Forward Deployment Engineer, Applied AI Agents… at Sears · HOFFMAN…

Summary: Sears is a leading home services company, and they are seeking a Forward Deployment Engineer Intern within their Applied AI Division. The intern will work closely with operational teams to identify AI-driven automation opportunities and develop solutions that enhance business workflows and outcomes. Responsibilities: - Shadows business operators, dispatchers, planners, analysts, and finance partners to understand and document current manual processes and workflows - Analyzes operational pain points and translate business workflows into AI agent specifications - Designs, builds, tests, and deploys AI agents on the SearsKAIros Applied AI platform - Integrates AI agents with internal systems and external AI models including Claude, OpenAI Realtime, Gemini, and MCP servers - Prototypes and iterates quickly, owning the full lifecycle of AI solutions from concept through production deployment - Develops evaluations, guardrails, monitoring, and rollback procedures for deployed AI agents - Builds dashboards, KPI tracking, and reporting tools to measure operational and business impact - Collaborates with engineering teams, operational leadership, and field teams to support implementation and adoption - Trains users, respond to escalations, and incorporate operational feedback into continuous improvements - Documents implementation patterns, best practices, and reusable processes to accelerate future AI deployments - Presents workflow analyses, solution recommendations, and performance outcomes to stakeholders and leadership teams Required Qualifications: - Some undergraduate education - 1-2 years of related experience - 18 years of age or older - Strong software engineering fundamentals with proficiency in Python and TypeScript - Ability to quickly understand and modify unfamiliar codebases - Hands-on experience building applications using Large Language Models (LLMs), including prompting, tool usage, function calling, retrieval systems, agent loops, and evaluation frameworks - Experience deploying or shipping AI-based solutions or applications - Working knowledge of SQL and data analysis tools, including the ability to independently query and analyze data from platforms such as Snowflake - Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work effectively in ambiguous, fast-paced environments - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document workflows and present findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences - Ability to collaborate directly with operational stakeholders and business users - Currently enrolled in a Bachelor s, Master s, or PhD program in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Operations Research, Applied Mathematics, or a related quantitative field - Authorized to work in the United States and able to complete required background checks prior to systems access Preferred Qualifications: - Familiarity with MCP, agent orchestration frameworks, or related technologies such as LangChain, LlamaIndex, or OpenAI Agents SDK - Prior internship or project experience deploying AI or machine learning solutions in enterprise or operational environments - Exposure to field service operations, logistics, supply chain, contact center operations, or finance workflows - Experience working with voice agents, real-time APIs, or telephony integrations - Demonstrated ability to rapidly prototype and operationalize AI solutions with measurable business impact Required Skills: Python, TypeScript, Large Language Models, AI solution deployment, SQL, Snowflake