Principal Data Scientist / Associate Director – Data Science (Applied AI)

About the Position

Principal Data Scientist / Associate Director – Data Science (Applied AI)

Location: Chicago, IL, USA

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Role Summary

We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Data Scientist / Associate Director – Data Science (Applied AI) to serve as the primary client-facing data science lead for designing, building, and scaling advanced AI and machine learning solutions for enterprise clients.

This role requires a strong blend of hands-on technical expertise in Generative AI, NLP, machine learning, and data engineering, along with consulting maturity, stakeholder management, and end-to-end solution ownership.

The position combines client advisory, model development, cross-functional collaboration, and measurable business impact, making it ideal for professionals who thrive at the intersection of technology and business transformation.

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Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and deploy advanced AI/ML solutions, including:
  • Generative AI applications
  • RAG systems
  • NLP pipelines
  • Predictive models
• Translate ambiguous business requirements into:
  • structured analytical approaches
  • technical architectures
  • scalable solution roadmaps
• Lead technical workstreams and collaborate with:
  • Data Scientists
  • Data Engineers
  • Product Managers
  • Business Teams
• Partner with client stakeholders to identify high-value AI use cases aligned to business priorities
• Bring thought leadership in designing scalable enterprise AI systems
• Present solution concepts, prototypes, analyses, and business outcomes to senior client and internal stakeholders
• Support presales activities, including:
  • solution framing
  • technical proposals
  • demos
  • effort estimation
• Build and optimize production-grade AI pipelines using cloud, vector search, and enterprise data platforms
• Mentor junior team members and contribute to capability building, reusable accelerators, and best practices

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Requirements

Primary Skills (Mandatory)

• Strong expertise in:
  • Generative AI
  • LLMs
  • RAG frameworks
  • Agentic workflows
  • NLP
  • embeddings
  • transformers
  • deep learning
• Strong programming proficiency in:
  • Python
  • PySpark
  • SQL
• Experience with modern ML and AI frameworks:
  • PyTorch
  • Transformers
  • scikit-learn
  • LangChain
  • LangGraph
• Experience with cloud and data platforms:
  • Snowflake
  • BigQuery
  • PostgreSQL
  • Redshift
  • Azure AI Search
  • vector databases
• Ability to architect scalable AI systems integrating both structured and unstructured enterprise data
• Experience in:
  • knowledge layers
  • semantic search
  • enterprise copilots
• Exposure to:
  • model fine-tuning
  • evaluation frameworks
  • guardrails
  • LLM governance
• Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to articulate technical concepts and business value to senior stakeholders

Preferred Education

Master’s degree in a quantitative discipline such as:

• Data Science
• Computer Science
• Statistics
• Engineering
• Operations Research
• Related quantitative field

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We Offer

• Competitive Salary: $180,000 per year
• Location: Chicago, IL, USA
• Employment Type: Full-time
• Experience Level: Senior

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About the Company

Newnovation Solutions is a leading company in the field of data science and applied AI, dedicated to delivering cutting-edge solutions to enterprise clients. Our team is committed to innovation and excellence, providing advanced AI and machine learning services to drive business transformation.