Head of Artificial Intelligence

Harnham; New York (NY); Remote; USD 230,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consultancy in AI is seeking a Head of Engineering (AI) to shape the future of applied AI. This role offers autonomy to define the tech stack and build a high-impact team, directly reporting to the CEO. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in software engineering, AI systems, and leadership, along with a strong educational background in Computer Science. Competitive compensation and a flexible remote work setup are offered.

Benefits

Flexible remote work setup

Competitive compensation

Discretionary bonus

Long-term leadership potential

Qualifications

• Proven experience in software engineering and leading teams.
• Strong backend or full-stack background, preferably in Python.
• Experience building AI/ML systems in production environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of AI-enabled software systems.
• Architect full-stack, production-ready platforms.
• Recruit and mentor a high-caliber technical team.

Skills

Software Engineering

Leadership

Python

Cloud Infrastructure

DevOps

AI/ML Systems

Consulting Experience

Education

Bachelor's or advanced degree in Computer Science

Tools

AWS

GCP

Azure

Docker

Job description

Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features.

This range is provided by Harnham. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$230,000.00/yr - $300,000.00/yr

Direct message the job poster from Harnham

Building AI/ML & Data/Software Engineering Teams Across The US

Head of Engineering (AI)

$230,000–$300,000 base + 20/25% discretionary bonus

Shape the Future of Applied AI

We’re partnering with a fast-growing boutique consultancy that's transforming how enterprise organizations envision, design, and deploy real-world AI solutions. With a footprint across North America and Europe, they work with some of the world's most recognizable brands to turn strategic ambitions into scalable, production-ready systems.

This isn’t a research lab—it’s where cutting-edge AI meets real-world impact.

The Role

As the Head of Engineering (AI), you’ll be the first senior technical hire in the U.S., reporting directly to the Founder/CEO and NYC-based Managing Director. You’ll have near-complete autonomy to define the tech stack, establish engineering best practices, and build a lean, high-impact team from the ground up.

You’ll lead the development of AI-enabled software systems, guide enterprise client engagements, and play a key role in shaping the delivery model at the intersection of software, AI, and business transformation. With three immediate hires approved (Software Engineering + AI), you’ll have the opportunity to recruit and mentor a high-caliber team.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect full-stack, production-ready platforms across backend, frontend, and AI infrastructure
• Build and lead the development of LLM-based applications and internal AI tools
• Establish CI/CD pipelines, testing protocols, documentation standards, and engineering workflows
• Design and manage scalable cloud environments (local, staging, production)
• Implement and oversee AI infrastructure for prompt engineering, vector search, embeddings, and RAG
• Recruit, mentor, and scale a technical team spanning software, AI, and data
• Lead agile delivery on enterprise client projects in a consulting environment
• Collaborate closely with strategy, product, and AI leads to scope and ship impactful solutions
• Represent engineering in client-facing engagements with credibility and clear communication

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in software engineering, including leading teams or managing projects
• Strong backend or full-stack background (Python preferred)
• Demonstrated success building AI/ML systems from the ground up in production environments
• Expertise in modern cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and DevOps (Docker, CI/CD, etc.)
• Familiarity with LLM ecosystems (OpenAI, Hugging Face), LangChain, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation
• Consulting or client-facing experience, ideally within boutique or hybrid consulting models
• Strong coding ability combined with growing leadership and managerial capabilities
• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or a related field
• A builder’s mindset: collaborative, execution-oriented, and focused on elegant, practical solutions

Why Join?

• Be the founding U.S. Head of Engineering for a high-growth AI consultancy
• Define the technology vision and delivery model from scratch
• Collaborate with world-class strategy, product, and AI experts
• Flexible remote work setup with East Coast alignment
• Competitive comp + bonus + long-term leadership potential

Ready to build what’s next in AI?

Apply with your resume today — we’re moving quickly for the right candidate.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Analyst

• Industries

  IT Services and IT Consulting and Business Consulting and Services

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Harnham by 2x

Get notified about new Head of Artificial Intelligence jobs in New York, United States.

Director of Enterprise Solutions - AI Digital Health

Director of AI Cybersecurity Strategy (USA)

Senior Machine Learning Engineering Manager

New York, NY $206,300.00-$305,600.00 2 weeks ago

Director, Field Solutions Architect - AI/Analytics

Head of Engineering (Remote, United States)

New York, NY $245,000.00-$440,000.00 2 weeks ago

New York, NY $245,000.00-$400,000.00 2 weeks ago

Director, Innovation Engineering: Office of Hybrid Cloud CTO

New York, United States $167,500.00-$405,500.00 2 months ago

New York, NY $125,000.00-$150,000.00 10 months ago

New York, United States $200,000.00-$250,000.00 1 week ago

Director, Data & AI Program Delivery Lead

Launch Managing Director - RLTH GTM Industry (US Remote)

Senior Director, Data Analytics Consulting - Remote

New York, NY $181,000.00-$280,000.00 2 weeks ago

Director, Machine Learning & Engineering

Director of Cloud Platform Engineering - Digital and Technology Partners - Remote

Launch Managing Director - RLTH GTM Industry (US Remote)

Manager, Software Engineering - AI Product

New York, United States $168,000.00-$269,000.00 2 weeks ago

Clinical Success Director, Nursing (ET/CT)

New York, NY $140,000.00-$175,000.00 4 weeks ago

We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.