Job Description

IVA and Digital Platform Developer

Astound, the sixth-largest telecommunications provider in the United States, is a leading supplier of cutting-edge technology and communications services—and applicants like you make it all possible. To develop your career, we provide one-on-one training and coaching, a supportive work environment and the opportunity to represent a superior telecommunications company. 

Additionally, we offer a robust benefits package, including rewards, recognition and employee discounts to ensure your continued success. With us, you’ll stay empowered to do your best work by creating astounding possibilities for local communities and beyond.  

Job Summary:

This role is for an IVA Voice (Intelligent Virtual Assistant) and Digital Chat Developer. This role will be instrumental in designing, developing, and optimizing our IVA/Digital solutions, which are at the core of our Conversational AI strategy. Responsible for working closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, UX/UI designers and developers, to create conversational AI experiences that meet our business objectives and drive positive customer experience.  

Where you will work:  This is a hybrid opportunity! This position will sit in either Wilkes-Barre, PA; Bethlehem, PA; or San Marcos, TX.  

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Design and Development: Lead the end-to-end development of Interactive Virtual Assistant (IVA) Digital/chat solutions, including intent recognition, entity extraction, dialogue flow management, API Connections and sophisticated response generation, specifically focusing on building robust Conversational AI experiences.

• Platform Expertise: Leverage and master IVA/Digital development platforms (e.g., Kore.ai, Google Dialogflow, Amazon Lex, Microsoft Bot Framework) to build, configure, train, and deploy high-performing conversational agents. Platforms are not limited to what is outlined.

• System Integration: Integrate IVA/Digital seamlessly with API Connections to various backend systems, utilizing REST and SOAP Web Services for robust functionality, efficient data exchange, and a unified user experience across different platforms.

• Natural Language Understanding (NLU) & Generation (NLG): Implement, fine-tune, and optimize NLU models to improve intent accuracy, entity recognition, and overall comprehension. Develop effective and natural-sounding NLG templates and strategies for engaging responses, potentially leveraging Small Language Models (SLMs) for specialized tasks.

• Data Handling: Work with data formats like JSON and integrate with databases such as SQL / Oracle / Redis / MongoDB for efficient data storage and retrieval.

• Development and organization of data, technology information and/or metrics to be delivered to audiences, including but not limited to upper management, team members, and vendor partners

• UAT/QA Testing & Quality Assurance: Conduct rigorous testing, debugging, and performance tuning of IVA/Digital applications across various scenarios and channels. Identify and resolve complex issues, ensuring high availability and reliability.

• Data Analysis & Continuous Improvement: Analyze conversation logs, user interactions, and feedback data to identify patterns, pain points, and opportunities for improvement. Proactively refine dialogue flows, add new intents, and enhance IVA capabilities based on data-driven insights.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with product managers to translate business requirements into technical specifications and contribute to the product roadmap for our Conversational AI initiatives. Partner with UX/UI designers to ensure intuitive and user-friendly conversational interfaces. Work with data scientists to leverage advanced AI/ML models.

• Research & Innovation: Stay up to date on the latest advancements, trends, and best practices in Conversational AI, NLP, machine learning, and related emerging technologies, including the application of SLMs and other innovative models. Research and recommend the adoption of new tools and techniques where beneficial to our IVA/Digital solutions.

• Travel required up to 25%

• Other duties as assigned

Requirements/Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Linguistics, Data Science, or a related quantitative field. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience:

• Experience on a Conversational AI Platform.
• Experience to Generative AI (Gen AI) and its concepts, specifically with conversational AI Products.
• Experience to Natural Language
• Experience with Node.js as a backend technology for chatbot development.
• Experience with REST and SOAP Web Services
• Experience in Design and Solution Architecture for creating chatbots & voicebots.
• Minimum of 3+ years of professional experience in developing and deploying IVR/Digital, Voicebots, Chatbots, or Conversational AI solutions.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of Web Services using REST and SOAP.

• Strong expertise in Java, Python, and Node.js.

• Proficiency in data formats, specifically JSON.

• Experience with SQL databases and NoSQL such as Redis / MongoDB.

• Solid theoretical and practical understanding of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Natural Language Understanding (NLU) concepts, including intent classification, entity extraction, and dialogue management, within the context of Conversational AI.

• Excellent analytical, critical thinking, and complex problem-solving skills with a meticulous attention to detail.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Proven ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment.

• Demonstrated experience working with Small Language Models (SLMs) for specific conversational tasks or optimizations.

• Ability to travel up to 25%

Work-from-Home Requirements:

• You need a dedicated, private room in your home that is quiet during work hours.
• You must provide an Internet connection of 50 MB or more, which is hard-wired (Ethernet connected) from the modem to your company PC.
• Astound will provide all computer equipment.
• Your desktop work surface must have room for 2 PC monitors.
• In the event of disruptions resulting in a poor Internet connection or in-home disruption, you will be required to work from the office. 
• Employees must live within a 60 mile commuting distance from the Wilkes-Barre, PA; Bethlehem, PA; or San Marcos, TX office.
• You will be required to sign a written form to acknowledge these work-from-home requirements.
• You must have a personal cell phone to install a security application.

We are Proud to Offer an Astounding Benefits Package Including:

• Rewards: Competitive compensation plan
• Entertainment: Free internet/video/phone service if you reside in an Astound serviceable area
• Retirement: 401k with employer match and immediate vesting
• Family: Paid parental leave and insurance benefits (Medical/Dental/Vision/Life/Disability)
• Professional Development: Paid training & tuition reimbursement program
• Leisure and Fun: Employee discount program
• Live YOUR Life: Generous paid time off plans
• Impact: Established, yet growing, organization where you can make a real impact!

* Benefits listed above are for regular full-time position 

Is this the career opportunity you’ve been searching for? If yes, then apply now!

The base salary range in Pennsylvania and Texas for this position is $70,000 - $100,000 (annually), plus opportunities for bonus, benefits and commission, if applicable. The base pay range represents the low and high end of the hiring range for this job. Actual pay will vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to relevant skills, experience, and capabilities. It is specific to Pennsylvania and Texas and may not be applicable to other locations.

Our Mission Statement:
* Take care of our customers
* Take care of each other
* Do what we say we are going to do
* Have fun

Diverse Workforce / EEO:

Astound is proud to be an Opportunity Employer, and we are dedicated to cultivating an inclusive workplace where employees feel valued, respected, and empowered. Discrimination of any kind has no place here. We are committed to providing equal opportunities for all employees and applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other status or characteristic protected by applicable law. We strive to create a culture that celebrates our differences and promotes fairness and inclusivity in all aspects of our business.

FCO (For San Francisco Candidates Only):

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

CCPA Employee Privacy Policy (For California Candidates Only):  

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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