AI Systems Lead, Community Technology (Builder + Translator)

Posted by Heather Miller

Company Details

Community Forge

Pittsburgh, PA

FTE + Contractors

Description

Community Forge Public Technology

About the Role

Community Forge is hiring an AI Systems Lead to build practical, AI-powered software for local non-profits – and to hand it off so they can run it themselves. The heart of this job is understanding what Pittsburgh’s non-profits and community organizations actually need, then turning those needs into working tools. That means it’s as much about people as it is about technology: you’ll spend real time with non-profit staff, earn their trust, and translate fuzzy, real-world problems into something you can build.

You’ll also build it – using AI systems tools like DSPy to help community organizations stand up their own bespoke software. Modern AI coding tools have changed what that takes: the job is less about writing every line yourself and more about wielding those tools well, making sound technical judgment calls, and being resourceful enough to get unstuck when something breaks. You don’t need to be a career software engineer, but you do need to be genuinely hands-on and comfortable shipping real software.

This is a collaborative project with Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science, including researchers from the Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII), the Computer Science Department (CSD), and the Software and Societal Systems Department (S3D).

What You’ll Do

  1. Understand the community. Work closely with Pittsburgh non-profits and community organizations to understand how they operate and what they actually need – and build the relationships that make that possible.
  2. Translate needs into tools. Map those requirements onto AI systems tools like DSPy, scoping practical solutions that fit how each organization really works.
  3. Build and deliver 5 pilot projects. Lead the full lifecycle of rapid, AI-assisted software development – from concept to delivery – serving as both a hands-on builder and an educator.
  4. Set non-profits up to succeed. Equip their staff with the knowledge and tools to manage and maintain their custom software long after you’ve handed it off.

Who You Are

  • You get non-profits. You understand how community organizations operate, and you’re genuinely good at building and maintaining trust with the people who run them.
  • You’re a translator. You can sit down with non-technical staff, listen well, and turn vague needs into concrete requirements.
  • You’re hands-on with modern tools. You’re comfortable using AI systems tools like DSPy to build real software, you make sound technical decisions, and you can debug and get yourself unstuck when something breaks. You don’t need decades of engineering experience – you need to be resourceful, capable, and able to ship. (Don’t know DSPy yet? That’s fine – you’ll learn it here.)
  • You’re driven by impact. You want your work to make a tangible difference for organizations serving the public.

How to Apply

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