Artificial Intelligence ("AI") Workflow Engineer

Cooley is seeking an Artificial Intelligence ("AI") Workflow Engineer to join the Practice Engineering team within the Innovation department.

Position summary: As the leading technology law firm, Cooley is determined to become a leader in the digital practice of law. Cooley Innovation embraces a culture of customer service excellence, and all members of the department are expected to move this agenda forward. To that end, under the direction of the Manager of Product Engineering, and collaborating directly with practitioners, technical teams, and innovation stakeholders, the Artificial Intelligence ("AI") Workflow Engineer leads process automation initiatives by driving prototype-based discovery and building functional workflow demonstrations that validate repeatable, end-to-end processes-from defined inputs through tool orchestration to outputs that meet specified acceptance criteria. This includes developing multi-step automations that combine deterministic scripting with AI workflows, including advanced prompting, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and agentic techniques. This role partners across multiple domains including Practice Innovation, Knowledge Management, Software Engineering, as well as resource attorneys and other practitioners across a range of offices and practice areas. Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Position responsibilities:

• Responsible for the management, design and development and testing of legal workflow automations, form-building solutions and expert knowledge systems
• Elicit attorney/practitioner requirements, map end-to-end process steps, define decision points and failure modes, and produce clear acceptance criteria and test cases that make the workflow measurable and reviewable
• Rapidly build and iterate working proofs-of-concept that validate feasibility of repeatable processes, combining deterministic logic (rules/scripting) with AI steps (prompting, retrieval, tool-use/agents) to produce usable outputs aligned to acceptance criteria
• Working with Knowledge Management and practitioners, create/maintain the workflow's "source of truth" (playbooks, templates, matter-type guidance, clause libraries, FAQs), implement retrieval strategies and citation/traceability expectations, and partner with attorneys to ensure substantive content accuracy and ongoing governance of knowledge updates
• Evaluate AI and technology components; design measurable validation workflows (including Python-based integrations) to test use cases, assess feasibility, and generate stakeholder-ready findings
• Build RPA workflows and API integrations to measure and report adoption and performance; deliver executive-facing analytics that enable leadership advocacy and decision-making
• Design and maintain knowledge applications, including working with Knowledge Management and attorneys to ensure substantive legal content is accurate
• Coordinate training, support, documentation and resource material in support of processes and systems
• Engage with end-users to gather feedback, observe and map routines and processes
• Create and maintain project planning documentation, including business end-user requirements, user and administrative workflows and quality assurance procedures
• All other duties as assigned or required

Skills and experience:

Required:

• After orientation at Cooley LLP, exhibit proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, iManage and other firm applications
• Ability to work extended and/or weekend hours, as required
• Ability to travel, as required
• 3+ years direct applicable experience (e.g., delivery of GenAI-powered workflows and solutions)
• Experience with API-driven integrations, workflow automations, document automation (e.g. excel and docx), and generative AI
• Experience working with MCP servers and building agentic workflows using MCP and non-MCP tools
• Experience designing and implementing retrieval-grounded generation in permissioned environments
• Proficiency extracting from and creating common enterprise file formats like docx, pptx, xlsx, pdf, etc.

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree
• Working knowledge of business analysis, knowledge management, information systems or other-related field
• Experience working in professional services, or a legal services environment with preference to experience in AMLAW 200 law firm or in-house legal department with greater than 50 attorneys
• Knowledge of legal concepts related to the business of the firm and the legal industry
• Familiarity with agile development methodologies
• Experience engaging with end-users to gather feedback, observe and map routines and processes
• Ability to deliver AI-enabled workflows within confidentiality/approved-AI policy constraints and governance expectations
• Excellent attention to detail
• Excellent analytical skills
• Excellent time management and project management skills, with ability to work independently to meet objectives and deadlines
• Ability to work as a member of a client-service oriented team in a professional, approachable manner
• Strong customer focus, with an emphasis on efficient and effective communications
• Solid relationship management, presentation and collaboration skills
• Unwavering ability to handle and maintain confidentiality regarding firm information, projects, client data
• Ability to work independently and take initiative while ensuring compliance with team standards in development, delivery and support of business systems
• Entrepreneurial by nature
• Ability to organize, prioritize and coordinate multiple activities often under tight timelines
• Ability to drive projects to completion and achieve goals
• Team-player with collaborative spirit

Cooley offers a competitive compensation and excellent benefits package and is committed to fair and equitable employment practices.

EOE.

The expected annual pay range for this position with a full-time schedule is $120,000 - $175,000. Senior level candidates may be considered for this position and would be eligible for a higher salary range based on experience. Please note that final offer amount will be dependent on geographic location, applicable experience and skillset of the candidate.

We offer a full range of elective benefits including medical, health savings account (with applicable medical plan), dental, vision, health and/or dependent care flexible spending accounts, pre-tax commuter benefits, life insurance, AD&D, long-term care coverage, backup care for children and/or adults and other parental support benefits. In addition to elective benefit options, benefited employees receive firm-paid life insurance, AD&D, LTD, short term medical benefits as well as 21 days of Paid Time Off ("PTO") and 10 paid holidays each year. We provide generous parental leave and fertility benefits. New employees will attend a detailed benefit orientation to learn more about our many benefits and resources.