About this role
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.