AI Applications Consultant
2 days ago
Sacramento
Job DescriptionDescription: Aurrera Health Group is seeking a part-time AI Applications Consultant to support the design, development, testing, documentation, and refinement of AI-enabled tools and workflows. This is a project-based contractor engagement intended to add specialized technical execution capacity as Aurrera Health explores practical, responsible, and secure uses of AI to improve internal operations and client-facing work. The ideal consultant is resourceful, practical, and comfortable figuring out how to move work forward when the path is not fully defined. We are looking for someone who can ask good questions, test possible approaches, learn quickly, document decisions, and deliver usable tools without requiring extensive oversight. The consultant will coordinate with Aurrera’s AI strategic enablement lead and other internal stakeholders to help convert identified opportunities into working prototypes, documented workflows, and usable tools. The ideal consultant is highly self-directed, comfortable working through ambiguity, and able to build practical solutions with limited oversight. This engagement is intended to provide specialized AI development and workflow automation support that is not currently available within existing internal staff capacity. Aurrera Health will use this initial engagement to assess the effectiveness, scalability, and long-term operational value of these tools before determining whether additional investment or internal resourcing is warranted. Who We Are Aurrera Health Group is a mission-driven national health policy, strategy, and operations consulting firm with deep expertise designing and administering public programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, behavioral health, trauma-informed care, and other safety net programs. Much of our firm’s work is in California, but our clients span state and federal Medicaid agencies, county/local health services departments, health care foundations, consumer advocacy organizations, hospitals, health systems, and trade associations. Aurrera Health Group is a woman-owned firm guided by our commitment to our mission – advancing access to affordable, comprehensive, equitable, high-quality health coverage and care – and our values. We select our clients, projects, and staff in keeping with that mission. We pride ourselves on our relationship-driven approach to customer service, our ability to adapt to changing landscapes, and our innovative spirit. We value and reward the quality of work we do for clients and support a range of efforts to ensure that employees can enjoy a healthy work-life balance. We are committed to the growth and professional development of all our staff. Scope of Work The consultant may support work such as: • Building and iterating on AI-enabled tools, agents, and automated workflows based on defined project priorities., • Supporting ongoing data integration and data sharing across tools, including API-based workflows and integrations with platforms such as NetSuite, Paylocity, Microsoft 365 tools, or other systems as appropriate., • Helping reduce manual data upload processes through automation where feasible and secure., • Developing, testing, and documenting workflows so tools can be maintained, reused, or handed off., • Evaluating AI outputs for accuracy, usability, quality, and appropriate use., • Supporting internal data hygiene, metadata organization, and structured approaches to using operational data., • Producing clear documentation, playbooks, and deployment or training materials for non-technical users., • Advising on practical implementation considerations, including tool selection, access controls, security, and maintainability., • Coordinating with Aurrera stakeholders to clarify requirements, confirm priorities, and complete agreed-upon deliverables. Initial Six-Month Deliverable Framework Final deliverables will be defined in the Statement of Work, but the initial engagement is expected to include the following: Phase 1: Orientation, Inventory, and Priority Build Planning Estimated Months 1–2 • Review existing AI-enabled tools, workflows, documentation, and known needs., • Produce a written project inventory and prioritized backlog., • Recommend immediate improvements to existing tools or workflows., • Confirm documentation standards and project communication expectations., • Support the development of an internal intake process for support/build requests. Phase 2: Priority Enhancements and Workflow Development Estimated Months 2–4 • Complete 2–3 defined enhancements, prototypes, or workflow implementations., • Support API, automation, or data-sharing improvements where feasible., • Document build decisions, maintenance considerations, and known limitations., • Identify security, governance, or tool approval issues that require internal review., • Support staff training and enablement efforts including reviews of staff training materials and setting up internal champions to start generating, editing, and deploying their own applications. Phase 3: Expanded Builds, Documentation, and Handoff Estimated Months 4–6 • Complete 2–3 additional builds, refinements, or workflow implementations based on the approved backlog., • Update playbooks, deployment materials, and user-facing documentation., • Support at least one tool or workflow moving into active internal use, if feasible., • Provide a written assessment of what is working, remaining gaps, recommended next steps, and options for renewal or expanded scope., • Continued support of staff training and enablement efforts. Required Qualifications Successful candidates should demonstrate: • At least two years of relevant professional experience., • Demonstrated experience building AI-enabled tools or workflows in a professional, client-facing, operational, or substantive independent context., • Experience with at least one project that required ambiguity management, iteration, and delivery to a real user or use case., • Experience with LLM APIs, AI workflow tools, automation tools, or agentic workflows., • Ability to design and iterate on AI-enabled workflows, including system behavior, context management, output testing, and quality evaluation., • Experience with at least one agentic or retrieval-augmented generation, or RAG-based, workflow in a production or near-production setting., • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create clear documentation without heavy prompting., • Ability to work independently, organize work against agreed-upon deliverables, and communicate proactively about progress, risks, and blockers., • Demonstrated resourcefulness in solving ambiguous technical or workflow problems, including the ability to research options, test approaches, troubleshoot barriers, and move from concept to usable deliverable., • Comfortable working remotely and asynchronously in a deliverables-based contractor model., • Working knowledge of data security best practices, including data handling, access controls, and responsible use of AI tools in professional environments with confidential information., • Ability to explain technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders. Preferred Qualifications The following are helpful but not required: • Familiarity with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, including Copilot Studio, Power Automate, SharePoint, Teams, and related tools., • Experience with workflow automation, internal operations tools, lightweight application development, or dashboard development., • Experience with APIs and integrations involving ERP, HRIS, CRM, financial, or project management systems., • Familiarity with NetSuite, Paylocity, or similar enterprise platforms, particularly for reporting or data integration use cases., • Proficiency with Git-based version control workflows, including branching, pull requests, and code review., • Familiarity with Agile or sprint-based delivery methods., • Strong relational database skills, including schema design, SQL queries, structured data, and reporting outputs., • Experience with scripting languages such as Python, JavaScript, or similar tools., • Experience with CI/CD pipelines such as Azure Pipelines, GitHub Actions, or similar., • Familiarity with hybrid data architecture, including when to use relational databases versus document or NoSQL stores., • Experience building analytics layers on top of operational data, including defining metrics and structuring data for reporting., • Experience supporting non-technical users in adopting new tools or workflows., • Familiarity with data visualization principles or tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent., • Experience in health policy, consulting, research, nonprofit, or mission-driven professional services environments. What Success Looks Like A successful engagement will result in: • Aurrera has a clearer inventory and backlog of AI-enabled tool and workflow opportunities., • Existing tools are improved, documented, and easier to maintain., • At least one tool or workflow is in active use or ready for broader internal testing., • Company spends less time on technical execution and maintenance and more time on strategy, client needs, and prioritization., • Technical decisions are documented clearly enough for internal stakeholders to understand the purpose, risks, and maintenance needs., • The consultant demonstrates a resourceful, iterative approach to problem-solving: asking clarifying questions, identifying workable options, testing and refining solutions, and escalating risks or constraints appropriately., • Non-technical users can understand how to use the tools or workflows developed., • Security, data privacy, access, and responsible AI considerations are identified and escalated appropriately. Engagement Details This is a part-time, project-based, hourly independent contractor engagement. The initial engagement is expected to run for six months, with a target start date of July 1, 2026 and potential renewal based on project needs, available budget, and performance against agreed-upon deliverables. Estimated level of effort is equivalent to approximately 15–20 hours per week, depending on project phase and deliverable needs. Compensation range is $55-$75 per hour DOE. Application Materials Candidates should submit: • Resume or consultant profile., • Brief cover letter or statement of interest describing relevant AI, automation, workflow, or application development experience., • Links to, or brief descriptions of, 1–3 relevant project examples. These may include AI-enabled tools, workflow automations, prototypes, technical documentation, dashboards, integrations, or other relevant applied technology projects., • Hourly rate expectations., • General availability and anticipated weekly capacity. Candidates should not submit confidential, proprietary, or client-sensitive materials. Project examples may be summarized or redacted as needed. Requirements: