Job Description
We are looking for a software engineer to join our Central AI Organization (APEX CAIO) and build production-grade AI systems. The core of this role is engineering: designing, coding, and shipping reliable software that integrates large language models, retrieval pipelines, and AI agents into enterprise products.
You will work in a product-oriented engineering team, applying strong software development fundamentals to AI-driven systems.
What Will You Do?
Engineering & Delivery
- Design and implement backend systems and APIs that integrate LLMs, vector databases, and retrieval components
- Build, deploy, and maintain RAG pipelines and AI agents in production
- Write clean, testable, maintainable code following engineering best practices
- Contribute to CI/CD pipelines, testing, and observability of AI systems
- Optimize AI components for performance, reliability, and correctness
Collaboration
- Translate requirements into working software alongside senior engineers, product managers, and domain experts
- Participate in Agile ceremonies, sprint planning, and code reviews
- Communicate technical progress, risks, and trade-offs clearly within the team
Qualifications, Skills & Experience
Required
- Proven software engineering experience — strong, production-level Python is essential
- Experience building systems that integrate APIs, databases, and cloud services
- Hands-on experience with LLMs, RAG architectures, vector databases, or generative AI applications
- RESTful API development experience
- Familiarity with CI/CD, testing practices, and software delivery
Nice to Have
- AWS or other cloud provider experience
- Containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)
- Agile/Scrum background
- Familiarity with prompt engineering or AI evaluation frameworks
- Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline
Required Skills:
CI/CD, Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), Python (Programming Language), RESTful APIs, Retrieval-Augmented Generation, Vector Databases
Preferred Skills:
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Docker (Software), Kubernetes, Scrum
Current Employees apply HERE
Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
**Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully ** Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
**Employee Status: **
Regular
Relocation:
No relocation
VISA Sponsorship:
Yes
Travel Requirements:
10%
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid
Shift:
Not Indicated
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
N/A
Job Posting End Date:
07/17/2026
***A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date. **