Lead AI Automation Engineer - Contract to Hire

Room236 is a rapidly growing Upwork agency specializing in custom AI workflow automations for businesses. We’re looking for a Lead Automation Engineer / Technical Architect to oversee project architecture, manage a small team of engineers, and ensure technical excellence across all client builds. You’ll act as the bridge between client needs and engineering execution — designing automation architectures using tools like Zapier, Make (Integromat), Airtable, HubSpot, GPT, and APIs — then managing a team of junior engineers to deliver high-quality systems on time. This is a long-term leadership and profit-sharing role in one of the fastest-growing AI automation agencies on Upwork. Responsibilities: Design and document technical architectures for AI and automation projects. Manage a small team of junior engineers (2–3 per project). Review, test, and QA all deliverables before client delivery. Collaborate with our Customer Success Manager and Business Development Manager on scoping and pricing. Stay up to date with AI and no-code tools to improve build efficiency. Develop and refine Room236’s technical SOPs for repeatable, scalable delivery. Requirements: Proven experience with automation tools such as Zapier, Make (Integromat), Airtable, HubSpot, or GPT APIs. Strong understanding of APIs, webhooks, and cross-platform integrations. Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and manage technical teams. Excellent problem-solving and documentation skills. Strong communication — able to explain complex workflows in plain English. Bonus: Experience building GPT agents, LangChain integrations, or AI-driven business automations. Compensation: 10% commission per project (after Upwork’s 10% fee). Expected to manage ~5 active projects at a time. Typical earnings range from $2,000–$2,500/month, with potential to reach $4,000–$5,000/month as project volume grows. Optional base retainer may be added for long-term collaboration. All projects are pre-sold — no client hunting or bidding required. Working at Room236: You'll lead technical delivery across diverse, cutting-edge AI and automation projects. Manage a talented engineering team under a proven project framework. Have transparent revenue sharing and leadership-based growth opportunities. Work/Life balance: 100% remote with flexible schedule and strong team culture (Create your own schedule). If you’re a systems thinker who loves designing efficient, scalable automations — and you want to lead a team shaping the future of AI-powered workflows — we’d love to hear from you. Apply tot his job Apply To this Job