AI Engineer/Data Scientist

AI ENGINEER/ DATA SCIENTISTWHO IS SPR?SPR helps companies implement the right technology that helps them balance users’ expectations today while planning for tomorrow’s business demands. A technology modernization firm, SPR works together with clients to develop or modernize digital products and platforms.We’re 100+ strategists, developers, designers, architects, consultants, thinkers, and doers in Chicago. We work with 150 mid- to enterprise-size clients across industries like professional services and manufacturing. We think about the end users and rigorously apply the latest technologies and frameworks to address our clients’ needs. Specializing in custom software development, cloud, data, and user experience solutions, SPR promises to Deliver Beyond the Build by providing proactive advice, sharing knowledge, responding to change in an agile way, and investing time to deeply understand our clients’ business. We operate in a fun, casual work environment and have great benefits including competitive salary, bonuses, generous vacation time, big fitness incentives, and medical/dental/vision insurance. By joining the SPR team, you’ll be problem solving, working hard and making an impact through your projects – and you’ll be part of a unique culture and rewarded for it. WHAT IS THE POSITION?As a Machine Learning Data Scientist, you will provide direction as needed for clients on predictive analytics projects and machine learning solutions. You must be experienced in the development and/or deployment of machine learning solutions. You must demonstrate a deep understanding of machine learning and statistical analysis & model building. You must be able to demonstrate innovative approaches to complex problems which deliver industry-leading experiences for our clients while working in a team environment.RESPONSIBILITIES Collaborate with clients and cross-functional teams to understand data science and machine learning needs, driving significant business benefits through the integration of ML capabilities and data analytics. Execute analytical experiments and prototype AI models to address client needs, ensuring the integration of AI solutions into business processes for optimized performance. Utilize advanced algorithms, machine learning, and deep learning techniques to analyze data for trends, patterns, and predictive insights; continually improve models through analysis. Implement analytical and AI models in production environments, collaborating with software developers, machine learning engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure seamless integration and scalability. Advise executives and business leaders on technology strategies and policy issues related to AI and data analytics, serving as a liaison to convey feedback and enable necessary adaptations. Identify, collect, and prepare relevant data sources for analysis, employing a mix of structured and unstructured datasets while ensuring data uniformity and accuracy. Research and develop innovative statistical models and ML solutions to solve complex problems across various domains and industries. Communicate findings and solutions clearly to all stakeholders, maintaining high ethical standards in data usage and ML applications. Stay abreast of the latest developments in data science, AI, and related technologies to enable smarter business processes and more effective problem-solving strategies. Serve as a lead strategist, identifying new datasets and AI opportunities that can be leveraged to enhance product capabilities, and work closely with engineering and advanced engineering teams on the development and deployment of data products and AI solutions. PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS Motivated, self-starter with ability to learn quickly Project management experience and the ability to lead cross-functional teams. Advanced degree in a related field is preferred, enhancing depth of knowledge in data science and AI technologies. Experience with cloud environments and implementing generative AI models. Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical content to non-technical audiences.TECHNOLOGIES WE USECloud (Azure, AWS, Cloud Foundry, Heroku, Mesos, DC/OS) / RDBMS (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Oracle, DB2) / NoSQL (Mongo, Raven, DocumentDB, Cassandra, Maria, Riak) / Python (including Databricks) / Big Data (Cloudera & Hortonworks Hadoop distributions, including Hive, Pig, Sqoop, Spark) / Integration Tools (Apache Nifi, Cloudera Streamsets, Azure Data Factory, AWS Glue, Talend) / ELK (ElasticSearch, Logstash, Kibana) / Microsoft PowerShell / AWS SDKEDUCATION & EXPERIENCE Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in Data Science, Analytics, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Engineering or Science / Technology-based disciplines 5+ years of professional experience 3+ years of professional experience in data science with a demonstrated ability to apply AI and machine learning in practical technology solutions or advanced degree with internship/research experience Strong proficiency in data mining, statistical analysis, machine learning algorithms, and predictive modeling. Skilled in programming languages such as Python, and familiar with AI and ML tools like TensorFlow and NLP techniques. Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau) and databases (SQL), along with a solid understanding of pattern recognition. Ability to lead projects and work effectively in dynamic environments with multiple concurrent tasks. Must be local to Chicago, IL COMPENSATION & BENEFITSSPR prides itself on helping employees thrive in their work and life. As a result, SPR invests in benefits that include vacation time starting at 3 weeks, 5 days of sick time, 8 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays, maternity, and parental leave, and 401(k) with a match. Employees (and their families) are offered health, dental, & vision coverage, group life and AD&D, short/long-term disability, and flexible spending accounts. Employees receive a $150 reimbursement account for any well-being-related expenses and a premium subscription to the Calm app.SPR is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. For this position, Software Architect, the base salary pay range is $145,000 to $190,000. In addition, individuals may be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. Actual compensation will depend upon an individual’s skills, experience, qualifications, location, and other relevant factors. The salary pay range is subject to change and may be modified at any time.If this sounds like the kind of challenge you would be up for every day, we would love to hear from you. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and veteran.