Forward Deployed AI Engineer (USA Based)

NielsenIQ; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working environment

Volunteer time off

Job summary

NielsenIQ is seeking a Forward Deployed AI Engineer to act like a startup CTO within a Fortune 500 client, delivering rapid, production-grade AI solutions that impact client numbers. You will build data pipelines, ship AI decision applications, and contribute to one-client deployments with a small team.

The role emphasizes speed, client impact, and the ability to operate in ambiguous environments, with a path to leadership as the deployment portfolio grows.

Qualifications

• Strong software engineering fundamentals: production Python and SQL, data pipelines, APIs.

Responsibilities

• Build data pipelines joining NIQ's data with client data.
• Design and ship AI decision applications: recommendation workflows, LLM-agent-driven analysis, and auditability.
• Navigate broken enterprise data environments and ship solutions.
• Work in a small deployment team dedicated to one client.
• Surface reusable patterns from deployments back into NIQ's product platform.

Skills

Python

SQL

Data pipelines

APIs

LLM APIs

Agent frameworks

Retrieval systems

Tools

Full-stack development

Job description

• Full-time
• Compensation: USD 110000 - USD 160000 - yearly

Company Description

NIQ is the world's leading consumer intelligence company, with the most complete view of consumer buying behavior across more than 90 countries. We are building a new kind of team inside NIQ: small forward-deployed teams that embed with the world's largest consumer and retail enterprises and build AI-powered decision applications on NIQ data joined with the client's own — working software in weeks, measured on the client's business results.

Job Description

About the role

The Forward Deployed AI Engineer is the builder on the team. You operate like an early-stage startup CTO inside a Fortune 500 client: deep, fast, and comfortable with ambiguity. You write production-grade code, ship a working v0 in weeks — not quarters — and measure your own success by movement in the client's numbers, not code shipped.

What you'll do

• Build data pipelines joining NIQ's consumer and retail data with the client's own sales, inventory, and margin data
• Design and ship AI decision applications: recommendation workflows, LLM-agent-driven analysis, approval flows with guardrails, full auditability
• Navigate broken, incomplete enterprise data environments — and ship anyway
• Work in a 2–3 person deployment team with a data scientist and an AI Deployment Architect, dedicated to one client
• Surface reusable patterns from each deployment back into NIQ's product platform

Qualifications

What we're looking for

• Strong software engineering fundamentals: production Python and SQL, data pipelines, APIs
• Hands-on with modern AI tooling — LLM APIs, agent frameworks, retrieval systems
• Full-stack enough to ship a usable application end-to-end on your own
• Bias to speed and client impact over perfect architecture
• Comfortable client-facing: you demo your own work and defend your own trade-offs

Nice to have

• Forward-deployed, solutions engineering, or startup experience
• Experience with retail, CPG, or commercial data at scale

Additional Information

Why this role

You will be on the founding team of a new motion inside a global company — with the autonomy of a startup and the data assets of a market leader. Success is measured on client outcomes, not deliverables, and this role is a direct path to leadership as the deployment portfolio grows

This role has a market-competitive salary with an anticipated base compensation of the following range: $110,000 - $160,000. Actual salaries will vary depending on a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, and location. This role might also be eligible for a sales-based incentive or performance-based bonus. Other benefits include flexible working environment, comprehensive health insurance, industry-leading parental leave, life insurance, education support and more

• Flexible working environment
• Volunteer time off

NIQ may utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools at various stages of the recruitment process, including résumé screening, candidate assessments, interview scheduling, job matching, communication support, and certain administrative tasks that help streamline workflows. These tools are intended to improve efficiency and support fair and consistent evaluation based on job-related criteria. All use of AI is governed by NIQ’s principles of fairness, transparency, human oversight, and inclusion. Final hiring decisions are made exclusively by humans. NIQ regularly reviews its AI tools to help mitigate bias and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. If you have questions, require accommodations, or wish to request human review were permitted by law, please contact your local HR representative. For more information, please visit NIQ’s AI Safety Policies and Guiding Principles: https://nielseniq.com/global/en/info/niqs-ai-safety-policies/

About NIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™. NIQ is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population.

For more information, visit NIQ.com

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Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At NIQ, we are steadfast in our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace that mirrors the rich diversity of the communities and markets we serve. We believe that embracing a wide range of perspectives drives innovation and excellence.All employment decisions at NIQ are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.We invite individuals who share our dedication to inclusivity and equity to join us in making a meaningful impact.To learn more about our ongoing efforts in diversity and inclusion, please visit thehttps://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/diversity-inclusion

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