ECCO Select is a talent acquisition and consulting company specializing in people, process and technology solutions. We provide the talent behind the technology enabling our clients to achieve their goals. For more information about ECCO Select, visit us at www.eccoselect.com.

Position Title:     Telephony Engineer – AI Conversation Specialist

Location Information  Remote | 6+ Month Contract with potential to extend

Position Responsibilities:

As a Telephony Engineer – AI Conversation Specialist, you will be at the forefront of modernizing the contact center environment through the integration of telephony platforms and conversational AI solutions. This hands-on role is responsible for configuring, deploying, and supporting cloud telephony infrastructures and state-of-the-art AI conversational agents, with a primary focus on platforms such as Kore.ai, Five9, and similar technologies. You will work in an environment that combines complex IVR call flows, advanced API integrations, and AI-driven automation tools, ensuring optimal operational performance and a seamless customer experience.

Key responsibilities include:

• AI & Automation Configuration: Design, configure, deploy, and maintain conversational AI solutions, including virtual agents, NLP bots, predictive routing, and agent-assist tools.
• Bot Engineering & Dialog Management: Build and maintain sophisticated conversational flows using dialog building tools, transforming complex business requirements into intuitive AI-driven user journeys.
• Intent & Entity Recognition: Define and continuously tune intents, sub-intents, and entities within the AI platform to ensure high accuracy and optimal user experience.
• Context Handling: Implement logic and session management to gracefully manage conversation context, user digressions, and edge use cases.
• Telephony & IVR Engineering: Provide deep technical expertise in designing and scripting Call Center/IVR flows, focusing on seamless integration with the Five9 environment.
• System Integration & Service Orchestration: Develop and maintain integrations between cloud contact center platforms and AI solutions using REST/SOAP APIs, webhooks, and other data exchange techniques.
• Smart Handovers: Script and support seamless escalation paths and agent-assist mechanisms, passing full conversational context and intent data to live agents when required.
• Project Collaboration: Partner with cross-functional engineering and business teams to define and validate technical requirements and support project deliverables.
• Operational Support: Take responsibility for daily operations within the telephony and AI environment, offering Level 2/3 support for complex issues and incident management.
• Security & Compliance: Ensure security best practices and data privacy policies are strictly followed across all systems and workflows.
• Documentation & Optimization: Produce and maintain thorough technical documentation, user guides, and procedural diagrams; identify and implement operational improvements and continuous AI model enhancements.
• Travel: Occasional travel may be required (~10%).

Essential Skills, Experience

• Minimum 5 years of experience in telephony, contact center technology, or related IT functions.
• Track record of configuring and supporting conversational AI/Virtual Agent platforms (Kore.ai, Google Dialogflow, Amazon Lex, Cognigy, or similar) within a contact center context.
• Proven success designing, scripting, and supporting complex IVR/call center workflows, preferably within Five9 or similar environments.
• SBC/SIP expertise, including understanding of SIP messaging, SIP Headers, and integration with SIP trunks (particularly with Five9).
• Hands-on experience with bridging disparate systems using APIs, JSON payloads, webhooks, and integrating with backend CRM/ERP systems.
• Knowledge of telephony infrastructure, including PBX, IVR, voicemail, endpoints, and cloud contact center technology.
• Familiarity with omnichannel contact center support (voice, chat, email, SMS) and customer interaction modernization initiatives.
• Solid grasp of contact center analytics, best practices, and reporting tools.
• Proficiency with conversational AI platforms, ideally Kore.ai’s XO Platform or comparable enterprise-class solutions.
• Deep knowledge in NLP concepts, such as intent mapping, entity extraction, synonym management, sentiment analysis, and AI model training/optimization.
• Experience in integration/API development, particularly REST/SOAP APIs, JSON, webhooks, and OAuth2.0 authentication.
• Strong foundation in voice and digital communications tech, including SIP, RTP, WebSockets, and integration with solutions like AudioCodes SBC, Five9, and Genesys AI cloud connectors.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems, prioritize in deadline-driven settings, and manage multiple initiatives concurrently.
• Proven collaborative mindset with excellent communication skills for interacting with technical and business audiences at all levels.
• Ability to thrive in ambiguous, fast-paced environments and contribute to a culture of growth, achievement, and team success.

ECCO Select is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. Our policy is to provide equal opportunity to all people without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other legally protected category. Veterans of our United States Uniformed Services are specifically encouraged to apply for ECCO Select opportunities.

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