AI Strategist

Blank Metal•Minneapolis, MN

About The Position

About Blank Metal Blank Metal is an AI-native engineering company that partners with enterprises to deliver production AI fast. We blend strategic insight with hands-on execution — shipping high-impact systems that turn AI initiatives into measurable business results. We’re builders, not theorists. Our team of seasoned engineers, designers, and strategists work across industries to create AI applications that actually get used — and make a difference. You’ll join a seasoned professional services team who excel at providing high-touch, quality, memorable services that move the needle for companies. Our office is filled with open conversations that get us to the best solution. We want to hear your voice as we evolve our services. You’ll also find our office infused with laughter, so bring your jovial nature and entrepreneurial spirit and join us on our journey. About the Role As an AI Strategist at Blank Metal, you’ll serve as the client-facing lead for product value and evaluation strategy. You’ll co-lead engagements alongside a Technical Lead and a lean, senior team to identify high-impact use cases, ship production-grade AI, validate performance through rigorous evaluations, and drive adoption. This role blends strategic thinking, hands-on evaluation design, and delivery leadership to ensure measurable outcomes—not slideware.

Requirements

7+ years in product management, digital consulting, or equivalent
Shipped AI/ML or data-intensive products to production
Hands-on experience with evaluation design and operations (offline/online)
Skilled in building golden datasets and designing rubrics for scoring
Working knowledge of LLMs, RAG, prompt engineering, and basic data tooling (SQL, notebooks, dashboards)
Strong analytical and executive communication skills
Proven experience applying Responsible-AI practices in regulated domains

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with OpenAI Evals or similar frameworks
Experience with experimentation platforms (A/B, interleaving)
Prior use of agency-gated releases and continuous calibration loops
Industry depth in one of Blank Metal’s core verticals
Experience leading change management at scale

Responsibilities

Run discovery to define value thesis, KPIs/OKRs, and agency roadmap
Prioritize backlog to maximize ROI and user value
Design and lead evaluation plans across offline and online layers
Build rubrics and test cases using code-, LLM-, or human-graded approaches
Partner with Tech Lead to implement eval harness and publish dashboards
Analyze model behavior and maintain error taxonomy; drive mitigations
Orchestrate calibration cycles to manage autonomy escalation
Lead sprint rituals, manage risks, and ensure delivery transparency
Chair Responsible-AI checkpoints and secure legal/infosec approvals
Design enablement and rollout plans; prove usage and satisfaction
Identify adjacent use cases and support proposals/SOWs

Benefits

AI-native firm focused on shipping production AI fast
Small, senior, embedded teams with high autonomy
Co-led engagements with Strategist and Technical Lead model
Direct ownership of product value, evaluation strategy, and adoption
Opportunity to contribute reusable playbooks and governance frameworks
Work across Lean Pods, Balanced Squads, and Extended Teams
High-trust culture with measurable impact and client visibility
Minneapolis–St Paul metro location with up to 20% travel
Reports directly to Head of Product
Equal Employment Opportunity We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome our employee’s differences, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or Veteran status. Difference makes us better. Join us . Blank Metal is an equal opportunity employer.