About Careertakes

👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, IT Services and IT Consulting.

Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.

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Role Summary & What You’ll Do

Confidential Client is seeking an experienced Data Scientist on a contract-to-hire basis to develop advanced machine learning, generative-AI, and agentic AI solutions. This role focuses on hands-on model development, experimentation, and working with engineering teams to productionize models that deliver measurable business outcomes.

• Responsible for end-to-end development of Data Science and Machine Learning solutions, including data analysis, model training, testing, and evaluation.
• Build and fine-tune LLMs and agentic AI systems (RAG, agentic RAG, agents, strands) and apply fine-tuning techniques (e.g., LoRA).
• Write production-grade code and collaborate with ML engineers on CI/CD, model deployment, monitoring, and scaling.
• Partner with data engineers to design ETL/data pipelines and with software engineers to integrate ML/AI capabilities into business platforms.
• Research and prototype new algorithms, LLM techniques, and generative-AI approaches to solve high-impact business problems.
• Use cloud AI platforms and frameworks (e.g., AWS SageMaker, Bedrock) to train, deploy, and manage models.

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Required Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Engineering, Econometrics, Physics, Actuarial Science, Data Science, or a related quantitative field.
• 4+ years of applied experience building and deploying machine learning models or equivalent demonstrated expertise.
• Strong programming skills in Python and SQL; experience producing production-ready code.
• Deep understanding of machine learning theory and practical experience with supervised and unsupervised methods, model evaluation, and experimentation (A/B testing).
• Applied experience with Generative AI / NLP: LLMs, RAG, vector DBs, LangChain/LangGraph or similar toolkits, and agentic AI concepts.
• Experience deploying and operating models on cloud AI platforms (AWS SageMaker, Bedrock, or equivalent).
• Solid knowledge of statistics, multivariable calculus, linear algebra, probability, and applied statistical methods.
• Excellent problem solving, communication, and collaboration skills; ability to translate technical results to business stakeholders.

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Preferred / Nice-to-Have

• Hands-on experience with Agentic AI SDKs and agent orchestration tools (e.g., Claude Agents SDK, AgentCore, Agent frameworks).
• Familiarity with LoRA or other efficient fine-tuning techniques for LLMs.
• Experience with vector databases, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) patterns, and productionizing RAG/agent systems.
• Background in DevSecOps practices for ML in AWS environments (development → QA → staging → production).
• Prior experience working in a cross-functional team with economists, actuaries, or domain experts.

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Logistics & Compensation

• Contract-to-hire engagement.
• Hybrid schedule with roughly 3 days per week onsite in New Jersey (NJ).
• Pay rate: $65–$75 per hour, depending on experience.
• Employment type: Contractor (with pathway to permanent employment based on performance).

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Why Apply via Careertakes

• Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform that can share additional matched opportunities with qualified applicants.
• Work on cutting-edge ML, Generative AI, and Agentic AI initiatives with a cross-disciplinary team.
• Opportunity to influence production systems and deliver measurable business impact.

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Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency

Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.

If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.