AI Technical Project Lead - SFL Scientific

AI Technical Project Lead - SFL Scientific

Deloitte

Chicago, IL

Other

Posted 7 days ago


Deloitte rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 86 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

59th of 137 rated financial services


Job description

Our Deloitte Strategy & Transactions team helps guide clients through their most critical moments and transformational initiatives. From strategy to execution, this team delivers integrated, end-to-end support and advisory services covering valuation modeling, cost optimization, restructuring, business design and transformation, infrastructure and real estate, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and sustainability. Work alongside clients every step of the way, helping them navigate new challenges, avoid financial pitfalls, and provide practical solutions at every stage of their journey-before, during, and after any major transformational projects or transactions.
SFL Scientific, a Deloitte Business, is a U.S. based, data science consulting firm specializing in building mission-specific, artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to support and transform our partners and clients. Our scientists and engineers' partner with Deloitte to deliver custom AI capabilities.

We are hiring an experienced AI Technical Project Lead to drive the day-to-day execution of AI and consulting initiatives-from project strategy and data gathering, to sprint delivery and resolution of technical roadblocks, through executive-ready storytelling and leadership presentations.

Recruiting for this role ends on 8/31/2026.

Work you'll do

You'll operate at the intersection of delivery, technical coordination, and executive communication, ensuring AI workstreams progress predictably while stakeholders have the visibility and decisions they need. In this role, you will translate business priorities into well-scoped work, manage delivery across cross-functional technical teams, and provide clear, concise status and recommendations to clients and internal leaders. You will lead strategic planning and coordination, which may include development of comprehensive data strategies, data and AI governance frameworks, support testing and organizational change management plans, and the establishment of data science environments that allow technical teams to deliver novel products, tools, and services.

  • Technical Program Management & Coordination
    • Collaborate with technical leaders on end-to-end delivery for AI/GenAI and data workstreams across one or more client engagements, managing scope, timeline, dependencies, budget and quality
    • Responsible for overall coordination, status reporting, and stability of project-orientated work efforts within a program
    • Translate business requirements into user stories, technical tasks and drive backlog hygiene (acceptance criteria, prioritization, sizing, and definition of done)
    • Run standups, plan sprints and demos if required, retros to ensure teams are unblocked and delivering commitments
    • Partner with architects, engineers, MLOps, and data science teams to validate feasibility, sequencing, and integration dependencies (e.g., LLM integration, RAG, evaluation, model deployment)
    • Proactively manage RAID (risks, assumptions, issues, dependencies), change control, and release planning to maintain predictable delivery
    • Drive and evaluate estimates by deliverable and work with project teams to optimize program-related deliverables, including critical path, related inter-project dependencies, risks and issues
  • Executive Communication
    • Create weekly leadership updates (status, key decisions, risks, mitigations, and asks) tailored to executive audiences
    • Build and deliver clear, structure presentations that connect technical progress to outcomes, timelines, and tradeoffs
    • Facilitate decision-making by surfacing options, impacts and recommendations-especially when scope, schedule, or technical constraints shift
    • Partner with engagement leadership to prepare steering committees, QBRs, and milestone reviews (talk tracks, visuals, and pre-reads)

A successful candidate would possess these skills:

  • Ability to work independently and collaborate as part of a team
  • Effective written and verbal communication skills
  • Meticulous attention to detail and quality of work product
  • Ability to build and sustain professional relationships
  • Ability to lead projects or workstreams
  • Ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
  • Strong interpersonal skills and professional demeanor
  • Ability to meet deadlines
  • Ability to provide clear guidance to others

The Team

Our Strategy offering architects bold strategies to achieve business and mission goals, enabling growth, competitive advantage, technology modernization, and continuous digital and AI transformation.

SFL Scientific, a Deloitte Business, is a data science professional services practice focused on strategy, technology, and solving business challenges with Artificial Intelligence (AI). The team has a proven track record serving large, market-leading organizations in the private and public sectors, successfully delivering high-quality, novel and complex projects, and offering deep domain and scientific capabilities. We are advancing both predictive and generative AI technologies while maintaining a commitment to data-driven decision making across all levels of a client's organization, building solutions that drive growth and create meaningful impact. Made up of experienced AI strategists, data scientists, and AI engineers, they serve as trusted advisors to executives, helping them understand and evaluate new and essential areas for AI investment and identify unique opportunities to transform their businesses.

In our consultative approach, we are platform agnostic and committed to providing the best technical solutions for each organization's requirements. Some of our novel use cases include supporting cancer detection, drug discovery, optimizing population health and clinical trials, autonomous systems and edge AI, defect and optimization in manufacturing and semiconductors, and GenAI-enabled search, chat, and knowledge capabilities in every sector.

Qualifications

Required

  • Bachelor's degree in business, STEM, or related field (e.g., Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science)
  • 4+ years of experience managing technical delivery for data/analytics/AI initiatives in consulting or enterprise environments
  • 4+ years of experience leading client-facing delivery, driving stakeholder communication across working teams through executive leadership
  • 4+ years of experience working in Agile/Scrum or hybrid delivery models with measurable outcomes
  • 4+ years of experience using delivery tools such as Jira and Confluence (plus Smartsheet, Asana, etc. as applicable), with strong experience managing technical tickets and reporting
  • 4+ years of experience managing delivery governance, KPI reporting and/or budgets to ensure on-time, high-quality outcomes
  • Ability to travel 10%, on average, based on the work you do and the clients and industries/sectors you serve
  • Live within commuting distance to one of Deloitte's consulting offices
  • Limited immigration sponsorship may be available

Preferred

  • Master's degree in business, STEM, or related field (e.g., Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science)
  • Excellent communication skills: ability to synthesize ambiguity into crisp narratives, decision points and slides
  • Working knowledge of AI/ML and GenAI concepts (LLMs, prompt patterns, RAG, MLOps) and modern data platforms (cloud, pipelines)
  • Strong technical fluency: comfortable challenging assumptions, clarifying requirements, and coordinating across engineering and data science teams
  • Experience with change management and AI solution rollout/adoption across business functions
  • Experience supporting pre-sales (estimating, scoping, workplans, RAID, and delivery approach)

The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. At Deloitte, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $128,000 to $252,500.

You may also be eligible to participate in a discretionary annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.

Qualifications:

Our Deloitte Strategy & Transactions team helps guide clients through their most critical moments and transformational initiatives. From strategy to execution, this team delivers integrated, end-to-end support and advisory services covering valuation modeling, cost optimization, restructuring, business design and transformation, infrastructure and real estate, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and sustainability. Work alongside clients every step of the way, helping them navigate new challenges, avoid financial pitfalls, and provide practical solutions at every stage of their journey-before, during, and after any major transformational projects or transactions.
SFL Scientific, a Deloitte Business, is a U.S. based, data science consulting firm specializing in building mission-specific, artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to support and transform our partners and clients. Our scientists and engineers' partner with Deloitte to deliver custom AI capabilities.

We are hiring an experienced AI Technical Project Lead to drive the day-to-day execution of AI and consulting initiatives-from project strategy and data gathering, to sprint delivery and resolution of technical roadblocks, through executive-ready storytelling and leadership presentations.

Recruiting for this role ends on 8/31/2026.

Work you'll do

You'll operate at the intersection of delivery, technical coordination, and executive communication, ensuring AI workstreams progress predictably while stakeholders have the visibility and decisions they need. In this role, you will translate business priorities into well-scoped work, manage delivery across cross-functional technical teams, and provide clear, concise status and recommendations to clients and internal leaders. You will lead strategic planning and coordination, which may include development of comprehensive data strategies, data and AI governance frameworks, support testing and organizational change management plans, and the establishment of data science environments that allow technical teams to deliver novel products, tools, and services.

  • Technical Program Management & Coordination
    • Collaborate with technical leaders on end-to-end delivery for AI/GenAI and data workstreams across one or more client engagements, managing scope, timeline, dependencies, budget and quality
    • Responsible for overall coordination, status reporting, and stability of project-orientated work efforts within a program
    • Translate business requirements into user stories, technical tasks and drive backlog hygiene (acceptance criteria, prioritization, sizing, and definition of done)
    • Run standups, plan sprints and demos if required, retros to ensure teams are unblocked and delivering commitments
    • Partner with architects, engineers, MLOps, and data science teams to validate feasibility, sequencing, and integration dependencies (e.g., LLM integration, RAG, evaluation, model deployment)
    • Proactively manage RAID (risks, assumptions, issues, dependencies), change control, and release planning to maintain predictable delivery
    • Drive and evaluate estimates by deliverable and work with project teams to optimize program-related deliverables, including critical path, related inter-project dependencies, risks and issues
  • Executive Communication
    • Create weekly leadership updates (status, key decisions, risks, mitigations, and asks) tailored to executive audiences
    • Build and deliver clear, structure presentations that connect technical progress to outcomes, timelines, and tradeoffs
    • Facilitate decision-making by surfacing options, impacts and recommendations-especially when scope, schedule, or technical constraints shift
    • Partner with engagement leadership to prepare steering committees, QBRs, and milestone reviews (talk tracks, visuals, and pre-reads)

A successful candidate would possess these skills:

  • Ability to work independently and collaborate as part of a team
  • Effective written and verbal communication skills
  • Meticulous attention to detail and quality of work product
  • Ability to build and sustain professional relationships
  • Ability to lead projects or workstreams
  • Ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
  • Strong interpersonal skills and professional demeanor
  • Ability to meet deadlines
  • Ability to provide clear guidance to others

The Team

Our Strategy offering architects bold strategies to achieve business and mission goals, enabling growth, competitive advantage, technology modernization, and continuous digital and AI transformation.

SFL Scientific, a Deloitte Business, is a data science professional services practice focused on strategy, technology, and solving business challenges with Artificial Intelligence (AI). The team has a proven track record serving large, market-leading organizations in the private and public sectors, successfully delivering high-quality, novel and complex projects, and offering deep domain and scientific capabilities. We are advancing both predictive and generative AI technologies while maintaining a commitment to data-driven decision making across all levels of a client's organization, building solutions that drive growth and create meaningful impact. Made up of experienced AI strategists, data scientists, and AI engineers, they serve as trusted advisors to executives, helping them understand and evaluate new and essential areas for AI investment and identify unique opportunities to transform their businesses.

In our consultative approach, we are platform agnostic and committed to providing the best technical solution...


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Frequently asked questions

Q: What skills or qualities help someone succeed as a Technical Project Lead?

A: To succeed as a Technical Project Lead, key technical skills include expertise in programming languages, software development methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum), and proficiency in project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana). Essential soft skills include strong communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to motivate and lead cross-functional teams, and effective conflict resolution and negotiation skills. By combining these technical and soft skills, a Technical Project Lead can effectively manage projects, drive innovation, and foster a collaborative work environment, ultimately driving career growth and success in the role.

Q: What is the career path for a Technical Project Lead?

A: A Technical Project Lead typically starts as a Technical Lead or Senior Engineer, overseeing small projects and teams, before progressing to a Project Manager role, where they lead medium-sized projects and develop project management skills. As they gain experience, they can move into senior roles such as Program Manager or Director of Engineering, overseeing multiple projects and teams, and developing strategic planning and leadership skills. Ultimately, a Technical Project Lead can pursue executive roles like VP of Engineering or CTO, or transition into industry-specific leadership positions, such as a Director of Product Development or a Head of Technology.



Deloitte job posting for a AI Technical Project Lead - SFL Scientific in Chicago, IL with a salary of $43 to $68 Hourly with a map of Chicago location.