Data Analytics Consultant - AI & Automation

[[extTitle]] Non-Union Position [[department_obj]]; [[city]], [[stateProvince]] Hybrid schedule available for Oregon & Washington residents. [[cust_Employee_subGroup]], [[custFLSA]] Posting # [[id]] About Us: At NW Natural, we offer more than rewarding career opportunities and a vibrant, inclusive work culture. We invite you to join us in providing safe and reliable utility services and renewable energy to better the lives of the communities we serve. Our vision is to be the leader in service excellence, innovation and environmental stewardship for our customers, while building on our strengths as a trusted energy provider and environmental leader for our industry. In addition to environmental stewardship, we’re also deeply committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at NW Natural. Our DEI Council started 21 years ago, and today we continue to foster a culture where all employees can experience a sense of belonging, shared purpose and possibility. NOTE: This hybrid position is based at our headquarters in downtown Portland, Oregon. Candidates must reside within commuting distance of the office or be willing to relocate to the Portland metropolitan area. Employees are required to work onsite Tuesdays through Thursdays each week, with remote work flexibility on Mondays and Fridays, subject to business needs. This schedule supports collaboration, connection, and team engagement while providing flexibility for focused remote work. Position Summary: We're looking for a Technical Lead to join our AI & Automation team. In this individual contributor role, you'll partner closely with the Enterprise Architecture team to shape how we design, estimate, and deliver AI and automation solutions across the organization. You'll bring deep hands-on expertise in AI agent development, large language models (LLMs), and automation platforms — and you'll use that expertise to guide and inspire your teammates. This isn't a management role — it's a technical leadership role. You'll lead with knowledge, collaboration, and craft. Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Technical Design & Direction Collaborate with the AI Architect to conceptually design AI and automation use cases, including scoping, feasibility analysis, and effort estimation. Provide technical direction and guidance throughout the development lifecycle, from discovery through deployment. Evaluate emerging AI tools, platforms, and frameworks to recommend best-fit solutions. Ensure that solutions are scalable, maintainable, and aligned with enterprise standards. AI Agent & LLM Development Design and build AI agents using modern agentic frameworks and orchestration patterns. Apply hands-on expertise in large language models (LLMs) to develop, fine-tune, prompt-engineer, and integrate AI-powered solutions. Define and enforce best practices for agent design, prompt management, and model evaluation. Automation Solutions Build and contribute to automation solutions using platforms such as Microsoft Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate) and related tools. Identify opportunities to reduce manual effort and improve business processes through intelligent automation. Mentorship & Collaboration Serve as a technical mentor to other developers and automation engineers on the team. Share knowledge through code reviews, design discussions, documentation, and informal coaching. Foster a collaborative team culture grounded in continuous learning and technical excellence. Communication & Problem Solving Translate complex technical concepts into clear, accessible language for both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Proactively identify and resolve technical blockers and ambiguities. Bring a solutions-oriented mindset to every challenge. Qualifications: Required Skills & Experience 5+ years of experience in software development, data engineering, or a related technical discipline. Proven experience building AI agents, including multi-step reasoning, tool use, and orchestration frameworks Hands-on experience with LLMs, including prompt engineering, RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation), model integration, and evaluation. Experience with automation platforms, particularly Microsoft Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate) or comparable low-code/no-code tools. Proven proficiency in Python and/or other languages commonly used in AI development. Demonstrated ability to lead technical design sessions and produce clear technical artifacts (architecture diagrams, design docs, effort estimates). Preferred Skills Experience with Azure AI services (Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Studio, AI Foundry, etc.). Familiarity with DevOps and MLOps practices. Experience integrating AI solutions with enterprise systems and APIs. Competencies Collaboration: Works effectively across teams and disciplines; actively builds relationships. Communication: Clearly conveys technical ideas to diverse audiences — written and verbal. Problem Solving: Breaks down complex problems with structure and creativity. Mentorship: Invests in the growth of others through guidance, feedback, and knowledge sharing. Ownership: Takes initiative and sees work through from idea to impact. Education Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field — or equivalent practical experience. What we offer: Health & Wellness – Rich health insurance benefits with competitive employer contribution Free access to an online wellness resources platform Work Life Balance - Up to 23 Vacation Days 80 Hours of Sick Time 10 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays Flexible work arrangements 3 weeks paid parental leave Be part of a workplace where your voice matters. Engage with our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council, and a variety of Employee Resource Groups that support community and growth. 1500 sq foot exercise facility and secure bike room Financial - Meaningful annual incentive bonus opportunity in addition to base salary Competitive 401K company contribution and match 15% discount on NW Natural stock through Employee Stock Purchase Program Up to $5250 a year in tuition reimbursement Wellness incentive program Discounts - 20% off natural gas service Up to 30% discount at NW Natural Appliance Center TriMet Pass for all HQ employees Generous discounts with Verizon & AT&T Wireless Base salary range: [[salaryMin]] - [[topMarket]] per year, depending on qualifications Annual Target Incentive: Level 3, 12.0% target Targets are calculated using eligible earnings during plan year participation. Payout, if earned, is based on company and individual performance for each plan year and may range from 0% – 200% of target. Targets are subject to change in subsequent plan years. Must be employed by September 30 in order to receive any prorated payout. Application Process: To be considered for this position, submit a complete electronic application including cover letter and resume via our website. https://www.nwnatural.com/about-us/the-company/careers Deadline: 8/27/26 Disclosure: We are a drug free workplace and we comply with Federal Drug Free Workplace Act and Department of Transportation regulations. NW Natural participates in E-Verify. Individuals hired will have their Form I-9 information submitted to E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility. E-Verify Information NW Natural par