Job Description

EPAM is a leading global provider of digital platform engineering and development services. We are committed to having a positive impact on our customers, our employees, and our communities. We embrace a dynamic and inclusive culture. Here you will collaborate with multi-national teams, contribute to a myriad of innovative projects that deliver the most creative and cutting-edge solutions, and have an opportunity to continuously learn and grow. No matter where you are located, you will join a dedicated, creative, and diverse community that will help you discover your fullest potential.


We are seeking a hands-on and forward-thinking

Principal or Lead Engineer

with deep expertise in

Java-based backend development

and a strong grasp of

Generative AI technologies

. You will lead the design, development, and deployment of Gen AI-based solutions, working across data, ML engineering, and software engineering teams to integrate AI capabilities into our core platforms and client-facing products.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end architecture and implementation of Generative AI solutions integrated with Java-based applications Evaluate, fine-tune, and deploy foundational and LLM models (e.g., GPT, LLaMA, Claude, Gemini) for use cases such as code generation, summarization, intelligent assistants, etc. Collaborate with engineers and practice leads to identify and scope high-impact Gen AI use cases Build solutions based on AI models with engineers. Mentor and guide junior engineers and set technical direction across AI initiatives Build scalable APIs and microservices in Java/Spring Boot that interact with AI models Optimize performance and cost of AI solutions in production using prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), caching, and model selection Contribute to AI model experimentation and evaluation pipelines (OpenAI, Hugging Face, LangChain, etc.) Drive adoption of Gen AI best practices (e.g., guardrails, ethical AI, observability, and feedback loops)

Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field 10+ years of experience in Java/J2EE/Spring Boot and backend architecture 3+ years of experience working on ML/AI/Gen AI systems, including hands-on work with LLM APIs or open-source models Strong knowledge of modern Gen AI frameworks like LangChain, LlamaIndex, and Vector DBs (e.g., FAISS, Pinecone, Chroma) Experience integrating with LLMs via APIs (OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, Hugging Face) or self-hosted models Working knowledge of Python for AI model orchestration and prototyping Solid understanding of data pipelines, REST APIs, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and CI/CD workflows Experience with AWS, GCP, or Azure AI/ML services

Nice to have

Familiarity with prompt engineering and fine-tuning LLMs using techniques like LoRA or PEFT Experience building RAG-based chatbots, copilots, or AI-powered developer tools Contributions to AI communities, research, or open-source Gen AI projects Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

We offer

Opportunity to work on technical challenges that may impact across geographies Vast opportunities for self-development: online university, knowledge sharing opportunities globally, learning opportunities through external certifications Opportunity to share your ideas on international platforms Sponsored Tech Talks & Hackathons Unlimited access to LinkedIn learning solutions Possibility to relocate to any EPAM office for short and long-term projects Focused individual development Benefit package: + Health benefits
+ Retirement benefits
+ Paid time off
+ Flexible benefits
* Forums to explore beyond work passion (CSR, photography, painting, sports, etc.)