AI Engineer

Kivvo is Germany's first truly data-sovereign Business AI, built for the Mittelstand and hosted in Germany. We are looking for an AI Engineer who wants to actively build AI rather than just wait for it to be finished. You will join a team that prioritizes substance over promises, with existing infrastructure, a first pilot customer, and a solid technical foundation already in place. Join us before Kivvo grows larger.

Tasks (Aufgaben)

• Contribute to Kivvo: Build features, data flows, and AI-driven application logic.
• Prepare and process data to enable meaningful AI operation.
• Experiment with and implement solutions using LLMs and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) concepts.
• Solve problems pragmatically, sometimes with custom code, sometimes with existing tools.
• Participate in team decisions and contribute your own ideas.

Learning Opportunities (Was du lernst)

• How to make AI applications productive – moving beyond prototypes to truly usable solutions.
• How a small team brings a software product from idea to customer.
• Practical experience with Python, LLM APIs, data processing, retrieval systems, and vector databases.
• How to manage uncertainty in a structured and independent manner.

Qualifications (Was wir voraussetzen)

• Python: Proven experience developing tools, scripts, or automations independently (beyond academic learning).
• LLM Experience: Demonstrated experience implementing small applications with LLMs (APIs, automations, tools).
• Proof of Work: Completed personal projects that you can showcase or describe in detail.
• Independence: Ability to learn new topics autonomously.
• Language: Proficient German for the work context and solid English for team, technical discussions, and documentation.

Bonus Qualifications (Nicht erforderlich, aber gerne gesehen)

• Experience with RAG / data-driven AI, including custom applications that search or integrate data.
• Practical experience with vector databases or retrieval systems (e.g., Qdrant, Weaviate, ChromaDB).
• GitHub projects or a portfolio demonstrating your work.
• Experience building structured data pipelines.

Benefits (Was dich erwartet)

• Direct contribution to a product that is going live – not a concept, but real application.
• Backed by an established corporate group with its own IT infrastructure, server environment, and a pilot customer with over 250 employees.
• Full data sovereignty as an architectural principle: Work on truly secure AI.
• Access to Claude Pro and active AI utilization in daily work.
• Small team, short communication lines, no ticketing system: Direct exchange with the founders.
• Hybrid work model: Office located in Mülheim an der Ruhr / Dortmund, with flexible remote options upon agreement.
• Competitive compensation based on experience.