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Senior ML Staff Engineer – Lead AI & LLM platform engineering at Bain in Chicago
Design scalable ML pipelines, mentor engineers, and shape production-grade systems in a top‑tier consulting firm.
WHAT MAKES US A GREAT PLACE TO WORK
We are proud to be consistently recognized as one of the world’s best places to work. We are currently the top ranked consulting firm on Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work list and have earned the #1 overall spot a record seven times. Extraordinary teams are at the heart of our business strategy, but these don’t happen by chance. They require intentional focus on bringing together a broad set of backgrounds, cultures, experiences, perspectives, and skills in a supportive and inclusive work environment. We hire people with exceptional talent and create an environment in which every individual can thrive professionally and personally.
WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
You’ll join our Enterprise Technology organization, partnering closely with engineering, product, and data teams to build the next generation of AI- and machine learning-powered solutions across Bain. Working in a highly collaborative environment, you’ll help define the technical direction of ML platforms that enable scalable, reliable, and impactful solutions for internal users and client‑facing products.
WHERE YOU’LL FIT WITHIN THE TEAM
As a Staff Engineer, Machine Learning, you’ll play a critical role in defining the architecture, engineering standards, and operational excellence of Bain’s machine learning ecosystem. You'll partner with cross‑functional teams to build scalable ML and LLM‑powered systems, establish engineering best practices, and translate complex business challenges into robust technical solutions.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys solving complex engineering problems, influencing technical strategy, and mentoring other engineers while remaining hands‑on with modern AI technologies.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Architect & Build ML Systems
Design and evolve scalable machine learning pipelines supporting analytics, Q&A, and insight generation across products
Select and implement appropriate ML and LLM architectures based on quality, latency, scalability, and cost considerations
Design resilient systems capable of handling evolving datasets while continuously improving model performance
Deploy & Operate Production ML Platforms
Lead production deployment of LLM-powered systems using both open-source models and commercial APIs
Define service level objectives (SLOs) and ensure system reliability, scalability, and operational efficiency
Develop deployment strategies and optimize inference workloads through capacity planning
Own ML Platforms End-to-End
Lead the design, implementation, and long‑term operation of business‑critical ML systems
Define operational KPIs and engineering standards
Lead root cause analysis and post‑mortems while driving continuous improvements
Translate complex business needs into scalable engineering solutions
Improve Data Quality & Model Performance
Establish robust data contracts and monitoring practices
Build evaluation frameworks including dashboards, regression testing, and slice analysis
Continuously improve model quality while preventing regressions
Advance MLOps & Engineering Excellence
Define lifecycle management for data, models, and prompts
Establish CI/CD standards and deployment best practices for ML systems
Improve observability, governance, and production monitoring
Mentor engineers and elevate technical standards across teams
ABOUT YOU
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
6+ years of experience in software engineering, machine learning engineering, or related technical roles
Experience designing and operating production‑grade ML systems at scale
Experience deploying machine learning or LLM‑powered applications into production environments
Strong proficiency in Python, SQL, and production software development
Experience designing scalable ML pipelines, inference systems, and retrieval architectures
Experience implementing CI/CD practices and MLOps frameworks
Deep understanding of NLP, transformer architectures, retrieval systems, fine‑tuning, and structured extraction
Experience building cloud‑based ML infrastructure
Strong analytical, communication, and problem‑solving skills
Proven ability to mentor engineers and influence technical direction
Advanced English proficiency (written and spoken)
Preferred Qualifications
Advanced degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or a related technical discipline
Experience owning machine learning platforms supporting multiple teams or products
Experience operating LLM‑powered systems with measurable business impact
Experience establishing engineering standards across ML organizations
Experience designing large‑scale entity resolution or data integration systems
WORKING MODEL
This role follows a hybrid model, requiring in‑office presence at least one day per week at our Chicago office .
U.S. COMPENSATION INFORMATION
Compensation for this role includes base salary, annual discretionary performance bonus, 401(k) plan with an annual employer contribution based on years of service and Bain’s best in class benefits package.
Some local governments in the United States require a good‑faith, reasonable salary range to be included in job postings for open roles. The estimated annualized compensation for this role is as follows:
In Chicago, IL, the good‑faith, reasonable annualized full‑time salary range for this role is between 141k and 169k; placement within this range will vary based on several factors including, but not limited to experience, education, licensure/certifications, training, and skill level.
Annual discretionary performance bonus
This role may also be eligible for other elements of discretionary compensation
4.5% 401(k) company contribution, which increases after 3 years of service and is 100% vested upon start date
Bain & Company’s comprehensive benefits and wellness program is designed to help employees achieve personal independence, protection, and stability in the areas most important to them and their families.
Bain pays 100% individual employee premiums for medical, dental, and vision programs, offering one of the most comprehensive medical plans for employees without impacting your paycheck
Generous paid time off, including parental leave, sick leave, and paid holidays
Fully vested 401(k) company contribution
Paid Life and Long‑Term Disability insurance
Annual fitness reimbursements