About the project

At Laing O’Rourke, you won’t just build projects, you’ll help shape the future. As a $6 billion privately owned global engineering and manufacturing-led construction leader, we deliver some of the nation’s most complex infrastructure, from transport networks to defence and utilities.  

We’re seeking an AI Engineering Lead to join our IT team based in our North Sydney or Brisbane head office. The purpose of this role is to lead the technical delivery of complex AI, machine learning and generative AI solutions across the Australian business. You will shape secure, scalable and production-ready solutions using Databricks, Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Copilot Studio. Provide expert technical leadership, assurance and strategic advice to teams, partners and senior stakeholders. Additionally, guide AI initiatives from early experimentation through to supported production and continuous improvement.

Benefits 

At Laing O’Rourke, we’re committed to helping our people thrive and build meaningful, rewarding careers. We offer exceptional development opportunities, wellbeing support and a range of benefits designed to support you both at work and beyond. 

We’re proud to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcome applications from First Nations Peoples and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Laing O’Rourke is also recognised by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality. 

Some of our benefits include: 

• In-house training and on-the-job development opportunities 

• Six months’ paid parental leave at full pay for all employees 

• Purchased leave options and volunteering leave 
• Exclusive discounts and savings across hundreds of Australian retailers 

Learn more about our Benefits & Rewards and our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan   https://www.laingorourke.com/company/diversity-and-inclusion 

Key responsibilities 

Hands-on AI engineering and technical delivery

• Personally design, prototype, build, test, deploy and troubleshoot AI, machine learning and generative AI solutions using Databricks and Microsoft Azure.
• Apply agreed technical acceptance and exit criteria when supporting the movement of AI solutions from experimentation into production.
• Diagnose and resolve complex AI, data, performance and integration issues, escalating decisions or risks that fall outside the role’s authority.

Solution selection and engineering quality

• Advise delivery teams on appropriate solution patterns across Databricks, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Copilot Studio, machine learning, generative AI, automation and analytics.
• Assess whether AI is an appropriate response to a defined business problem and recommend simpler, safer or more cost-effective alternatives where relevant.
• Apply approved AI engineering standards, reference architectures, development guardrails and lifecycle practices, and recommend practical improvements based on delivery experience.

Microsoft Copilot Studio enablement

• Design and technically review Microsoft Copilot Studio solutions, including knowledge grounding, actions, connectors, integrations, access controls, testing and release readiness.
• Advise teams on when Microsoft Copilot Studio is suitable and when an alternative Azure or Databricks solution should be considered.
• Provide practical coaching and troubleshooting support to teams developing Copilot Studio solutions.

Stakeholder support and capability building

• Provide accessible technical advice to business and technology teams, helping translate defined business problems into feasible AI use cases and solution options.
• Share delivery insights, reusable components and lessons learned with Australian and global teams where they have broader value.
• Build technical capability through mentoring, design reviews, pairing, demonstrations and practical engineering guidance.

Business alignment and responsible AI

• Translate agreed AI priorities into technical workplans, solution designs and delivery outcomes for assigned initiatives.
• Work with business stakeholders and product owners to clarify use cases, technical requirements, expected outcomes and delivery constraints.
• Ensure assigned solutions comply with approved enterprise architecture, cyber security, privacy, data governance and responsible AI requirements.

Decision-making and Accountability

• Makes day-to-day technical decisions for assigned solutions and workstreams within approved architecture, standards, priorities and budgets.
• Provides recommendations on solution feasibility, technical quality and production readiness
• Escalates material security, privacy, responsible AI, architectural, cost or operational risks to the Senior Data Architect and appropriate control functions

About you 

• Substantial relevant experience designing, building and delivering AI or machine learning solutions in complex enterprise environments, with a strong record of recent hands-on engineering delivery.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex technical workstreams and coordinating contributors across multidisciplinary teams, vendors or delivery partners.
• Strong practical experience with Databricks AI and machine learning capabilities, including MLflow, model lifecycle management, model serving and generative AI solution patterns.
• Strong practical experience delivering AI solutions on Microsoft Azure and integrating cloud services securely into enterprise environments.
• Experience designing and supporting Microsoft Copilot Studio solutions, including knowledge sources, actions, connectors and enterprise integrations.
• Experience evaluating large language model solutions using defined quality, safety, reliability, latency and cost measures.
• Experience converting successful prototypes into secure, monitored and supportable production services.
• Experience with MLOps, observability, model and prompt versioning, automated testing and lifecycle management.
• Experience undertaking architecture reviews, code reviews and technical quality assurance across internal and partner-delivered solutions.

 
If you’re ready to do meaningful and career-defining work that leaves a lasting impact on communities for generations, apply today. 

Applications from recruitment agencies will not be considered.