AI Workflow Automation Specialist

Job Title: AI Workflow Automation Specialist – Practical LLM & Systems Integration

Role Type: Independent Contractor (Solo Freelancer only; Sprint milestones + Fractional advisory)
Location: Remote (US Pacific Time alignment preferred)
Industry Focus: Design-Build / Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) Operations

ABOUT THE PROJECT
A specialized California Design-Build firm is seeking a pragmatic, high-caliber AI Workflow Automation Specialist to design and implement targeted AI solutions across our business operations. We operate across technical leadership, non-technical project coordinators, and active field trade crews.

We are not looking for experimental prompt tweaking or generic chatbot wrappers. We need an applied systems builder who can connect LLMs, vision/OCR pipelines, and orchestration scripts directly into our existing operational workflows while ensuring strict data privacy and zero hallucinations.

SCOPE OF WORK & PRIORITY TRACKS

Track 1: Document Intelligence & Pre-Award Extraction
• Subcontractor Bid & Invoice Parsing: Build automated parsing pipelines to ingest multi-page vendor quotes, material invoices, and trade bids (PDF/scans), accurately extracting line items, unit costs, and scope descriptions into structured tabular schemas.
• Specification & Code QA Assistance: Implement structured document-analysis workflows to cross-reference architectural drawings, municipal permit plan-check comments, and scope checklists to highlight discrepancies before submittal.

Track 2: Field Ops & Internal Knowledge Retrieval (RAG)
• Company Knowledge Base / SOP Assistant: Build a low-friction internal retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) agent that allows office staff and field leads to query internal standard operating procedures, trade installation standards, and past project notes without digging through file archives.
• Voice & Field Notes to Structured Records: Implement frictionless mobile workflows allowing field foremen to dictate audio or submit bullet points, converting them into formatted daily logs, RFI drafts, or change-order summaries with human-in-the-loop approval gates.

Track 3: Integration, Governance & Human-in-the-Loop Safeguards
• Orchestration & Tool Linkage: Connect AI pipelines with our operational workspace, cloud storage (Google Drive), and notification channels using modern iPaaS platforms (n8n, Make) or robust API endpoints.
• Validation & Guardrails: Design deterministic fallback logic, structured JSON outputs, and verification checkpoints to ensure high-stakes financial and construction data is never hallucinated or acted upon without human verification.

CANDIDATE EVALUATION & SCREENING CRITERIA
Every proposal will be strictly evaluated using the following criteria. Please review these expectations before applying:

• Verified Track Record: At least a 4.9 to 5.0-star rating with verified, positive client feedback on automated systems and API/LLM implementations.
• Solo Freelancer (No Agencies): Must be the actual engineer configuring the solution. No agency sales reps, account managers, or outsourced junior teams.
• Live Interactive Screen-Shares: Willing to hop on 1 to 2 live video calls per week to co-design, troubleshoot, and test pipelines together rather than working in a black box.
• Minimal-Click UX Mindset: Builds clean, foolproof frontends (2 to 3 clicks) so non-technical coordinators and field trade leads never face complex friction.
• Leverage Existing Tech Stack: Prioritizes our existing Google Workspace and operational core rather than prescribing costly third-party subscriptions or bloated middleware.
• Sandbox & Staging Protocols: Rigorous staging habit: builds and benchmarks pipelines in isolated sandboxes before routing data to production folders.
• Async Video Documentation: Leaves short Loom or screen walkthroughs for every completed tool/script so our internal team can support and modify it independently.
• Construction / AEC Familiarity: Practical familiarity with design-build operations, vendor quotes, material receipts, RFIs, and trade submittals.

HOW TO APPLY
Please submit a brief proposal addressing the following five items (proposals with generic AI cover letters will be immediately disqualified):

1. Key Requirements Confirmation: Confirm that you are a solo freelancer (not an agency), hold a 4.9+ rating with verified client reviews, and are available for 1 to 2 weekly live screen-share sessions in US Pacific Time.
2. Document Extraction & Guardrails: Describe a real-world pipeline you engineered that extracted messy PDF/invoice/quote data into structured tables. How did you validate data and eliminate hallucinations?
3. Stack & Tooling Philosophy: What orchestration tools do you recommend for integrating Google Drive and operational systems while minimizing recurring software subscription fees?
4. Sandbox & Video Handover: Confirm your commitment to sandbox-first testing and delivering Loom video walkthroughs for long-term internal maintenance.
5. Rates & Availability: Your typical hourly rate or milestone pricing and current bandwidth for new sprints.