Key Responsibilities:

• Platform Development & Optimization:

• Design, develop, test, and deploy advanced conversational AI agents using Google Dialogueflow (ES/CX) and/or Voiceflow.

• Lead efforts to identify, analyze, and rectify gaps and inefficiencies in existing chat conversations across Highmark's various member and provider portals.

• Optimize NLU models, intent recognition, entity extraction, and dialogue management to improve accuracy and user satisfaction.

• Implement advanced dialogue flows, contextual understanding, and personalized responses.

• Integration & Architecture:

• Integrate conversational AI solutions with internal and external APIs, databases, CRM systems, and other Highmark platforms.

• Design and implement webhook integrations for dynamic content retrieval and business logic execution.

• Work closely with backend developers, data scientists, and product managers to define integration requirements and ensure robust, scalable solutions.

• Gap Analysis & Improvement:

• Conduct thorough analysis of chat transcripts, user feedback, and conversational analytics to pinpoint areas for improvement (e.g., frequently asked unhandled questions, dead ends, poor resolution rates).

• Propose and implement strategies to enhance conversation flows, add new intents, refine responses, and improve overall bot efficacy.

• Develop and maintain comprehensive testing strategies, including unit, integration, and user acceptance testing for conversational flows.

• Collaboration & Mentorship:

• Collaborate with UX/UI designers, content strategists, and business stakeholders to translate business requirements into effective conversational designs.

• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior developers on conversational AI best practices, tools, and methodologies.

• Participate in code reviews, architectural discussions, and agile sprint planning sessions.

• Documentation & Best Practices:

• Create and maintain detailed documentation for conversational AI designs, development processes, and operational procedures.

• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in conversational AI, NLU, and related technologies, recommending new tools and approaches as appropriate.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, or a related technical field.

• 10+ years of experience in software development, with at least 3 years focused specifically on conversational AI development.

• Proven hands-on experience with either Google Dialogueflow ES and/or CX (preferred) or Voiceflow.

• Strong proficiency in at least one modern programming language (e.g., Python, Node.js, Java) for webhook development and backend integrations.

• Experience with API design and integration (RESTful APIs, JSON).

• Solid understanding of Natural Language Understanding (NLU), Natural Language Generation (NLG), and dialogue management principles.

• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git).

• Demonstrated ability to analyze conversational data to identify trends, pain points, and areas for improvement.

• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

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