Principal (Forward Deployed AI Engineer) United States - BCG X

About the Role

As a Principal (Forward Deployed AI Engineer) at BCG X, you’ll be part of our rapidly growing engineering team and help build the next generation of AI solutions. You’ll partner with clients across BCG regions and industries—including key topics like climate change—to design, build, and deploy innovative AI-driven solutions. You’ll also develop and deliver thought leadership in scientific communities, lead conferences, and shape the strategy of BCG X and BCG overall.

In this role, you’ll work closely with partners and managing directors to drive growth and business development, manage teams of AI scientists, engineers, and designers, and act as the interface between business and technology for clients. Successful candidates are intellectually curious builders with a bias toward action, scrappy, and communicative.

Responsibilities

• Own the full analytics value-chain: frame business challenges, design algorithms, implement scalable solutions, and enable adoption of AI by colleagues and clients.
• Develop and deploy custom AI solutions and industry-specific AI software, including GenAI (LLMs, LangChain) and Agentic AI systems at enterprise scale.
• Apply software development best practices to build robust, maintainable software in a client-facing role.
• Guide non-technical teams and consultants in best practices for software development and computational efficiency.
• Optimize algorithms and software design for performance and scalability.
• Act as a thought leader by publishing papers, presenting at conferences, and contributing to scientific communities on behalf of BCG X.
• Lead project management efforts, acting as the bridge between business and technical teams for clients.
• Shape the strategy of BCG X and BCG overall, driving growth and commercial impact.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD in engineering or a related field with 8+ years of relevant experience.
• Proven experience architecting and deploying AI/GenAI solutions, including Agentic AI systems, at enterprise scale.
• Experience working with Large Language Models (LLMs), including platforms such as OpenAI, Anthropic, or open-source models.
• Proficiency in Python and full-stack development (React, JavaScript, TypeScript) with experience in CI/CD pipelines.
• Familiarity with relational, non-relational, and streaming data structures, as well as cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Strong record of professional accomplishment, leadership, and project management.
• Ability to drive topics and make a commercial impact in a fast-paced, service-oriented environment.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to guide non-technical stakeholders.
• Must live within a reasonable commuting distance of your home office (locations include Boston, New York, Brooklyn, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, San Francisco, Seattle, Manhattan Beach, Pittsburgh, or Los Angeles).

Benefits

• Zero-dollar ($0) health insurance premiums for employees, spouses, and children, including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Low $10 (USD) copays for doctor visits, urgent care, and generic prescriptions.
• Dental coverage with up to $5,000 in orthodontia benefits.
• Vision insurance covering glasses and contact lenses annually.
• Reimbursement for gym memberships and other fitness activities.
• Fully vested profit-sharing retirement fund contributions made annually, plus 401(k) options for personal contributions.
• Paid parental leave and family benefits, including elective egg freezing, surrogacy, and adoption reimbursement.
• 12 paid holidays per year, an annual office closure between Christmas and New Year’s, and 15 vacation days per year (earned at 1.25 days per month).
• Paid sick time on an as-needed basis.

Pay

First-year base compensation for this role is $252,900 USD.

Schedule

• This role may require extended working hours and travel to client sites.
• Expected in-office presence as directed by your home office location.