AI Engineer

Yielddd; Utrecht; Hybrid; EUR 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 vacation days

Hybrid work

Pension plan

Training budget

New office at Houtfabriek Campus Werkś

Job summary

YieldDD is seeking an AI engineer to assess AI capabilities of software companies for M&A and investment decisions. You will evaluate architectures, data pipelines, model behavior, governance, and scalability, translating findings into actionable recommendations for boards and legal teams.

The role requires strong software and AI expertise, and fluent English and Dutch communication. Hybrid work and a dynamic, expert-led team await in Utrecht, NL.

Qualifications

• At least 3 years of experience in software engineering and applied AI/ML.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s in CS/AI/math or related field.
• Able to quickly assess unfamiliar systems independently.
• Able to critically evaluate AI claims and resist vendor narratives.
• Strong written communication for non-technical readers.

Responsibilities

• Assess AI architectures, data pipelines, model behavior and dependencies.
• Determine whether a company is AI-native or AI-enabled and impact on valuation.
• Critically evaluate AI claims and separate genuine capability from marketing.
• Assess AI maturity across teams and benchmark against market practice.
• Identify risks in data quality, model behavior, IP, compliance and scalability.
• Evaluate how AI is used in development tooling and its impact on code quality.
• Translate findings into executive-ready reports with clear recommendations.
• Stay current on AI tooling landscape and advise on best-suited tools.
• Provide guidance on responsible AI use within software lifecycles.
• Contribute to YieldDD's AI assessment methodology.

Skills

Software engineering

Applied AI/ML

Independent assessment

Written communication

English and Dutch proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in CS/AI/math or related field

Tools

LLM architectures

RAG systems

Inference infrastructure

Job description

The role

As an AI engineer at YieldDD, you assess the AI capabilities of software companies and products across a range of contexts: M&A transactions, growth trajectories, and organizations that depend on software without any transaction on the horizon. You separate genuine, defensible AI value from marketing narrative. Your findings inform the decisions of investors, boards, CIOs, and leadership teams.

You are not an analyst producing reports. You are the person who understands how an AI system actually works, where it is vulnerable, and what that means for the strategic value of the business.

What will you do?

• Assess AI architectures, data pipelines, model behavior and external dependencies across full software landscapes
• Determine whether a company is AI-native or AI-enabled: a distinction that directly affects valuation and defensibility
• Critically evaluate AI claims and separate genuine capability from marketing narrative
• Assess AI maturity across teams, workflows, and architecture and benchmark against market practice
• Identify risks in data quality, model behavior, IP position, compliance and scalability
• Evaluate how AI is used within development tooling and what this means for code quality and knowledge concentration
• Translate findings into executive-ready reports with clear recommendations for investors, boards and legal teams
• Stay current on the AI tooling landscape: what tools exist, how they differ, and which is best suited to which language, use case or workflow
• Provide guidance on the use of AI within software development lifecycles and coach teams on how to apply AI in a purposeful, responsible and effective way
• Contribute to the ongoing development of YieldDD's AI assessment methodology and internal AI applications

What you bring

Must-haves

• At least 3 years of experience in software engineering and applied AI/ML
• Background in Computer Science, AI, mathematics, or a related field (Bachelor’s or Master’s level)
• Able to quickly assess an unfamiliar system independently, with limited access time
• Able to critically evaluate AI claims and resist well-framed vendor narratives
• Solid understanding of AI architectures, data pipelines, model behavior and system integration
• Strong written communication skills: your reports are clear and decision-ready for non-technical readers
• Professional proficiency in English and Dutch

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in a client-facing or advisory role
• Affinity with M&A, investment processes or due diligence
• Hands-on experience with LLM architectures, RAG systems, fine-tuning, or inference infrastructure
• Familiarity with AI governance frameworks or compliance considerations (e.g., EU AI Act)

What we offer

• 25 vacation days
• Laptop and tooling of your choice
• Hybrid working: focus days from home, collaborative days at the office
• Premium-free pension plan with survivors’ pension
• Budget for training, certifications and personal development
• A brand-new office in the Houtfabriek at Campus Werkspoor, a fully sustainable timber building that opened in
• April 2026. The campus has a restaurant and gym, and padel courts are planned for later this year
• A role with genuine breadth: as part of a growing firm, you will contribute to more than just your own specialty
• Active support for certifications and specialization

About YieldDD

YieldDD is the specialist in software due diligence and cyber security for M&A transactions, private equity investors, and organizations with business-critical software. From our office in Utrecht (Campus Werkspoor), we work with leading PE firms, M&A advisors, and technology companies across the Benelux and Europe.

We are a lean team of specialists who value directness, depth, and genuine ownership. Security at YieldDD is not about running scans; it is about understanding what is really at stake.

How the process works

1. Send your CV and a short motivation
2. Introductory meeting
3. Assignment or technical assessment
4. Closing interview
5. Offer

Expected timeline: two to three weeks