NOTE: We will not accept candidates submitted by third parties or recruiting agencies – direct applicants only. ABOUT THIS ROLE: • Contract-to-Hire with the intention to convert to employee in 3-6+ months but can also extend longer on contract, business case-dependent • Hourly Rate is flexible depending on level and fit of candidate as well as office alignment • Hybrid Working Model with expectation of 2 days/week working in the Chicago office (or one of our other markets) when not traveling for client work • Travel Expectations are around ~20% but can often be 0% as well depending on the client and engagement Are you ready to elevate your career? Our consulting firm is seeking a Data Science/AI Advisor to lead technology-focused, M&A due diligences on target companies that clients are interested in purchasing or adding to their portfolio. In this role, you’ll collaborate with cross-functional tech consulting teams (Software, Cybersecurity, Cloud/Infrastructure) to assess data science/AI solutions and broader data engineering organizations, identify value creation opportunities, and guide clients through complex M&A transactions. What you will do: • Lead data science (AI/ML, LLMs, Agentic AI, etc.) and data engineering/architecture due diligence assessments in support of client M&A activity • Evaluate enterprise data science environments, AI capabilities, and overall technology ecosystems to recommend improvements for scalability and optimization • Assess modern AI/ML solutions, applications, and products to identify risks, efficiencies, areas for improvement, and growth opportunities • Collaborate with your consulting pod to develop investment theses, risk mitigation strategies, and long-term technology roadmaps for both pre-close evaluations and post-close integrations • Contribute data science expertise in writing up holistic tech environment summaries and co-present findings and strategic recommendations to client stakeholders and PE executives • Mentor and guide junior team members to foster a high-performance culture • Support business development at existing clients (or new accounts) by recognizing strategic needs and engaging relevant internal teams for further development What we are looking for: • 7-15+ years in data science, AI, and/or data modeling design and implementation • Previous roles as hands-on technologist w/ experience implementing data science solutions required (AI/ML, Gen AI, LLMs, Agentic AI, predictive modeling) • Bonus for experience deploying such solutions within key industries like Healthcare, Financial Services & Banking, High Tech/SaaS, Insurance, Manufacturing, etc. • Preferred experience in broader data & analytics domains such as data engineering/architecture, data governance, business intelligence, etc. • Confidence in assessing AI capabilities within an organization and how best to leverage their application in solving business problems • Comfortable navigating modern cloud environments (Azure, AWS, GCP) and cloud-data platforms like Databricks, Snowflake, etc. • Strong technical acumen coupled with communication, leadership, and client-facing skills • Ability to work on concurrent, fast-paced advisory projects for client M&A initiatives • Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, or similar field preferred; otherwise, equivalent and applicable working experience is required • Consulting or startup experience preferred but will consider applicants coming from industry roles • Willingness to travel to M&A target companies as needed (up to 20% but likely minimal) • Willingness to work in a hybrid model and come into our local office 2x/week – preference for candidates who live in a geo where we have an office, but remote applicants will be considered (candidate/situation dependent)