Senior IT AI Automation Engineer

Covetrus is a global animal-health technology and services leader dedicated to empowering veterinary practice partners to drive improved health and financial outcomes. We bring together products, services, and technology into a single platform that connects our customers to the solutions and insights they need to work best. Our passion for the well-being of animals and those who care for them drives us to advance the world of veterinary medicine. 

Senior IT AI / Automation Engineer

Location: Chicago / Remote (US-based)
Department: IT Operations & Engineering
Company: Covetrus

About Us

Covetrus is a global animal‑health technology and services company dedicated to advancing the world of veterinary care. Our technology platforms, distribution capabilities, and clinical insights help veterinary practices operate more efficiently and deliver better outcomes for their patients and clients.

Within IT Operations & Engineering, our mission is to modernize how IT services are delivered—reducing friction, accelerating resolution, and empowering employees through automation, self‑service, and intelligent systems. We are actively evolving from traditional infrastructure and scripting models to AI‑driven, agentic, and event‑based operations.

Role Summary

We are seeking a Senior IT AI / Automation Engineer to design, build, and operationalize intelligent automation and AI‑powered capabilities across Covetrus’ IT ecosystem.

This role goes well beyond scripting and task automation. You will bridge real operational IT needs—identity, infrastructure, service management, onboarding, incident response—with modern AI patterns, including Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG), agentic workflows, and self‑service automation.

You will work closely with IT Operations, Security, Identity, Service Management, HR, Legal, and Engineering teams to improve service delivery times, reduce manual effort, and elevate the employee experience. You will also play a leadership role in mentoring engineers and system administrators as we build durable AI and automation capabilities across the organization.

Key Responsibilities (Day‑to‑Day)

AI & Intelligent Automation Engineering

• Design, implement, and maintain RAG (Retrieval‑Augmented Generation) pipelines using enterprise data sources such as documentation, knowledge bases, tickets, and logs.
• Build and orchestrate agentic AI workflows for IT operations use cases, including: 
  • Automated incident triage and response
  • Root cause analysis assistance
  • Guided remediation and runbook execution
• Integrate LLMs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft) into secure, production‑grade automation solutions using industry‑standard frameworks.

IT Operations Enablement

• Develop internal tools and services that augment IT teams, not replace them—focusing on reliability, observability, and trust.
• Automate employee onboarding and offboarding workflows across identity, access, collaboration, and endpoint systems.
• Create self‑service capabilities that allow employees to request access, resolve common issues, and obtain answers without opening tickets.
• Improve IT service delivery speed, consistency, and quality through intelligent automation and event‑driven design.

Platform & Integration Work

• Build and maintain automation using Python, REST APIs, and cloud‑native services.
• Design solutions using Microsoft Power Automate and related Power Platform components where appropriate.
• Integrate with enterprise systems such as: 
  • Identity and Access Management platforms
  • ITSM tools
  • Cloud infrastructure (AWS and Azure)
  • SaaS enterprise applications
• Ensure solutions are secure, scalable, observable, and maintainable.

Leadership & Enablement

• Mentor system administrators and engineers in AI‑assisted operations, automation design, and best practices.
• Establish standards for: 
  • AI Ops
  • Security and data protection
  • Responsible AI usage
  • Operational resilience
• Partner with IT leadership to identify high‑value automation opportunities and prioritize initiatives that deliver measurable outcomes.

Required Qualifications

Experience

• 8+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, operations, or engineering roles.
• 3+ years of hands‑on experience with AI/ML platforms, intelligent automation, RPA, or advanced workflow automation.

Technical Skills

• Strong proficiency in Python for automation and service development.
• Experience building and consuming RESTful APIs.
• Hands‑on experience with Microsoft Power Automate (and related Power Platform components).
• Experience working in cloud environments (AWS and/or Azure).
• Practical experience integrating and operating LLMs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft) in enterprise scenarios.
• Familiarity with modern LLM frameworks and orchestration patterns.

Professional & Soft Skills

• Strong systems thinking with the ability to connect business outcomes to technical solutions.
• Excellent communication skills—able to explain complex AI and automation concepts to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• A builder’s mindset with a focus on reliability, security, and operational excellence.
• Comfortable operating in an evolving environment where standards and patterns are actively being defined.

Preferred Skills (What Sets You Apart)

• Experience designing agent‑based architectures for operational automation.
• Hands‑on experience with knowledge retrieval systems, vector databases, or enterprise search.
• Background in ITSM automation, incident management, or SRE‑adjacent practices.
• Experience improving employee experience (EX) through IT self‑service platforms.
• Familiarity with governance, risk, and compliance considerations for enterprise AI.
• Prior experience mentoring teams through technical transformation initiatives.

Why This Role Matters

This role is critical to Covetrus’ evolution toward intelligent, self‑healing, and employee‑centric IT operations. You will directly influence how quickly issues are resolved, how easily employees get what they need, and how effectively IT scales to support the business.

If you are excited about bringing AI into real operational environments, building systems people actually trust, and shaping the future of IT service delivery—this role was built for you.

We offer the following benefits for you to take advantage of while you are here provided you meet the eligibility requirements under each governing program:

• 401k savings & company match

• Paid time off

• Paid holidays

• Maternity leave

• Parental leave

• Military leave

• Other leaves of absence

• Health, dental, and vision benefits

• Health savings accounts

• Flexible spending accounts

• Life & disability benefits​

• Identity theft protection

• Pet insurance

• Certain positions may include eligibility for a short-term incentive plan

Salary may vary depending on factors such as confirmed job-related skills, experience, and location. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top end of the range for their role. Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each case. Sales Positions are eligible for a Variable Incentive.

The pay range for this position is as follows:

Covetrus is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.