AI and Data Consultant Team Lead

Coretek; United States; Remote; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Coretek is seeking an AI & Data Consultant, Team Lead, to deliver client solutions and provide day-to-day leadership for consultants and contract delivery resources. You will remain hands-on with Microsoft data and AI technologies while helping the team meet commitments, improve delivery quality, and develop its consulting skills.

The role is allocated 70% to billable client delivery and 30% to non-billable team leadership and practice support.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in data engineering, analytics, or AI with hands-on Microsoft Azure delivery.
• Experience leading or mentoring consultants, engineers, or contractors.
• Strong SQL and Python skills with hands-on experience on at least two platforms (Fabric, Databricks, Synapse, or Azure SQL).
• Experience implementing AI integrations with data quality and secure handling of client information.
• Understanding of data lakes, warehouses, pipelines, and analytics for Power BI and AI applications.
• Familiarity with Git, testing and release practices, and providing constructive design reviews.
• Excellent client communication and reliable estimation abilities; able to balance delivery with leadership responsibilities.
• Bachelor’s degree in CS/DS/Engineering or equivalent practical experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead discovery sessions, clarify requirements and acceptance criteria, and explain options to stakeholders.
• Build and improve data pipelines and platforms using SQL, Python, Fabric, Azure data services, and Databricks.
• Integrate Azure AI and Azure OpenAI capabilities into client solutions and test outputs and data handling.
• Apply access controls, data quality checks, security practices, and use version control and deployments.
• Own assigned work through implementation, validation, documentation, and handoff; coordinate with project managers.
• Raise risks and blockers early; manage scope changes and approvals before commitments are missed.
• Provide day-to-day leadership for consultants and contractors; ensure clear ownership and timelines.
• Inspect code, data pipelines, AI outputs, and project docs against standards; organize peer reviews.

Skills

SQL

Python

Client-facing consulting

Leadership

Delivery estimation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Fabric

Databricks

Azure Synapse Analytics

Azure SQL

Git

Automated testing / release pipelines

Job description

Coretek is seeking an AI & Data Consultant, Team Lead to deliver client solutions and provide day-to-day leadership for consultants and contract delivery resources. You will remain hands‑on with Microsoft data and AI technologies while helping the team meet commitments, improve delivery quality, and develop its consulting skills.

The role is allocated 70% to billable client delivery and 30% to non‑billable team leadership and practice support. Plan and review this split with the Delivery Manager, using Coretek’s utilization rules. Record time against the work performed. Client‑specific work is billable only when authorized within the engagement scope, and internal leadership time must be recorded separately.

Billable Client Delivery

• Client engagement: Lead discovery sessions, clarify requirements and acceptance criteria, estimate assigned work, and explain options and delivery tradeoffs to technical and business stakeholders.
• Data engineering: Build and improve data pipelines and platforms using SQL, Python, Microsoft Fabric, Azure data services, and Databricks. Deliver tested datasets for analytics and AI use cases.
• AI implementation: Integrate Azure AI and Azure OpenAI capabilities into client solutions. Test output quality, data handling, and failure behavior before release, working with architects on design decisions.
• Secure delivery: Apply access controls, data quality checks, and approved security practices. Use version control, automated testing, and deployment pipelines to make changes repeatable and reviewable.
• Delivery ownership: Own assigned work through implementation, validation, documentation, and handoff. Coordinate with project managers on dates, effort, dependencies, and client acceptance.
• Scope and communication: Raise risks, blockers, and scope changes before commitments are missed. Recommend recovery actions and obtain required approvals before undertaking additional work.

Team Leadership and Practice Support

• Day-to-day leadership: Set clear work expectations for assigned consultants and contractors. Confirm owners, deliverables, due dates, and support needs, and follow up until commitments are closed.
• Coaching: Hold regular check‑ins and provide specific feedback on technical work, client communication, documentation, and consulting skills. Agree development actions and review progress.
• Quality review: Inspect code, configurations, data pipelines, AI outputs, and project documentation against team standards. Arrange peer reviews and confirm that findings are corrected.
• Workload coordination: Review assignments, upcoming demand, and capacity with the Delivery Manager and project managers. Identify skill gaps, conflicting priorities, and overloaded resources early.
• Contractor support: Help coordinate Coretek and client onboarding, access, delivery expectations, and handoffs. Serve as an escalation point for assigned contractors and raise performance or continuity concerns promptly.
• Operating discipline: Review task status and timesheet completeness regularly. Expect early communication when work is at risk, accurate time recording, and consistent adherence to delivery processes.
• Team capability: Organize cross‑training, knowledge sharing, and practical enablement. Contribute reusable methods and templates, and support candidate assessments and onboarding when requested.
• Inspection and reporting: Provide a weekly summary of team delivery, capacity, risks, and quality concerns. Show the coaching and review work completed, corrective actions, and evidence of improvement.
• Work with the Delivery Manager on staffing priorities, development plans, and formal personnel matters. Coordinate with project managers on schedules, budgets, scope, and client status. Contractor administrative and commercial decisions remain with the designated Coretek owners.

How Success Is Measured

• Personal utilization: Achieve the 70% billable target while completing the planned 30% non‑billable leadership work.
• Delivery quality: Meet agreed acceptance criteria, reduce recurring defects and avoidable rework, and maintain usable documentation.
• Team performance: Demonstrate reliable follow‑through, early escalation, completed coaching actions, and improvement in reviewed work.

• 5+ years of experience in data engineering, analytics, or AI, including hands‑on Microsoft Azure delivery and client‑facing consulting work.
• Demonstrated experience leading or mentoring consultants, engineers, or contractors, including setting expectations, reviewing work, and addressing delivery concerns.
• Strong SQL and practical Python skills, with hands‑on experience in at least two platforms such as Microsoft Fabric, Databricks, Azure Synapse Analytics, or Azure SQL.
• Experience implementing AI integrations and validating their behavior, with knowledge of data quality, access controls, and secure handling of client information.
• Understanding of data lakes, warehouses, pipelines, and analytics, including how prepared datasets support Power BI and AI applications.
• Experience with Git, testing, release practices, and technical documentation. Ability to review another team member’s work and provide useful feedback.
• Clear client communication, sound estimation, and the ability to balance personal delivery commitments with team leadership responsibilities.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Preferred
• Experience leading mixed teams of employees and contract resources across multiple client engagements.
• Experience with Spark, event‑driven data integration, AI evaluation, or operating machine learning solutions in production.
• Exposure to Elastic, Tines, infrastructure as code, or automation that improves delivery consistency.
• Relevant Microsoft certifications in data engineering, analytics, Azure, or AI.

Why Join Coretek

• Client impact: Stay hands‑on with data and AI solutions while helping other delivery resources succeed.
• Leadership development: Build coaching and team leadership experience with dedicated time allocated to the work.
• Technical growth: Work with architects and consultants, contribute shared delivery practices, and develop expertise through training and client projects.