AI and Data Consultant Team Lead

Coretek Services

4d

About The Position

Coretek is seeking an AI & Data Consultant, Team Lead to deliver client solutions and provide day-to-day leadership for consultants and contract delivery resources. The role remains hands-on with Microsoft data and AI technologies while supporting delivery commitments, quality, and the team’s consulting skills.

The role is allocated 70% to billable client delivery and 30% to non-billable team leadership and practice support. The split is planned and reviewed with the Delivery Manager using Coretek’s utilization rules. Time must be recorded against the work performed. Client-specific work is billable only when authorized within the engagement scope, and internal leadership time must be recorded separately.

For client delivery, the Team Lead leads discovery, clarifies requirements and acceptance criteria, estimates assigned work, and explains delivery options and tradeoffs. The role builds and improves data pipelines and platforms using SQL, Python, Microsoft Fabric, Azure data services, and Databricks; integrates Azure AI and Azure OpenAI capabilities; and validates output quality, data handling, and failure behavior. The role applies access controls, data quality checks, and approved security practices, and uses version control, automated testing, and deployment pipelines. The Team Lead owns assigned work through implementation, validation, documentation, and handoff, coordinates schedules and acceptance with project managers, and raises risks, blockers, and scope changes early.

For team leadership and practice support, the Team Lead sets expectations for assigned consultants and contractors, confirms owners and deliverables, provides coaching and feedback, reviews technical work and documentation, coordinates workload and capacity, and supports contractor onboarding and handoffs. The role promotes accurate time recording and adherence to delivery processes, organizes cross-training and knowledge sharing, contributes reusable methods and templates, and provides weekly reporting on delivery, capacity, risks, quality, coaching, corrective actions, and improvement. The Team Lead works with the Delivery Manager on staffing priorities and development plans, and with project managers on schedules, budgets, scope, and client status. Contractor administrative and commercial decisions remain with designated Coretek owners.

Success is measured by achieving the 70% billable utilization target while completing planned leadership work, meeting acceptance criteria and reducing recurring defects and rework, maintaining usable documentation, and demonstrating reliable follow-through, early escalation, completed coaching actions, and improvement in reviewed work.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of experience in data engineering, analytics, or AI, including hands-on Microsoft Azure delivery and client-facing consulting work.
• Demonstrated experience leading or mentoring consultants, engineers, or contractors, including setting expectations, reviewing work, and addressing delivery concerns.
• Strong SQL and practical Python skills, with hands-on experience in at least two of Microsoft Fabric, Databricks, Azure Synapse Analytics, or Azure SQL.
• Experience implementing AI integrations and validating their behavior, with knowledge of data quality, access controls, and secure handling of client information.
• Understanding of data lakes, warehouses, pipelines, and analytics, including how prepared datasets support Power BI and AI applications.
• Experience with Git, testing, release practices, and technical documentation, and the ability to review another team member’s work and provide useful feedback.
• Clear client communication, sound estimation, and the ability to balance personal delivery commitments with team leadership responsibilities.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience leading mixed teams of employees and contract resources across multiple client engagements.
• Experience with Spark, event-driven data integration, AI evaluation, or operating machine learning solutions in production.
• Exposure to Elastic, Tines, infrastructure as code, or automation that improves delivery consistency.
• Relevant Microsoft certifications in data engineering, analytics, Azure, or AI.

Responsibilities

• Lead client discovery sessions, clarify requirements and acceptance criteria, estimate assigned work, and explain delivery options and tradeoffs to technical and business stakeholders.
• Build and improve data pipelines and platforms using SQL, Python, Microsoft Fabric, Azure data services, and Databricks, and deliver tested datasets for analytics and AI use cases.
• Integrate Azure AI and Azure OpenAI capabilities into client solutions and test output quality, data handling, and failure behavior before release, working with architects on design decisions.
• Apply access controls, data quality checks, and approved security practices; use version control, automated testing, and deployment pipelines to make changes repeatable and reviewable.
• Own assigned work through implementation, validation, documentation, and handoff; coordinate dates, effort, dependencies, and client acceptance with project managers.
• Raise risks, blockers, and scope changes early, recommend recovery actions, and obtain required approvals before undertaking additional work.
• Set clear work expectations for assigned consultants and contractors, confirm owners, deliverables, due dates, and support needs, and follow up until commitments are closed.
• Hold regular check-ins, provide specific feedback on technical work, client communication, documentation, and consulting skills, and agree on and review development actions.
• Review code, configurations, data pipelines, AI outputs, and project documentation against team standards; arrange peer reviews and confirm findings are corrected.
• Review assignments, demand, and capacity with the Delivery Manager and project managers; identify skill gaps, conflicting priorities, and overloaded resources early.
• Help coordinate Coretek and client onboarding, access, delivery expectations, and handoffs; serve as an escalation point for assigned contractors and raise performance or continuity concerns promptly.
• Review task status and timesheet completeness regularly and reinforce early risk communication, accurate time recording, and consistent adherence to delivery processes.
• Organize cross-training, knowledge sharing, and practical enablement; contribute reusable methods and templates; support candidate assessments and onboarding when requested.
• Provide a weekly summary of team delivery, capacity, risks, and quality concerns, including coaching and review work completed, corrective actions, and evidence of improvement.
• Work with the Delivery Manager on staffing priorities and development plans, and with project managers on schedules, budgets, scope, and client status.
• Achieve the 70% billable utilization target while completing planned non-billable leadership work.
• Meet agreed acceptance criteria, reduce recurring defects and avoidable rework, and maintain usable documentation.
• Demonstrate reliable follow-through, early escalation, completed coaching actions, and improvement in reviewed work.

Benefits

• Dedicated time for leadership development and team coaching.
• Training and technical growth through work with architects and consultants, shared delivery practices, and client projects.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior