Lead Analyst – AI Engineer (Data Science)

Umanist NA; Chennai District; Hybrid; INR 4,200,000 - 6,800,000; Full time

Job summary

A tech-focused company based in Chennai is looking for a Lead Analyst – AI Engineer. This role requires a focus on AI engineering, advanced machine learning, and deep learning solutions while collaborating on large-scale systems. Ideal candidates should have hands-on experience in building and deploying ML models, particularly using frameworks like PyTorch or TensorFlow. A strong educational background in a relevant engineering discipline and specific industry experience in manufacturing is mandatory for consideration.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience with PyTorch or TensorFlow/Keras (3.5–4 years mandatory).
• Experience building and deploying ML/DL models.
• Background in Product / Semiconductor / Hardware Manufacturing is mandatory.
• No employment gaps
• Current employer must not be a restricted/poach organization

Responsibilities

• Design and build advanced Machine Learning and Deep Learning solutions.
• Collaborate cross-functionally on real-world large-scale AI systems.
• Ensure strong ownership and problem-solving in solution delivery.

Skills

Deep Learning

Machine Learning

Python

Data Structures & Algorithms

Image Processing

SQL

Jupyter notebooks

Git / GitHub

Hugging Face Transformers

Basic Docker usage

NumPy / Pandas

Git / GitHub

Docker basics

Education

PhD with 2+ years relevant experience

Master’s degree with 5+ years relevant experience

Bachelor’s degree with 7+ years relevant experience

Education from Tier-1 institutes

No B.Sc / BCA graduates

No employment gaps

Current employer not in restricted/poach list

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow/Keras

NumPy

Pandas

Scikit-learn

Job description

Overview

Lead Analyst – AI Engineer (Data Science). Location: Chennai, India (Hybrid – 3 days WFO). Experience: 9–12 Years. Employment Type: Full Time.

Important Note for Candidates (Mandatory Criteria) This role is primarily an AI Engineering / Applied Machine Learning position, with a strong focus on Deep Learning, LLMs, and production-grade AI systems. It is not a pure Data Science or Analytics role. Candidates whose experience is mainly in business analytics, reporting, dashboards, or exploratory data analysis may find limited alignment with this position. Only candidates who fully meet the mandatory technical criteria should apply.

Applicants Must Have Hands-on Experience In

• Building and deploying ML/DL models
• Working with PyTorch or TensorFlow
• Developing solutions using LLM frameworks
• Implementing real-world AI applications

Profiles that do not meet the above mandatory requirements may not be considered for this role.

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced AI Engineer / Data Science Lead to design, build, and deploy advanced Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and LLM-based solutions. The role involves working on real-world, large-scale AI systems with strong ownership, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration.

Must-Have Skill Set

Education & Experience

• PhD with 2+ years relevant experience OR
• Master’s degree with 5+ years relevant experience OR
• Bachelor’s degree with 7+ years relevant experience
• Education preferably from Tier-1 institutes (IIT, IISc, IIIT, NIT, BITS or equivalent tier-1 colleges)
• No B.Sc / BCA graduates
• No employment gaps
• Current employer must not be a restricted/poach organization

Core Technical Skills

• Python (Expert level) with strong understanding of:
  • Data Structures & Algorithms
  • Object-oriented design
• Machine Learning
  • Supervised & unsupervised learning
  • Feature engineering, regularization
  • Model selection, cross-validation
  • Ensemble methods (XGBoost, LightGBM)
• Deep Learning (5+ years overall)
  • Strong hands-on with PyTorch or TensorFlow/Keras (3.5–4 years mandatory)
  • CNNs, RNNs, LSTMs, Transformers, Attention mechanisms
  • Optimization techniques (Adam, SGD), dropout, batch normalization
• Image Processing & Algorithm Development
  • Proven experience building production-ready ML/DL algorithms

LLMs & Generative AI

• Hands-on experience with:
  • Hugging Face Transformers
  • Tokenizers, embeddings, fine-tuning
  • Prompt engineering
  • Function/tool calling
  • Structured outputs (JSON schema)
• Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)
  • Vector databases: FAISS, Milvus, Pinecone, ElasticSearch

Data & Engineering Tools

• SQL fundamentals
• NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn
• Git / GitHub
• Jupyter notebooks
• Basic Docker usage

Domain Requirement (Mandatory)

• Product / Semiconductor / Hardware Manufacturing company experience is mandatory
• Candidates from engineering product companies will be strongly preferred

Nice-to-Have Skill Set

• Experience building scalable AI platforms or end-to-end ML pipelines
• Exposure to cloud-based ML deployments
• Experience working with large, high-dimensional datasets
• Familiarity with MLOps concepts
• Prior experience mentoring or leading junior engineers
• Strong research mindset with applied innovation focus

Soft Skills

• Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking
• Ability to clearly explain ML/AI trade-offs to non-experts
• Curiosity to explore and experiment with cutting-edge AI techniques
• High ownership and accountability mindset

Interview Process

• 3 Technical Rounds
• 1 HR Round

Skills: deep learning, basic docker usage, jupyter notebooks, llms, generative ai, pandas, machine learning, python, sql, scikit-learn, rag, algorithm development, github, numpy