Early Career AI Engineer (Contract)

Join Rakuten Global as an early-career AI software engineer on a contract basis to contribute to the AI User Experience team's efforts in Bellevue, WA. The role centers on building an AI UX framework along with related front-end and back-end features, with mentorship and growth opportunities for engineers at the start of their careers.

Job Details

• Location: Bellevue, WA (onsite)
• Salary: USD 30 - 50 per hour
• Job Type: Contract

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable front-end and back-end features for web applications to ensure high performance.
• Create AI driven front-end experiences using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and frameworks such as React, Angular, or Vue to deliver intuitive, responsive interfaces.
• Implement server-side logic and APIs with technologies like Node.js, Python, Java, or Ruby.
• Build a flexible and scalable Agentic AI Framework by leveraging toolsets such as LangChain.
• Design and manage data schemas and databases (MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, or others) for efficient storage and retrieval.
• Integrate external APIs and third-party services including OpenAI APIs, payment gateways, social media APIs, or analytics tools as needed.
• Write tests across the full stack and debug issues from unit to end-to-end levels to maintain software quality.
• Optimize performance by refining code, databases, and server configurations to reduce latency and increase efficiency.

Requirements

• Proficiency with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, with experience in at least one modern front-end framework (React, Angular, or Vue).
• Strong back-end development skills using server-side languages such as C#, Java, Python, Node.js, Ruby, or PHP, and familiarity with building RESTful APIs and web development frameworks.
• Knowledge of data schema design and database management, including relational (MySQL, PostgreSQL) and NoSQL (MongoDB, Cassandra) options.
• Ability to debug and solve problems across both front-end and back-end systems.
• Commitment to writing clean, maintainable code and adhering to coding standards and best practices.
• Adaptability and a willingness to learn, with the ability to quickly pick up new technologies and adjust to evolving project requirements.
• Education: Bachelor’s Degree or above in Computer Science or a related field.

Technologies

• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript
• React
• Angular
• Vue
• Node.js
• Python
• Java
• Ruby
• C#
• PHP
• MySQL
• MongoDB
• PostgreSQL
• Cassandra
• LangChain
• OpenAI APIs

Five Principles for Success

• Always improve and advance, guided by Kaizen; satisfaction comes from achieving complete success.
• Maintain a passionately professional approach, delivering work with uncompromising quality.
• Hypothesize, practice, and validate; apply the Rakuten Cycle when exploring unknown territory.
• Maximize customer satisfaction by focusing on outcomes that matter to users.
• Emphasize speed and execution; set clear goals, take ownership, and drive the team forward.