX)

o Proven experience leading multi-year modernization projects (chatbot experience preferred)

o Experience with REST APIs webhooks and integrating external systems; delivery across multiple methodologies (Agile/iterative/waterfall).

o Experience leading geographically dispersed teams preferred.

Education:

Bachelors degree in Computer Science or equivalent combination of education experience and area of expertise.

Other:

o Must be able to travel occasionally should a business need arise. For most roles travel would not be common. Travel may involve plane car or accordance with ADA policies reasonable accommodations regarding travel limitations can be provided. Travel will be more common for roles such as Account Executives (25 - 50%) senior leaders (10 20%) or Capella Core Faculty (5 10%).

o Ability to work onsite in Corporate or Campus location (in a typical office environment) may be required based on role. If so this would include being mobile within the office including movement from floor-to-floor using elevators or stairs.

o If offsite or hybrid role must have access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including privacy reliable internet access phone ability to video conference etc.) at a remote location.

o Faculty and Federal Work Study roles require access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including computer privacy reliable internet access phone ability to video conference etc.) at a remote location.

o This role may require lifting however reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with our ADA policies.

o Must be able to meet critical thinking and problem solving aspects aligned to job duties as well as effectively communicating with co-workers.

o Must be able to work more than 40 hours per week when business needs warrant. Accommodations related to schedule may be considered.

o Able to access information using a computer.

o Other essential functions and marginal job functions are subject to modification.

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SEI offers a comprehensive package of benefits to employees scheduled 30 hours or more per addition to medical dental vision life and disability plans SEI employees may take advantage of well-being incentives parental leave paid time off certain paid holidays tax saving accounts (FSA HSA) 401(k) retirement benefit Employee Stock Purchase Plan tuition assistance as well as entertainment and retail discounts. Non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime pay if applicable.

Careers - Our Benefits Strategic Education Inc

SEI is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture where individuals can grow their careers and contribute fully. We strive to attract talent with broad experiences skills and perspectives. We welcome applications from all. While it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top end of the pay range at SEI we offer a competitive salary. The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate may vary depending on multiple factors including but not limited to job-related knowledge/skills experience business needs geographical location and internal pay equity. Our Talent Acquisition Team is ready to discuss your interest in joining SEI. The expected salary range for this position is below.

If you require reasonable accommodations to complete our application process please contact our Human Resources Department at .