Applied AI Strategist - Manager - Location OPEN

About the opportunity

Join our Applied AI team as a Manager and be at the forefront of building and deploying AI solutions that create measurable value for private equity clients and their portfolio companies. You'll lead both technical and non-technical project teams in the development, deployment, and adoption of production-grade AI solutions and the data infrastructure beneath them. With your specialized knowledge in AI/ML engineering and delivery methods, you'll coach others and propose solutions to technical constraints, ensuring project success.

Your key responsibilities

As a Manager in Applied AI, you will be responsible for the effective management and hands-on delivery of complex AI initiatives. You'll focus on quality and risk management while driving continuous process improvement. By leveraging your deep expertise, you'll guide your team and interpret internal and external issues to recommend innovative solutions. Expect to meet performance objectives in client service, sales, business growth, and teaming. Your role will include:

• Leading workstream delivery — architecting, building, and shipping AI solutions — and tracking project status
• Managing engagement economics and resource planning
• Conducting code and design reviews and providing technical mentorship to your team
• Identifying opportunities for additional services and leading specific RFP responses

Skills and attributes for success

To thrive in this role, you'll need a combination of skills and attributes that will impact our business and clients. You should be:

• Adept at developing solutions to complex problems and recommending changes to client processes, data, and architecture
• Skilled in selecting models, frameworks, and deployment patterns for obtaining reliable results
• Capable of exercising judgment in decision-making processes, including security, risk, and responsible AI considerations

Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree
• Typically, no less than 4 - 6 years relevant experience
• Strong programming skills in Python and SQL
• Experience deploying AI/ML solutions on at least one major cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP) and on modern data platforms (Snowflake, Databricks)
• Technical skills in generative AI application development — LLM APIs, retrieval-augmented generation, agentic workflows, and prompt/context engineering
• Proficiency in MLOps and DevSecOps tooling (Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, CI/CD)
• Experience building data and ML pipelines (e.g., Spark, Kafka) supporting production workloads

Ideally, you'll also have

• Strong client trust and value orientation
• Excellent communication skills with impact, including experience leading client presentations and architecture reviews
• Experience contributing to business development — proofs of concept, technical capture, or proposal responses
• A knack for complex problem-solving and critical thinking
• A high degree of learning agility and emotional agility
• Experience in leading teams and managing change

What we look for

We are on the lookout for top performers who are passionate about applied AI and innovation. Ideal candidates are those who exhibit a blend of hands-on engineering skill, emotional intelligence, and the ability to lead and drive change. We value individuals who are client-focused, results-driven, and have a proven track record of delivering high-quality production AI solutions in a fast-paced environment.

Pay

The base salary range for this job in all geographic locations in the US is $128,400 to $235,300. The base salary range for New York City Metro Area, Washington State and California (excluding Sacramento) is $154,000 to $267,400. Individual salaries within those ranges are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills and geography.

Benefits

• Medical and dental coverage
• Pension and 401(k) plans
• A wide range of paid time off options

Schedule

Our expectation is for most people in external, client serving roles to work together in person 40-60% of the time over the course of an engagement, project or year. Under our flexible vacation policy, you'll decide how much vacation time you need based on your own personal circumstances. You'll also be granted time off for designated EY Paid Holidays, Winter/Summer breaks, Personal/Family Care, and other leaves of absence when needed to support your physical, financial, and emotional well-being.