AI/ML Engineer
(Applied AI, LLMs & Private Equity Transformation)
Compensation: $230,000-$270,000
Location: New York preferred; Chicago may be considered
The Company
A leading private equity firm is building out its internal AI capability to support high-impact use cases across the firm and its portfolio. The business operates at significant scale, with deep sector coverage across technology-enabled markets and strong executive sponsorship for AI-led transformation.
The Opportunity
This is a rare opportunity to join an early AI function where the work is practical, visible, and commercially relevant from day one. You will help build AI tools that improve how investment, operating, and portfolio teams work with complex data and unstructured information.
The Role
You will work closely with the firm’s Head of AI to prototype, build, and deploy applied AI solutions across internal and portfolio-facing use cases. The role suits an earlier-career AI/ML engineer who wants ownership, senior exposure, and the chance to build in a high-performing investment environment.
What You’ll Do
Build AI-powered prototypes and MVPs for internal business users and portfolio-related use cases.
Develop solutions involving LLMs, embeddings, NLP, and unstructured data.
Support model experimentation, evaluation, fine-tuning, and applied ML workflows.
Build lightweight backend services and simple user interfaces where needed.
Partner with business and technical stakeholders to turn ambiguous problems into useful AI products.
Contribute to early tooling, infrastructure, and engineering practices for a growing AI function.
Communicate technical trade-offs clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
What You’ll Bring
Strong Python skills and a solid computer science foundation.
Hands-on experience with applied machine learning, LLMs, embeddings, NLP, or related AI systems.
Familiarity with frameworks such as PyTorch, HuggingFace, or similar model development tools.
Experience contributing to projects that move beyond experimentation into usable products or workflows.
Ability to work independently while learning from senior technical and business leaders.
Clear communication style and comfort working with non-technical stakeholders.
Interest in applying AI to real business, investment, and operational problems.
What This Role Requires
Practical Python engineering experience.
Exposure to LLMs, embeddings, NLP, fine-tuning, or applied ML workflows.
Ability to build useful prototypes or MVPs, not just research concepts.
Strong communication skills with technical and non-technical audiences.
Comfort operating in an early, still-forming AI function.
Tech Stack
Python
PyTorch
HuggingFace
LLMs
Embeddings
NLP
Unstructured data
Lightweight full-stack MVP development
Why Join
Work directly with senior AI leadership on high-impact, real-world AI applications.
Gain exposure to use cases across a leading investment firm and a broad portfolio of companies.
Join early enough to help shape how AI is built, deployed, and adopted across the business.
About People in AI
People in AI is a specialist recruitment partner connecting exceptional AI, machine learning, data, and engineering talent with some of the most ambitious technology companies in the world. We work closely with founders, technical leaders, and hiring teams to represent opportunities accurately and help candidates assess genuine fit.
