Principal AI Solutions Architect

Blue Orange Digital • Jersey City, NJ

14h • $180,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Blue Orange Digital is seeking a Principal AI Solutions Architect to be a senior technical individual contributor within a specific industry vertical (e.g., financial services, healthcare, private equity, retail, or media). This is a hands-on, client-facing role focused on architecting AI solutions, leading complex technical engagements, and serving as a trusted advisor to clients facing challenging problems. The ideal candidate will have a background progressing from data engineering and cloud architecture to AI/ML solution design, with the ability to engage both engineering teams and executive stakeholders. A proven track record of building and deploying production AI systems is essential. This role offers a growth path towards practice leadership, including P&L ownership and team management, supported by executive coaching and development opportunities. The position emphasizes working with an AI-augmented workflow, utilizing automation and virtual agents for tasks like research, documentation, and proposal development, reflecting the company's tech-forward culture.

Requirements

• 10–15+ years of progressive experience in data engineering, cloud architecture, AI/ML, and technology consulting — with a clear trajectory from hands-on technical roles to strategic, client-facing solution architecture.
• Deep, current technical credibility in AI/ML, cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), modern data infrastructure (Databricks, Snowflake, dbt), and emerging areas like agentic AI, LLMs, and generative AI.
• Genuine expertise in a specific industry vertical (e.g., financial services, healthcare, private equity, retail, media, energy).
• Proven track record of leading complex AI and data transformation engagements for enterprise clients, PE portfolio companies, or Fortune 500 organizations.
• Exceptional client-facing skills — comfortable leading technical workshops with engineering teams and strategy sessions with C-suite stakeholders.
• Strong communicator who translates complex technical concepts into business impact language.
• Self-directed and entrepreneurial — thrive in environments where you have to figure things out, not wait to be told.
• Ambition to grow into practice leadership over time.
• Comfort operating within an AI-augmented workflow — actively leverage your bot fleet, virtual agents, and automation tools.
• Based in New York City or willing to relocate; hybrid work model with regular in-office presence.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Computer Science, Data Science, AI/ML, or a related technical field.
• Hands-on experience building and deploying production AI/ML systems at scale — not just advisory or architecture-only roles.
• Published thought leadership, conference speaking, or recognized expertise in AI and your industry vertical.
• Experience founding, co-founding, or scaling a data/AI practice, consulting vertical, or technical business unit.
• Familiarity with the private equity ecosystem — portfolio company dynamics, value creation planning, due diligence processes.
• Prior experience at a boutique or mid-size consulting firm where you wore multiple hats and operated with startup-level autonomy.
• Multilingual capability and international experience is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

• Architect end-to-end AI solutions for clients in your vertical, from discovery and requirements through system design, technology selection, and delivery oversight.
• Provide hands-on architectural guidance across AI/ML pipelines, agentic systems, LLM deployments, cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, Databricks, Snowflake), and modern data platforms.
• Lead technical deep-dives, design reviews, and architecture sessions with client engineering teams.
• Evaluate emerging AI frameworks, foundation models, agentic architectures, and tooling.
• Serve as the trusted technical advisor to senior stakeholders within your vertical, leading AI strategy workshops, technology assessments, and roadmap sessions.
• Conduct AI readiness assessments, technology due diligence, and build business cases that connect AI investments to measurable ROI.
• Build and maintain deep, trust-based relationships with client technical leaders and executives.
• Present at industry conferences, author thought leadership content, and represent Blue Orange in technical forums.
• Develop deep domain expertise in your vertical, understanding business models, regulatory landscape, data ecosystems, and competitive dynamics.
• Build a library of reference architectures, solution accelerators, and reusable patterns tailored to your vertical.
• Identify the highest-value AI use cases for your industry and codify them into repeatable engagement frameworks.
• Leverage your orchestrated bot network and automation stack for client research, competitive intelligence, industry benchmarking, and proposal development.
• Partner with Account Executives, PE Channel Partners, and the sales team to support pre-sales activities within your vertical.
• Identify expansion opportunities within existing client accounts.
• Provide market feedback to leadership on client needs, competitive dynamics, and emerging opportunities in your vertical.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• 401(k) matching
• Unlimited PTO
• Paid parental leave
• Bereavement leave
• Executive coaching
• Conference speaking opportunities
• Thought leadership platform
• Increasing leadership scope
• All conference, travel, accommodation, and per diem costs covered

What This Job Offers

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