Elios

Build and ship AI-powered production software with client interaction and ownership of deployment. | 5+ years production software engineering with hands-on LLM and AI system shipping experience, full-stack skills including Python and TypeScript, and client-facing delivery. | Senior Forward Deployed Engineer Location: Chicago, IL | Type: Full Time | Setup: Hybrid | Experience: 5+ years About the Role You'll build production AI systems for enterprise clients and sit in the room where the decisions get made. This is hands-on engineering work: RAG pipelines with real retrieval metrics, agent architectures with observability, LLM integrations with cost controls and fallback strategies. You ship things real users depend on, then stand behind them with the client. Our client is a fast-moving organization deploying AI into production environments where the difference between a demo and a product actually matters. The work rewards engineers who are in the trenches with current tooling, not coasting on last year's knowledge. If you can build the thing right and explain to a stakeholder why it was the right thing to build, this role will fit. What You'll Do • Build and ship LLM-powered features into production, including RAG pipelines, agent workflows, and model integrations • Instrument what you build with evals, observability, latency optimization, and cost management • Work directly with client stakeholders, translating technical decisions for non-technical audiences • Own your workstream from scoping through deployment • Use agentic coding tools (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex) daily to amplify your output while reviewing and owning every line that ships • Stay current with frameworks, protocols, and models as the tooling landscape moves Qualifications • 5+ years of production software engineering, with hands-on LLM-focused work • Experience shipping AI systems real users depend on, with measurable outcomes • Full-stack capability across Python, TypeScript, React, and modern backend frameworks • Client-facing or consulting delivery experience, with a track record of projects that shipped rather than just started • Comfortable getting hands-on; this is a builder role, not a delegator role Why Join Us You'll work on consequential AI deployments with senior practitioners who hold a high bar, with direct client exposure and real ownership. Competitive compensation and benefits. To apply, click Apply on LinkedIn and visit eliosai.com/browse-jobs