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applicant

AI/ML Engineer (External Consultant - 3 Months)

EFutures    Colombo • Freelance

Role Overview

We're looking for an experienced AI/ML Engineer to join as a part-time external consultant for an initial 3-month engagement. You'll act as a "Data Detective" and architect, using statistical methods, econometric principles, and external market proxies to explore and prototype a predictive framework for cost structures. The initial engagement is scoped to be achievable within part-time hours; production build-out and longer-term ownership would be a natural next phase for the right person

Key Responsibilities

  • Design, validate, and deploy advanced machine learning models capable of predicting cost structures by leveraging external market indicators, indices, and macroeconomic factors.
  • Discover and transform indirect data streams (e.g., supply/capacity constraints, geographic clustering, structural market shifts, and seasonal trends) into high- fidelity predictive signals.
  • Implement rigorous statistical frameworks to measure, communicate, and bound model uncertainty and risk, ensuring the business can confidently rely on proxy- driven forecasts.
  • Conduct exploratory data analysis and statistical modeling to inform model design decisions
  • Document methodology, assumptions, and findings, and stay current with relevant ML/AI research applicable to the engagement.

Required Qualifications

  • Solid hands-on experience in AI/ML engineering, ideally with some track record of shipping models to production 5+ years is a good guideline, but strong
    candidates with less are welcome to apply.
  • Solid grounding in understanding of linear algebra, probability theory, multivariate calculus, and statistical inference
  • Proficiency in Python and common ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn)
  • Experience with exploratory data analysis and turning messy or indirect data into usable features or signals.
  • Strong grounding in core ML techniques: supervised/unsupervised learning, deep learning, and ideally a specialty area (time-series, NLP, forecasting, econometrics, etc.).
  • Clear communicator - comfortable explaining technical tradeoffs to non-technical stakeholders and working independently with minimal day-to-day oversight.
  • Background in Mathematics, Statistics, Econometrics, Operations Research, Physics, or a similarly quantitative field is a plus, but not a hard requirement if your practical experience speaks for itself.

Nice to Have

  • Experience with cloud ML platforms (AWS SageMaker, GCP Vertex Al, Azure ML).
  • Familiarity with MLOps tools and practices (e.g., MLflow, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD for ML).
  • Experience with large datasets or distributed computing frameworks (e.g., Spark).
  • Experience with LLMs, generative Al, or prompt engineering.
  • Published research, patents, or open-source ML contributions.
  • Prior experience in short-term, fractional, or advisory consulting roles. Experience in [your industry, e.g., fintech, healthcare, e-commerce] helpful but not essential.

Engagement Details

  • Work Arrangement: 4-5 Hours per Day - flexible scheduling
  • Location: Hybrid (Mostly Remote)
  • Experience Level: 5+ Years

If you're eager to learn, grow, and make an impact, we'd love to hear from you!