Job Description & Details
This contract AI Apprentice role places you right inside the technical services team supporting the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). You'll be bridging the gap between emerging AI trends and actual public sector infrastructure, working alongside cross-functional teams to build and govern real-world automation tools.
What You'll Actually Be Doing
Expect to spend your days knee-deep in Python scripts, helping evaluate vendor AI solutions, and building out proofs of concept for various TxDOT divisions. You won't be building models in a vacuum; you'll be actively documenting data pipelines, assessing AI risks, and figuring out how to integrate automation safely into legacy government systems. It's a mix of hands-on prototyping, research, and collaborative problem-solving with governance and engineering teams.
The Core Tech Stack
Python is non-negotiable here, and you'll need a solid grasp of object-oriented programming to keep up with codebases and prototype applications. Familiarity with version control is a given, but if you want to stand out, you'll need exposure to data analysis, basic model development, and testing concepts. Bonus points if you know your way around containerization with Docker or have touched cloud platforms like AWS or Azure, as those will help you hit the ground running on modernization initiatives.
Interview Expectations
When you sit down with the team, expect them to test your foundational Python skills and ask you to walk through a basic data pipeline or model development lifecycle you've worked on in an academic or internship setting. They want to see how you approach problem-solving under guidance, so be prepared to explain your thought process clearly when breaking down an unfamiliar AI use case or assessing a vendor tool's feasibility.
Application Advice
To get past the automated screeners and land this gig, make sure your resume explicitly highlights your Python proficiency, version control experience, and any data science coursework or projects. Don't hide your academic or entry-level projects; frame them using the exact keywords from the job description like data analysis, model development, and software testing concepts so the recruiters immediately see your technical alignment.