AI Architect

ZGM is a 125-person marketing agency doing serious work on AI adoption. Not experimenting. Building. We run an active AI consulting practice, have internal automation agents in production, publish ongoing research on AI in Canadian marketing, and speak nationally on topics such as the future of AI and its impacts.

We require a dedicated, high energy employee who can carry the technical weight of that work. Someone who knows what dropped last week, can tell a real application from a shiny distraction, and can ship solutions that are production ready.

That person is our AI Architect.

What you'll do

You'll report directly to our Chief Innovation Officer and be the technical engine behind ZGM's AI initiatives. Some days that means building automations for internal teams. Others, it means prototyping something for a client, researching what just came out, or helping make a complex idea land in a room full of people who don't live in this world.

Specifically:

Build and maintain AI agents and workflow automations using tools like n8n, Make, and whatever else gets the job done

Design, build, and deploy MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers and integrations across client and internal environments

Vibe code working prototypes fast using tools like Cursor, Lovable, Claude Code, and Replit

Own API integrations across the platforms ZGM and its clients run on

Stay genuinely current on model releases, new tooling, and where the space is heading — not as a side task, as a core part of the job

Apply enough IT and infrastructure knowledge to understand how AI tools fit into a company's existing systems and where the friction points are

Support client-facing work including presentations, workshops, and the occasional discovery session — you're comfortable in those rooms

Help turn early-stage ideas into working things

What we're looking for

You don't need a CS degree. You do need to have actually built things with AI tools.

Strong prompt engineering and LLM fluency is a given. So is hands-on experience with agent frameworks, MCP, workflow builders, and API integrations. Beyond that, we care a lot about your instincts. Can you tell a good AI application from a gimmick? Can you work fast without cutting corners that matter? Can you explain what you're building to someone who doesn't share your vocabulary?

You're comfortable in client meetings and internal presentations. Not just tolerate them, actually comfortable. Part of what makes this role work is being able to move between building things and talking about them.

The marketing agency context is a bonus, not a requirement. If you're sharp and curious, you'll pick it up.

The role in practice

This is not a research job. You'll be building, integrating, and problem-solving in real time. You'll have a lot of autonomy and a direct line to the person setting the AI strategy for the agency. That means things move fast, priorities shift, and your judgment matters.

You'll work across ZGM's family of companies, including PaperLeaf (our Edmonton development shop) and Dossier Creative (our Vancouver CPG firm), so an ability to collaborate across teams and time zones is part of the deal.